A member of Coaldale Borough Council wants the borough's police to enforce an ordinance that prohibits residents from doing auto repairs while parked on borough streets.

The ordinance has been on the books since 2003. Councilwoman Claire Remington brought it up at Tuesday's borough council meeting, saying the rule is especially important now that the borough is repaving its streets."Our streets, we spend thousands of dollars on. Once you start leaking that gas and diesel fuel, then the blacktop starts tearing up and everybody wants their street fixed again. We need to start nailing them," Remington said.Ordinance 3 of 2003 prohibits residents from any auto repair work while parked on borough streets. The law does allow for basic repairs, like changing tires, but it prohibits major repairs.Remington said that she has people doing serious work on cars on borough streets recently. She's concerned about the effect of oil and other substances on the blacktop."You can put windshield washer on, put your wiper blades on, or change your tires. Look at the ordinance, that's what it is. We have people putting motors in their car. There are areas to go and do that, not on our street," she said.The idea got mixed reactions from council, before they agreed to refer the issue to their police committee.Councilman Harry Hontz agreed that engine repairs shouldn't take place on borough streets. But he said maybe the borough should allow some repairs."I agree major repairs shouldn't be done, but we should define what a major repair is," he said.Thomas Keerans pointed out an older car could leak oil on the pavement regardless of whether it was being worked on.Remington asked patrolman Todd Weiss his thoughts. He said that he can remember people doing work like replacing brakes without any issues."Here we are in an uptown area. Would you like someone changing their oil in front of Tommy's restaurant? I wouldn't. In front of the bank?" Remington said.Councilwoman Yvonne Stoffey, who heads council's police committee, agreed to read and discuss the ordinance at the committee's next meeting.