5 Laws You Probably Didn't Know Were On The Books in Mahwah

By Patch Editor Jessica Mazzola

Mahwah has 28 chapters of laws on the books. The township’s ordinances govern a bunch of different topics - everything from animal control and traffic to cable TV and soil movement.

Though most residents are familiar with many of the rules and regulations outlined in the borough code, Patch combed through the town’s online code to pick out five laws you probably didn’t know were on the books in Mahwah. 

Just look, don’t feed!

No person shall feed, in any public park or on any other property owned or operated by the Township of Mahwah, any wildlife, excluding confined wildlife (for example, wildlife confined in zoos, parks or rehabilitation centers, or unconfined wildlife at environmental education centers). (Ord. #1511, §3).

Get rid of that old clunker.

No person shall park, leave, store or maintain any inoperable motor vehicle for a period of more than thirty (30) days upon any private lands or premises. (Ord. #590; 1976 Code §172-2).

No fertilizer in the rain.

No person may do any of the following: Apply fertilizer when a runoff producing rainfall is occurring or predicted to occur within forty-eight (48) hours and/or when soils are saturated and a potential for fertilizer movement off-site exists. (13-1.4  Prohibited Conduct.).

Buy Your Liquor Early, or on Christmas.

No alcoholic beverages shall be sold, delivered or served to or consumed in any licensed premises on any day between the hours of 2 a.m. and 6 a.m., except Sundays, Christmas Day, and New Year's Day each year as hereinafter provided. (Ord. #106; 1976 Code §74-1). On Sundays, no alcoholic beverages may be sold, served, delivered to or consumed in the licensed premises between the hours of 3 a.m. and 12 noon. 

On [Christmas Day and New Years Day] alcoholic beverages may not be sold, served, delivered to or consumed in the licensed premises between the hours of 4 a.m. and 6 a.m. when it falls on a weekday. When December 25 and January 1 falls on a Sunday, no alcoholic beverages may be sold, served, delivered or consumed between the hours of 4 a.m. and 12 noon. 

Only sell good, or bad, fire extinguishers.

A person shall not sell, trade, loan or give away any form, type or kind of fire extinguisher which is not approved by the fire underwriters, or which is not in proper working order, or the contents of which do not meet the requirements of the fire underwriters. The requirements of this section shall not apply to the sale, trade or exchange of obsolete or damaged equipment for junk and said units are permanently disfigured or marked with permanent sign identifying the unit as junk. (Ord. #556; Ord. #651; Ord. #824; 1976 Code §23-9).

Check Patch all summer for this continuing series on laws and other things you might not have known about Mahwah. And, if you have a little known fact you’d like to share with the community on Patch, email it to Jessica.mazzola@patch.com!