Lawrence Township Municipal Ordinance Roundup

At its , Lawrence Township Council introduced two new ordinances. The first would amend the township administrative code governing underage drinking to grant immunity from prosecution to individuals who aid another person in need of medical care. And the other ordinance would, for members of the United States armed forces, waive the fee normally charged by the township for the mayor to officiate at their wedding.

A public hearing will be held on both ordinances at the next council meeting on Thursday, April 21. Council members will then vote at that meeting whether or not to adopt the two ordinances.

The first ordinance, if approved, will amend the Lawrence Township administrative code regarding underage drinking.

“The amendment will add what is known as a ‘Lifeline Exemption,’” Township Manager Richard Krawczun explained in his regular pre-meeting memo to council members. “This exemption will provide immunity from prosecution for up to three individuals who assist a person in need of medical assistance due to the consumption of alcohol. The immunity will apply if the person(s) providing assistance call either 911 or a school public safety agency. The immunity will also apply to the person in need of medical assistance.”

After the ordinance was introduced, Mayor Greg Puliti said, “I think it’s a very good ordinance and it will help in the long run.”

The other ordinance will amend the rules concerning the fee normally collected by the township and paid to the mayor for his or her officiating at a wedding. That fee is $100 for a wedding performed within the township and $150 for a wedding performed outside the township.

The amendment, if approved, will waive the fee for members of the United States armed forces.

Puliti explained that the amendment was prompted by two recent weddings at which he officiated – one for a service member set to be deployed to Afghanistan and the other for a member of the military being assigned to a base in Norfolk, Va.

“This is the least we can do for our members in the armed forces,” he said. “It’s just something for our men and women in uniform.”

The wedding fee ordinance was to allow the mayor to reallocate the fee, based on Puliti’s desire to donate any money generated during 2011 by his officiating at weddings to support the township’s annual July 4th fireworks display.

Other ordinances and ordinance amendments adopted by the council at its last few meetings include:

Ordinance Amending The Land Use Ordinance (LUO) Of The Township Of Lawrence, County Of Mercer, State Of New Jersey To Modify Section 400, General Regulations And Permitted Modifications, And Section 522, Drainage And Storm Water Management (Adopted Feb. 15, 2011)

Township Manager’s Memo: “Ordinance amends that portion of the Lawrence Township Municipal Land Use Ordinance regulating storm water management basins. The amendment will most notably now require a storm water management basin to comply with the setback requirements of the applicable residential zone where the basin is to be constructed.”

An Ordinance Establishing The Title And Salary For The Position Of Fire Lieutenant (Adopted Feb. 15, 2011)

Township Manager’s Memo: “Ordinance establishes and authorizes the title and salary of a Fire Lieutenant. The reassignment of the paid firefighters into a single crew necessitates the need for a ranking officer to be in command of the crew. This command assignment is mandatory at any emergency scene. In addition, with the future hiring of two additional paid fire personnel the need for a command structure will be greater. The salary differential from Firefighter to Fire Lieutenant is $5,000 or 8.24%. This salary has been agreed to by the fire union members. This differential is less than rank differential of the police which is 12 percent.”

An Ordinance Amending Ordinance No. 2079-11-Amending The Consolidated License, Permit And Fee Chapter Of The Lawrence Township Administrative Code (Adopted March 15, 2011)

Township Manager’s Memo: “Ordinance amends the recently adopted ordinance increasing various fees. The adopted ordinance increased the fees for the purchase of a firearms identification card and pistol permit. Due to an oversight the fees must be amended back to the prior amount because the fees are set by state statue.”

An Ordinance Amending Ordinance No. 1565-99 Amending Chapter 2 Of The Lawrence Township Administrative Code Growth And Redevelopment Committee (Adopted March 15, 2011)

Township Manager’s Memo: “Ordinance amends the numbers of at-large members for the Growth and Redevelopment Committee. This ordinance will increase the number of at-large members by three (3) resulting in total at-large members becoming twelve (12) up from the previous level of (9). Furthermore, the amendment will combine the members of the Route 1 Redevelopment Advisory Committee with the Growth and Redevelopment Committee.”

An Ordinance Amending Ordinance No. 1617-00 Amending The Shade Tree Advisory Committee (Adopted March 15, 2011)

Township Manager’s Memo: “Ordinance amends the membership of the Shade Tree Advisory Committee. The ordinance will change the category of the Planning Board member from a voting position to a liaison position. The second change will increase the number of citizen members from six to seven.”

Bond Ordinance Amending Bond Ordinance 2052-10 By The Township Of Lawrence, County Of Mercer, State Of New Jersey, In Order To Revise The Description Of The Improvement Herein (Adopted March 15, 2011)

Township Manager’s Memo: “Ordinance amends a previously adopted bond ordinance, 2052-10, to revise the description of authorized purposes for which the bond proceeds may be utilized. The current authorized purpose includes a seventy-two (72) inch mower. This amendment will add two (2) zero turn mowers.”

An Ordinance Amending Chapter 6a, "Fees: The Consolidated License, Permit And Fee Chapter" Of The Lawrence Township Administrative Code (Adopted March 15, 2011)

Township Manager’s Memo: “Ordinance authorizes elimination of the fee for pneumococcal immunizations. The service is no longer provided by the Lawrence Township Health Department.”

An Ordinance Amending Ordinance Nos. 2002-09, 1876-06 And 1976-08 Establishing Rates For Sewer Service (Adopted April 5, 2011)

Township Manager’s Memo: “Ordinance authorizes an amendment to current sewer usage rates. The Lawrence Township apportionment of the annual charge from the Ewing-Lawrence Sewerage Authority has increased from $4,471,238 to $4,566,000 or $94,762. The rate increase is .09 or 2.34 percent. The new rate is $3.94 per 100 gallons of water usage up from $3.85. This increase is estimated to generate additional revenue of $94,857. This change will increase the average residential sewer bill $12.78 annually.”

 

Copies of all the above-referenced ordinances can be viewed from the PDF box above.