N.J. Town May Ban Drive-Thru Window Service – Good or Bad Idea [POLL/VIDEO]

Just when you thought it was safe to do business in New Jersey, along comes another brainiac town ordinance designed to make it more difficult.

Banning the drive-thru window.

It’s an idea being floated in Cresskill up in Bergen County; and it’s got some folks hopping mad, while the more health conscious don’t seem to mind at all.

According to this:

Borough officials are exploring the possibility of preventing any future drive-through restaurants from coming into town because of traffic tie-ups that result from the existing drive-throughs.

Currently, there are several banks in town, as well as a pharmacy and doughnut shop, that have drive-through lanes.

A new bank with a drive-through is expected to be built on Madison Avenue, Councilman Hector Olmo said.

But officials are concerned that if the bank backs out and a fast food restaurant comes in, a drive-through lane could cause traffic problems.

"If you put a new business in the center of town and you have a traffic problem already, we wouldn't want to increase it by having an establishment with a drive-through," Olmo said. "The flow of traffic is already increasing."

In addition, Mayor Ben Romeo said the Dunkin' Donuts at Piermont Road and Broadway sometimes has a long line of cars that backs up and can affect traffic in the area. It also affects Milton Street and Broadway, Olmo said.

"We're concerned with any other type of drive-in dealing with new construction," Romeo said, as opposed to the current drive-throughs, which are grandfathered into existence.

Borough Attorney Vince Salvatore said with the exception of the "professional office zones" that mention drive-throughs at banks, the ordinances are "basically silent" on the issue.

"The next step is to craft an ordinance and see the mood of the council," Salvatore said.

Councilman Gregory Mueller, an attorney, cautioned the council against absolute prohibitions and questioned whether it could be done.

Councilman John Brennan said chain businesses, such as restaurants, with drive-throughs can bring more traffic and litter. He said borough officials would like to "keep what has been built in town and not expand any further."

Check out this report:

The Councilman is onto something.

The drive-through window businesses do bring more traffic…but that spells more REVENUE for the town.

I thought that’s what they’ve always wanted.

Nah, better to have red light cameras do that!

(I better not give them any ideas...they just might go for the ban on the drive-thru windows AND the red light cameras!)

And while this is bubbling up in the quaint little town of Cresskill, which can hear us loud and clear via RadioPup; don’t be surprised if this idea comes to a town near you.
Would you approve or oppose a ban on drive-thru windows in your town?