BERKELEY – The Township Council is changing regulations on new commercial development that would require spaces set aside for electric vehicles.
The state has a new law that there needs to be a certain number of parking spots for electric vehicles. Therefore, the town’s ordinance will change local rules so that any new development will need to have these spots, Business Administrator John Camera explained. This would help Berkeley residents who own these kinds of cars as well as people coming to town for tourism or business.
Township Planner James Oris said that any future commercial development would have to conform to this ordinance. For example, if a builder is making a Wawa, they would have to assign a number of spots for electric vehicles.
These “make-ready” parking spaces are pre-wired electrical infrastructure at parking spaces that facilitate future installation of fast chargers.
“The law requires that Electric Vehicle Supply/Service Equipment (EVSE) and Make-Ready parking spaces be designated as a permitted accessory use in all zoning or use districts and establishes associated installation and parking requirements related to EVSE in New Jersey’s 565 municipalities,” according to the State Department of Community Affairs.
Officials said the goals of the new ordinance are to provide adequate and convenient EVSE and make-ready parking spaces to serve the needs of the traveling public, and to provide opportunities for residents to have safe and efficient personal EVSE located near their place of residence.
The state crafted a model ordinance for this so that it would be consistent as an electric vehicle driver went from one town to another.
The township also accepted a $7,000 Clean Energy Electric Vehicle Tourism Grant from the state.
Judy Smestad-Nunn contributed to this story.
