Revised Parking Near Colony Up for Approval Thursday

The Chatham Township Committee could make significant changes to how people park for Colony Pool and, by extension, Chatham High School when they meet Thursday.

PSE&G informed the township residents they can no longer use the parking lot along School Avenue, commonly used for Colony Pool members and for overflow parking at Chatham High. The lot falls within PSE&G's right-of-way for their utility poles, and the licensing agreement which let the township utilize the lot was revoked after the North Central Reliability Project was completed.

The committee unanimously approved the introduction of a new law that would allow on-street parking on the west side of Spring Street from Lafayette Avenue to Dale Drive from the Saturday before Memorial Day, when Colony Pool opens, until Labor Day, when the pool closes.

The ordinance will also allow parking along the north side of School Avenue from the intersection with School Avenue to 500 ft. east of that point, and will make School Avenue one-way going north, from Spring Street to Floral Street, in the summers.

Parking would not be allowed on the east side of Spring Street from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. when school is in session.

Chatham High School begins at 7:40 a.m.

If the ordinance passes, signs will be put up along the roads to designate allowed parking areas.

Stop signs will also be put on Henry Drive and on Marion Avenue where those roads intersect with Ormont Road.

The committee will hold a public hearing on the ordinance and a final vote when they meet Thursday at 7:30 p.m. A complete copy of the ordinance draft, along with a complete copy of the agenda for Thursday's meeting, is in the Photos section of this article.