TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—Looking to help emergency responders quickly identify local homes and businesses — and to honor the late councilman Arthur J. Cumming, who spearheaded the idea — the mayor and council hope to pass an ordinance that helps improve the visibility of local address numbers.
To honor Cumming on the anniversary of his passing, March 21, 2021, the mayor and council instructed attorney Kenneth Poller to draft an ordinance for introduction in early March, with adoption scheduled for the March 21 council meeting.
Councilman Tom Sears and Mayor Peter Calamari both expressed strong support on Feb. 7 for Cumming’s initiative.
“You know how many times we have responded to a fire call, and sometimes the police get there before us, and I see them walking up and down the street trying to find the number,” said Sears, a longtime volunteer firefighter.
Sears — a Planning Board member and previous councilman who returned to the dais to fill out Cumming’s unexpired term, before taking on a new full term in the recent council reorganization — presented Poller with sample ordinances that Cumming had compiled. He asked Poller to provide a draft that included specifics mentioned by council.
Some likely requirements included placing numbers on both sides of mailboxes; requiring numbers to be at least 3 inches high; keeping mailboxes clear of foliage; and placing numbers on a house where they are easily visible from the street.
“So Art had a clear direction here and a vision of making the response from all 9-1-1 services a lot quicker with clear numbers,” said Sears.
He said after looking at other towns’ ordinances, “We can come up with a clear, nice path for our community without burdening the community.”
Council Vice President Stacey Feeney said she was “glad we’re going to be moving this forward.” New councilwoman Daisy Velez called the improved numbering rules “a great idea.”
A similar ordinance in effect in Fair Lawn since 2019 calls for 3 1/2-inch-high numbers. Ordinance No. 2489-2019 states:
“It shall be the duty of the owners, occupants or lessee of all dwellings, apartment houses, hotels, commercial and industrial establishments and other buildings to number such buildings with numerals not less than 3 1⁄2 inches in height, bearing the number assigned as the address to the building or property, of such contrasting color and so located near an entryway as to be readily visible from the street in daylight or when a light is shined upon it at night.”
It continues: “Where entry to any such buildings may be gained from a pathway from any sidewalk abutting a street or road, alley, walkway or driveway, the numbers shall also be posted on such entry, subject to the same requirements, so as to be easily seen from said alley, walkway or driveway.”
Poller said he would have a draft ordinance for council at its Feb. 22 meeting.
Cumming was employed by Bergen County, where he certified members of the county Police Water Search and Rescue Recovery Team, was a staff member of the county Office of Emergency Management, and was an advocate for county law enforcement.
He was also employed by Fair Lawn, where he was a member of its Shade Tree and Property Maintenance committees.
He’d also served in Hackensack’s ambulance corps and Washington Township’s Zoning and Planning boards and the Green Team.
His daughter, Heather Castronova, told Pascack Press on Feb. 9 she thought the measure would be more than an appropriate tribute to her father.
After taking a few moments, she said of the initiative and gesture, “I fully support Councilman Sears in his efforts to see this through. I feel it’s common sense, as far as supporting the important job of the first responders serving our residents.”