UPDATE: Township Committee Balks on Wildlife Measure

The Township Committee at its regular meeting on Wednesday did not introduce an ordinance that would regulate feeding of birds and other wildlife in town as expected, choosing instead to hold off for another meeting.

The committee aborted plans for introduction, saying the governing body would wait until an executive from the New Jersey Audubon Society could address the committee.

Eric Stiles, chief operating officer of the Audubon Society has requested time to speak before a final draft of the ordinance is introduced. Committee members said Stiles is expected at the Feb. 23 meeting.

But that did not stop residents from commenting on the proposed local legislation later in the meeting.

“I see this is just another case of Big Brother watching me,’’ said Gale Quinn, a West Hurley Pond Road resident and one of several who spoke on either side of the issue Wednesday. “There must be a way to put an end to his infringement on his neighbors’ lives without infringing on my life, and my rights.’’

The proposed ordinance has caused consternation among committee members uncomfortable with legislating good behavior, and has polarized residents for and against the measure.

The local legislation was borne from a longtime dispute among residents in South Wall that has reached an impasse.

Numerous neighbors of Narrumson Road resident Marc Vitale for months have complained to the committee that their neighbor feeds birds and other wildlife to excess, disrupting the neighborhood peace.

Neighbors have told the committee that after two years of trying they have exhausted other means of resolution, that they continue to be besieged by frequent flocks of scavenger birds that are soiling their cars, homes and lawns and that they are left with no other choice but to ask the committee for help.

Vitale, in a previous interview at his home, denied that he has done anything illegal and has said that his neighbors are making much ado about nothing.

Township Committee members, concerned about overstepping their bounds by regulating residents’ behavior on their own property, have held meetings with Vitale at town hall and at his home to try to resolve the problem.

Neighbors say it persists nonetheless. And they want it to end.

“None of the neighbors have a problem with birds,’’ said Narrumson Road resident Carol Dangler. “But it’s the excess. It is extreme. You can’t go to your car without wiping bird droppings off of your car – you go out to your porch, its on your porch; you go to your house door, it’s on your house door.  This is a very extreme case.”

Committeeman Clinton Hoffman said the governing body was in a bind – a bind they don’t relish.

“What can we do?’’ Hoffman said. “The only thing that we know that we can do, unless somebody comes up with another idea, is enact restrictions or definitions of what’s acceptable that can be enforced. And that’s what we’re attempting to do.’’

Committeeman George Newberry also said he was no fan of the task facing the committee.

“I think everyone on this dais is, and I hate to use the word, but embarrassed that we have to deal with it,’’ Newberry said. “We’re spending money on attorneys to draft ordinances to try to control this, which I think is wrong in every direction.’’

Nevertheless, Newberry said the township was trying to craft an ordinance that would hold up in court, which he said was a tall order.

“My definition, your definition, and the gentleman we’re speaking about all have a different idea of what ‘overfeeding’ is,’’ he said.