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LAKEWOOD TOWNSHIP'S INSUFFICIENT PARKING REQUIREMENTS LEADS TO DISCORD IN NEIGHBORHOODS REGARDING SHULS & PARKING RESTRICTIONS


Lakewood Township's parking requirements for shuls are quite low - in fact, shuls where the main sanctuary is less than 800 sq feet in area (which can comfortably seat 50-75 people) do not require any parking at all!


The immense problem that this causes residential neighborhoods who need to contend with cars parked all over their already narrow and congested roadways is already known to many - and it spilled into the recent Township Committee meeting.


On the Committee's agenda was the introduction of an Ordinance which would prohibit parking along the north side of East Kennedy Boulevard from Somerset Avenue to Milano Drive.


The Committee voted to introduce the Ordinance at the request of Rabbi Avrohom Lefkowitz, Rosh Kollel of Kollel Bnei Torah and a resident of that block.


Besides for Kollel Bnei Torah on Kennedy Boulevard, the adjoining block of Milano Drive is also home to Cong. Shemen L'mincha D`Nodfola (Tenke), so parking in the area is always at a premium.


A local resident of Milano Drive submitted a public comment by email and live on the phone opining that restricting parking on Kennedy Boulevard, the parking problems will simply spill over onto his block of Milano Drive, which has its own congestion and narrow problems as well.


Neighbors have asked the Township Committee to build a public parking lot in their neighborhood for use by all shul members. Mayor Coles responded that as long as all the neighbors are in agreement over such a proposal, they will look into such a possibility.


Public records obtained by FAA News show that the neighbors already submitted such a request several years ago. Their plan was for them to build a public parking lot on a nearby lot which is owned by the Township. Town officials at the time rejected the proposal, questioning the need for so many additional parking spaces as both local shuls already provided parking as required under the ordinance.


In March 2017 the Planning Board sent the Township Committee a formal recommendation to increase the parking requirement for shuls and to require parking even for shuls where the main sanctuary is less than 800 sq feet in area. The Township Committee continues to ignore this recommendation.


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