Lambertville City Council Passes Ordinance To Keep Sidewalks Clear

The sidewalks in the City of Lambertville will be getting more clear.

The City of Lambertville Council passed an ordinance last month that prevents small businesses and other entities from obstructing the sidewalk. 

Now, businesses and other entities must notify the city and obtain a permit before blocking sidewalks.

If they fail to meet these requirements, they will be subject to various penalties outlined by the city. 

The new ordinance will enhance public safety, according to Mayor Andrew Nowick in a written statement.

During the holiday months that just passed, Lambertville’s busy season, there were a lot of examples of businesses blocking the sidewalk, officials said.

In terms of issues that arose, there were two roofing jobs in recent weeks that blocked the sidewalk and parking spaces due to scaffolding, Nowick said.

Several shops also closed city sidewalks to conduct business. These events, and others, inspired this ordinance, the mayor explained.

The ordinance states that it accounts for the construction of new sidewalks. It also accounts for building materials, debris and items removed from any elevated surface (roof, patio, deck, etc.) with a height of 12 feet or greater. The previously mentioned items will have to be removed in a controlled and calculated manner so it doesn’t land on the sidewalk or street so residents can walk freely on the sidewalk.

In other news related to sidewalks, several residents voiced their opinion on the icy sidewalks that plagued the city following January’s snow storms. Residents stated the downtown streets were a sheet of ice and that some residents were still pumping water onto the streets for it to unintentionally freeze overnight. In particular, many residents on Swan Street were still pumping water onto the street during subzero temperatures, according to one resident’s first-hand account.