Booting Vehicles on Private Property May Soon Be Illegal in Cranford

After hearing many complaints about boots being placed on cars at Cleveland Plaza, township officials discussed on Monday evening introducing an ordinance that would ban booting on private property.

The committee stated they would write an ordinance for introduction on Tuesday, to serve as a temporary way to protect residences until they form a more complete ordinance on the practice, according to Attorney Dan McCarthy.

“The ordinance will make the practice illegal in the Township,” McCarthy said. “Until we, if the township committee decides to approve it, form a more comprehensive scheme.”

Commissioner Lisa Adubato, who is also a tenant to Cleveland Plaza, said she has spoken to the landlord, Amy Liu, about the booting practice.

She explained that Liu agreed to temporarily stop booting vehicles, but the reason for booting came from a suggestion by a tenant after receiving complaints from tenants who pay for parking at the plaza, but would have nowhere to park in the lot due to illegal parking.

Adubato said Liu is willing to work with the churches and the town.

“She does not want to be a bad neighbor,” Adubato added.

Additionally, Adubato said that Liu is not on the premises so she had put her faith in the company that puts the boots on the vehicles. She explained the company has no reason not to boot, because it is all profit for them.

She added she would like to see the ordinance before she chooses her stance on it.

“With an absentee landlord there is no regulatory oversight on the person doing the booting,” Mayor Thomas Hannen said.

Commissioner Kevin Campbell added that since there was very little notice or warning that the practice needs to be stopped.

Commissioner Andis Kalnins explained that the plaza is also not following the downtown ordinances with their signage and that there are additional problems with the location.

An ordinance is expected to be written and introduced during Tuesday’s official meeting at 8 p.m. Check back with Patch for more on this topic.

View our previous story on the parking issues at Cleveland Plaza.