Ordinance prohibiting short-term rentals postponed until next meeting
The Union City Board of Commissioners and Mayor Brian Stack have introduced an amendment to an ordinance prohibiting all short-term vacation rentals of houses/condos in Union City, like Airbnb and HomeAway. Airbnb or HomeAway are companies where people may list, rent, or find vacation rentals, usually in privately owned homes. But some towns don’t want their homeowners renting out their homes to guests for a night or two, saying it may cause problems in the neighborhood.
However, the prohibition is controversial. When a group of about a dozen short-term rental hosts met with Mayor Stack in late February, he agreed to allow residents to rent out their homes without penalty until the ordinance was further reviewed, said a Union City resident and AirBnB host last week.
The commission meeting on Wednesday June 8 to vote on the introduction of the amendment was postponed until a future meeting.
In a letter to local rental hosts in early 2016, Stack wrote, “Short-term vacation rentals can jeopardize the safety and welfare of residents and the community due to lack of knowledge of the city and lack of connections to the community.”
Cumbia River Band to play season finale of UBS Atrium Series
The UBS Atrium Series will close its 13th season of free midday music with a concert by the Cumbia River Band on June 15 at 12:30 p.m. The concert will take place in the Atrium at 1000 Harbor Boulevard in the Lincoln Harbor section of Weehawken. This project is the latest by bandleader and multi-instrumentalist Martin Vejarano. Its music draws from a festive repertoire of Colombian Cumbia standards. The concert will feature favorite Cumbia hits from the golden years of this extremely popular Latin American music with its life-affirming joy and energy. The concert will feature Martin Vejarano on clarinet and vocals, Sonia de Los Santos on guitar and vocals, Mary Knapp on accordion and vocals, Andrew Madej on tuba, Cristian Rodriguez on percussion and vocals, and Juan Montoya on drums.
The concert will be free and open to the public and the venue is wheelchair accessible. It’s co-sponsored by the Reporter. Free parking is available in the adjacent outdoor lot and public transportation options include NJ Transit Bus 158 as well as the Hudson Bergen Light Rail to Lincoln Harbor. For directions and more info, please check the Hudson River Performing Arts Center (HRPAC) website at www.hrpac.org, or call the concert hotline at (201) 716-4540.
County Bar Association offers seminar on ‘Special Needs Children and Divorce’
Several issues arise in divorce when there is a special needs child. How will the custody arrangement affect the child’s education? Should child support be paid into a special needs trust? Will the child ever be emancipated? Will the child need a guardian upon reaching the age of majority? Learn how to address these issues and draft for them in your settlement agreements at a seminar offered by The Hudson County Bar Association & Foundation’s Family Law Committee titled “Special Needs Children and Divorce.” The guest speakers will be attornies Beth Manes and Lori Cieckiewicz.
The seminar is scheduled for June 16 at 5 p.m. (check in) with the program scheduled to start promptly at 5:30 p.m. at the Brennan Courthouse Courtroom of the Hon. Lisa Rose, J.S.C.,
583 Newark Ave., 4th floor, Jersey City.
If you are a 2016 HCBA member you can attend in-house CLE seminars and receive up to 12 free CLE credits. After you have received your 12 credits, cost for members will be $50.00 per CLE Seminar. Price for all NON HCBA Members: $100.00 per CLE Seminar. All checks are to be made payable to the Hudson County Bar Foundation. Visa, MasterCard, Discover, and American Express are acceptable. You may also fax your credit card information to (201) 798-1740 or email at events@hcbalaw.com. Registration deadline is June 9.
PSE&G to upgrade aging cast iron gas facilities in West New York
Public Service Electric & Gas Company (PSE&G) will be working in West New York to replace approximately 4.8 miles of older gas pipes with new, durable plastic and/or coated steel piping – ensuring a continued safe, clean and reliable gas system well into the future.
The new pipes will improve reliability, reduce the possibility of methane leaks, and enable the installation of excess flow valves on service lines. These valves dramatically reduce gas flow if a pipe is damaged. The elevated pressure of the new gas mains will also provide better support for high-efficiency appliances like furnaces and water heaters.
Beginning on or about June 1, work was to start Monday through Saturday between the hours of 7 a.m. and 6 p.m., conditions permitting. More information and a list of the streets where pipe replacements will take place are available at www.pseg.com/gaswork.
Residents will be notified that PSE&G will be working in their area by phone, mail, door hangers and Facebook posts. The gas main replacement portion of the work is expected to be complete in December 2016. The paving and street restoration is expected to be completed in April 2017.