[{"_1":2,"_123":-5,"_124":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99,111],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6047245,"mediaKeyId","3537059-66dcb39d623eeeae0987cc7cc1f454c1","parentId",3537059,"title","Council directs staff to review tree code after Environmental Commission raises landmark-tree concerns","audioSeconds",223,"startMs",1968000,"endMs",2191000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3537059-66dcb39d623eeeae0987cc7cc1f454c1&start=1968&end=2191","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3537059-66dcb39d623eeeae0987cc7cc1f454c1/thumbnail_1968000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6047245/Tenafly/Bergen-County/New-Jersey/Council-directs-staff-to-review-tree-code-after-Environmental-Commission-raises-landmark-tree-concerns","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6047245-20f29f1b887423b9095e83445a6c823a/orig.mp4?Expires=1771138128&Signature=EVNwqOtvAVg-MwBj-L7sDOwdkV1W-sCGqLE3oU5WH1QiDcZOEUMdDX4octz2ThMo8yvKNrmWbYzXAF08O~IUR0xaYjlFojkILXoik6~9IH9I97u1OV1oH0VNpQk1Ty3CfkIKhiV2h~VLRq~0HL7tjuHfzIj9TeZfhLWM9QoPhDfNM5XA5Qug5fsS2XzhgS2caNYovnObX2N7AG2yEP~QqLGouuS5XsxizHePkBB8fhbMYPQgshrFW4lGgLXOK3qVB8N1GaG6A3tZywJE7USO~VCT2qro2nJxZrzSbKfyV7GEpz8uN~qOa-bLKOt7BwoJ~-7LzQcSUkQKcu1TepFAlw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Tenafly Borough","date","2025-02-18T00:00:00Z","article","Councilmember Dr. O'Connor told the Feb. 18 meeting that the Environmental Commission reported inconsistencies in how landmark trees are being designated and protected under the borough\u0000s tree code.

Dr. O'Connor asked staff to work with commission members and municipal staff to clarify the landmark-tree criteria and enforcement so trees that meet age and circumference thresholds receive intended protections. \"The way that they're receiving the status is, kind of a bit lax compared to what was designed,\" she said, and urged staff to review the ordinance language on landmark trees.

Staff members present said they would meet with the Environmental Commission and property-inspection staff to determine whether the ordinance is being applied as intended. Administrator David and staff member Mike Cassidy were identified as likely participants in the review; council staff said they would return with recommendations.

Council members noted the original intent of the landmark-tree provisions was to protect mature trees and root systems from removal that could cause neighborhood drainage or flooding problems, and that designation should be based on measurable criteria (age, circumference, species) rather than only on homeowner consent.

No ordinance amendments were adopted at the meeting; the council asked staff and the commission to draft proposed revisions for future consideration.

","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Tenafly Council Meeting - February 18, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Councilmember Dr. O'Connor asked staff to revisit the borough's tree code and landmark-tree designation process, citing concerns that owners' consent is limiting protections; staff will meet and return recommendations.","taxTitle","Tenafly, Bergen County, New Jersey","taxId",70483,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6047250,"Votes at a glance: Tenafly council adopts elevator-fee ordinance, approves consent agenda and moves several ordinances to hearing",710,1661000,2371000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3537059-66dcb39d623eeeae0987cc7cc1f454c1&start=1661&end=2371","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3537059-66dcb39d623eeeae0987cc7cc1f454c1/thumbnail_1661000.jpg","/articles/6047250/Tenafly/Bergen-County/New-Jersey/Votes-at-a-glance-Tenafly-council-adopts-elevator-fee-ordinance-approves-consent-agenda-and-moves-several-ordinances-to-hearing","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6047250-cede79f2fced0d334a82fa86c7166af9/orig.mp4?Expires=1771138128&Signature=SK2gk9gRwzvTuedwgDqO5NopEBXn68G-FasO5jmR4ouKHa2iZMa2CBigLxgnrTGj6ayVYUCwT9sBvVVnVQK1xFUDKHrf9agCnWO2JNE0pF0A~D6-1gTX1bYojjiHyxMxX26Ec8NsJE1srYuj~2ldviDBUXb2iDeXxoGdNyVmOUJUqMDAbjbPjXEKF-6QV~Btd2TNqAgSKsGbygICzAlEVnl00G1UYuCqEz8~M7j6nWKOz3ri2xooa8vR2HHb3PaK8O75gghsPY7bcoYMO3qvqpzVrKRhjF2I6ZrpwQ9dyPOhKPVFugqVAw5shJ2VyDqN22AvK9J2O6s-xSH1-WyFCQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Tenafly Mayor and Council on Feb. 18 recorded several formal actions.

Ordinance adoption
Ordinance 25-07 (amend elevator fees) was adopted on second and final reading following a roll-call vote. Councilmember Lauren Dayton moved to adopt; the roll call recorded \"yes\" votes from Councilmember Dayton, Council President Michaels, Councilmember Dr. O'Connor, Councilmember Park and Councilmember Rollieri. No public comments were recorded for this ordinance at the hearing.

Introductions and hearings set
Ordinance 25-08 (amendments to chapter 2 concerning police, volunteer ambulance corps and fire department) and Ordinance 25-09 (Washington Street parking limits) were introduced on first reading and the council set public hearings for March 4, 2025 at 7:30 p.m.

Consent agenda and minutes
The council approved the consent agenda (Resolutions R25-104 through R25-129) by roll call. The council also approved the minutes of the Jan. 2, 2025 recess and reorganization meetings.

Executive session
The council approved Resolution R25-130 to move into closed executive session under NJSA 10:4-12 to discuss real property, potential property acquisition and potential leases. The resolution states minutes will be taken and released when the matters are resolved.

The meeting record shows the procedural motions and roll-call confirmations for the items above; no additional substantive deliberations or final contract awards were recorded as part of those votes in the public session.

","On Feb. 18 the Tenafly Mayor and Council adopted Ordinance 25-07 (elevator fees) on second reading, introduced Ordinances 25-08 and 25-09 with hearings set for March 4, approved the consent agenda R25-104 through R25-129, approved minutes and voted to enter closed session (Resolution R25-130).",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6047255,"Administrator reports: $1.6M flood-control grant, parks Wi-Fi plan and skate-park timing",208,1347000,1555000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3537059-66dcb39d623eeeae0987cc7cc1f454c1&start=1347&end=1555","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3537059-66dcb39d623eeeae0987cc7cc1f454c1/thumbnail_1347000.jpg","/articles/6047255/Tenafly/Bergen-County/New-Jersey/Administrator-reports-16M-flood-control-grant-parks-Wi-Fi-plan-and-skate-park-timing","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6047255-007c809c3585e62bd989d43fa06ec3c9/orig.mp4?Expires=1771138128&Signature=fIPn-h3RbzlJPQ7Q2AJWTdbCl1C9gBUcVzdMVtnUngLxH1opE6TPO7EKNittPeGoPRrTYr-d2eQBHXzkh1v8agjHxpLsEIHwuvY0QdF7ryfnVZd69UJUdlA7CAt~Bk~Sxfuqwe0KfRvTrj81PD~WipCOqYSwL3-P4bPM6AobgctjPwsqAuP~mtP37IR1MXgBXOZZiO3U6I~FRzsVLhVWZcj2i83LMIBajBANMcmZ9yiYuixVf80WjLGG~Wv1Cxbu-Wj3SxJBiDd3xIRO7nQOudAmlwtMTftDO298Es9D2J1fM6XysgvVK4Idyty2Qdkds-u1TyZZaVor366fTyBP3A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Borough Administrator David reported that Tenafly won a $1.6 million federal grant for flood control obtained with help from Congressman Josh Gottheimer and that HUD will assign a program manager to oversee the grant.

David said HUD officials had told the borough to expect a decision in four to six months and the town had a call scheduled with local HUD staff; \"We'll have a program manager assigned to us on the last Wednesday of February,\" he said. Council members asked whether the funding was at risk; staff responded there were no immediate fears of losing the federal appropriation.

The administrator also said he is developing a plan to add public Wi-Fi in borough parks and to expand private fiber between municipal buildings as part of the broader communications upgrades. He said he hoped to have pricing for council consideration for the March 1 budget meeting.

On parks capital work, the administrator said a municipal field-beautification project will begin site walkthroughs with the contractor and that skate-park equipment is expected to arrive in March. He explained the recent procurement was run as a negotiated process rather than a typical sealed bid and said some items lacked pricing during negotiations.

No contracts or final approvals were recorded at the meeting; staff reported timelines and will return with procurement pricing and a budget proposal for Wi-Fi and any additional capital work.

","Borough administrator updated council on a $1.6 million HUD flood-control grant passed through Congressman Gottheimer, a parks public-WiFi proposal, and an expected March delivery of skate-park equipment; no final contracting decisions were taken.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6047260,"Tenafly to pursue inclusive playground equipment for Walnut Park; $50,000 included in capital plan",150,1141000,1291000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3537059-66dcb39d623eeeae0987cc7cc1f454c1&start=1141&end=1291","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3537059-66dcb39d623eeeae0987cc7cc1f454c1/thumbnail_1141000.jpg","/articles/6047260/Tenafly/Bergen-County/New-Jersey/Tenafly-to-pursue-inclusive-playground-equipment-for-Walnut-Park-50000-included-in-capital-plan","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6047260-5fe65e17ce70041032358e265400bb19/orig.mp4?Expires=1771138128&Signature=Uwx3lMQ2U~3POaQyZ6IOHIZ91nGqG5icxU2vhl6IXVSsjutMihbP0f71wNbwkMdnlu2CSztgEl1MWPEGv4UP~tn1zbIrplAVoFwtdZckEM9xJcKXU2zuGEa8cj1VEynhYy-fdHrsb4PDjKGZpL0F-ALbA9BvPWiaWGJvrwSje1EmsXKRTF3ewbL3gyPjUVGvbIGnNMVGwqm~h5GVo6hjJbT9907Xy2i0UFLjVDbEtBOKcNtpwcr3JL6Vx7m8DqDu3pPpnGNUt2cymgyx3bcGBNZoGcwnLHSywfRWYDODzABQooT0GduorBoHkghB0oYcP5ErXqzcLfVnd2~tzDzS~A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Council members on Feb. 18 discussed installing inclusive-playground equipment at Walnut Park and agreed to pursue grant funding and equipment procurement while evaluating restroom needs.

The council has included $50,000 in the capital plan for inclusive equipment at Walnut Park and asked staff to pursue grant opportunities rather than rely solely on borough funds.

A council member noted the $50,000 capital allocation and asked whether the project should be advanced as a grant application or listed as a separate capital project. \"I want to put the bathroom. I think that Walnut needs the bathroom,\" one member said, while others warned that building an enclosed restroom could disqualify some open-space grant programs: \"4 walls disqualify open space,\" a council member said.

Staff and council members discussed interim options such as porta-potties but noted neighborhood impacts; one member advised checking county cooperative vendors to avoid higher procurement costs: \"Bergen County\u0000is doing an inclusive park in Saddle River, so they might already have a cheaper vendor,\" a council member said.

Administrator David confirmed there is no legal or engineering barrier to placing inclusive equipment in Walnut Park and said staff would pursue equipment procurement and grant applications in parallel. Council members asked staff to evaluate the need for a permanent restroom, potential funding sources (private grants and open-space funds) and procurement options through county cooperatives.

No formal vote was recorded on a contract or vendor; the council directed staff to continue planning and to return with grant-application recommendations and any required funding requests.

","Council discussed adding inclusive playground equipment at Walnut Park, set $50,000 in the capital plan and asked staff to pursue grants and vendor options while investigating restroom needs and interim accessibility measures.",{"_33":112,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":113,"_41":114,"_43":115,"_45":116,"_47":117,"_49":118,"_51":119,"_53":120,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":121,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":122,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6047265,"Tenafly officials discuss joining state—Arrive Together—co-response for mental health calls",1078,54000,1132000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3537059-66dcb39d623eeeae0987cc7cc1f454c1&start=54&end=1132","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3537059-66dcb39d623eeeae0987cc7cc1f454c1/thumbnail_54000.jpg","/articles/6047265/Tenafly/Bergen-County/New-Jersey/Tenafly-officials-discuss-joining-stateArrive-Togetherco-response-for-mental-health-calls","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6047265-eed0bf8d6731935f741b2bbae159ad1e/orig.mp4?Expires=1771138128&Signature=X2JibhXiFspzvAnPa2jITxkRqML0z5sB3MCAHhrJ5dZbnFgs6GnGOq2BC4krG8nqCPDA5PLAHac6HunUcMdPsHPUU~SfZ8Ycxp3qtqPXFvJQpj91ATDRw4Hv6AByEvSGT8eKauYivaDZIvv1DgRRGq-FKIaEgf274sJvO-4EdW1Ei1TsUbnIFaUTyA5RAW62G6ARg6SnKqD5q5fVKIuwPmrf-R1INgK1PgcCCFfqJp5E3Nn8D5in22Q1TXgITD6VsjHGVIS9yit2yhwaNVZ4vgfXXjbOIGitSc~l1XqMEYOXEO5HFaQ0fZDmiiF7htGttJnbekMsY5PTnqhToc1Rjw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Council members and town public-safety leaders on Feb. 18 discussed enrolling in the state-sponsored Arrive Together program and other options to get mental-health professionals to respond with or follow up on police and ambulance calls.

The discussion focused on whether Tenafly should join the regional Arrive Together program (free to municipalities, officials said) or develop a local social-worker or behavioral-health co-responder attached to the police department or the volunteer ambulance corps.

Councilwoman Lauren Dayton introduced the item as a way to add a qualified mental-health professional to some emergency responses: \"What this is is a qualified, either psychologist, psychiatrist, social health worker who deals with mental health calls,\" she said, describing situations such as suicide attempts, severe depression and bipolar episodes. Dayton asked the borough administrator and police chief to research options and costs.

Chief Robert (police chief) told council members Arrive Together is run through a new Office of Alternative and Community Responses in the New Jersey Attorney General\u0000s office and that other towns partner to share resources. \"It's sponsored by the state of New Jersey,\" he said, and described three service elements: in-person co-response when a clinician is available, close-in-time follow-up after an incident, and training (CIT) for officers. He said the program is generally free to the municipality and funded by state, county and grants, but small towns sometimes must join a regional partnership to qualify. On involuntary psychiatric transports, the chief said: \"For involuntary commitments, they go to Newbridge.\" He added that voluntary transports may go to the facility the person requests.

JP Padetta of the Tenafly Volunteer Ambulance Corps (TVAC) said the priority is safety for patients and responders and suggested adding resources on the borough website and coordinated screening: \"For us, it's really about ensuring, you know, our members and obviously the patient's safety,\" he said, and noted residents can call the state\u0000wide 262 mental-health line for screening.

No formal ordinance or vote was taken. Instead council members directed borough staff and police leadership to pursue the Arrive Together application and to explore co-responder options, CIT training opportunities and possible regional partners. Administrator David and the chief were asked to report back with details and costs.

Next steps noted during the meeting included contacting the county mutual-aid regions and the AG\u0000office representative and determining whether a local social-worker (a borough employee or volunteer) could be trained to serve as a co-responder.

The conversation also covered limits: the chief cautioned that clinicians cannot always accompany officers (coverage is limited by staffing and hours) and that some crises require medical treatment or involuntary transport.

Council members and staff said they will pursue Arrive Together enrollment and local training opportunities and will return findings to the council for a possible follow-up agenda item or contract decision.

","Council members and public-safety leaders discussed joining New Jersey\u0000Arrive Together\u0000program to provide a mental-health professional as a co-responder for some crisis calls and tasked staff to pursue details and partnerships.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Council directs staff to review tree code after Environmental Commission raises landmark-tree concerns

Votes at a glance: Tenafly council adopts elevator-fee ordinance, approves consent agenda and moves several ordinances to hearing

Administrator reports: $1.6M flood-control grant, parks Wi-Fi plan and skate-park timing

Tenafly to pursue inclusive playground equipment for Walnut Park; $50,000 included in capital plan

Tenafly officials discuss joining state—Arrive Together—co-response for mental health calls