CLARK — The Clark Township Council recently introduced a new ordinance that will more strictly regulate the outdoor storage of driveway salt and other personal de-icing materials ahead of the upcoming winter season.

According to the ordinance, which was adopted during a regular meeting of the mayor and council held on November 20, residents will now be required to store any such materials in secure, waterproof containers in order to mitigate the potential for floodwater contamination. The ordinance (23-31) also mandates that all de-icing materials must be kept on an impervious surface situated at least 50 feet away from “surface waterbodies, storm drain inlets, ditches and/or any other stormwater conveyance.”

Residents who violate the new ordinance and fail to rectify unsatisfactory conditions within 72 hours of notice by the township’s construction code Official could be subject to fines of up to $500 for the first offense and $2,500 for each subsequent infraction.

“This is something that came to us from the state,” township Business Administrator Jim Ulrich said. “It’s important that we keep these types of contaminants out of our water supply as much as possible.”

Municipal facilities, like the local Public Works garage, that already operate under the rules established by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection’s (NJDEP) Pollutant Discharge Elimination System, will be exempted from the new regulations.

In keeping with the same theme, the council also voted at its last meeting to finalize several amendments to its existing storm-water management ordinance that Mr. Ulrich said will bring the township’s mitigation plan into closer alignment with other new state-level directives, specifically as they pertain to major construction or improvement projects.

“This ordinance is largely intended to minimize the adverse impact of runoff,” Mr. Ulrich said.

Going forward, contractors and developers will be required to prove that new projects or subdivisions will not force any undue runoff onto neighboring properties before work can begin. The ordinance (23-32) also mandates changes to the township’s existing stormwater-management basins and requires that all manholes, ditches and other drainage areas are properly grated to prevent trash, plant life and other debris from entering the water system.

In other township news, the council voted earlier this month to approve the installation of a new stop sign at the intersection of Grandview Avenue and Carolina Street.

“This was a request that came from the citizens who live in the area,” Mr. Ulrich said. “We talked to the police department and determined that this new sign really is warranted.”

The next public meeting of the Clark Township mayor and council is scheduled to be held at 7:30 p.m. on Monday, December 18, in the council chambers at 315 Westfield Avenue.