Occupancy Law Amendment to be Drafted

The occupancy ordinance wasn't on the agenda for Tuesday night's Parsippany Township Council meeting. But that law—and the families set to lose their homes because of it—became the business session's central focus. 

The council decided Tuesday night to form a subcommittee to draft an occupancy ordinance amendment the members will accept. Council President Brian Stanton refused all requests to volunteer, saying he would hand pick who will serve on the panel.

The issue arose when Councilman James Vigilante sneaked in a question just before Stanton was about to adjourn what had been a fairly routine meeting. 

Vigilante noted that at least four Parsippany families—including one with a 6-month-old baby—are about to be evicted because under Par-Troy housing law, three people cannot live in a one-bedroom apartment. 

The councilman said that while he supports strong enforcement of true stacking infractions, he doesn't believe young families were the intended targets of the law.

"Is there anything legally that we can do to suspend the ordinance and protect these families?" Vigilante asked Township Attorney John Inglesino.

"The ordinance is the law of this municipality," the lawyer said. "We're duty-bound to enforce the law."

Inglesino reminded Vigilante that just weeks ago an ordinance amendment proposal backed by Mayor James Barberio appeared before the council. Under that plan, families in violation of the ordinance could attempt to obtain a waiver, route: {:controller=>"articles", :action=>"show", :id=>"parsippany-council-residential-occupancy-ordinance"} -->. That proposal was just shy of its second reading when the after some