Some angle parking is likely to be eliminated soon in Lansford’s business district.

The borough council has agreed to convert angle parking to parallel parking on Ridge Street between Spring Garden and Tunnel streets and between Center and Coal streets.

The only angle parking remaining on Ridge Street would be in the vicinity of the Lansford mini mall.

Council President Jared Soto said there are three factors which contributed to his proposal regarding the parking changes, and which were unanimously approved by the council.

They are:

• There are fewer businesses in the affected areas than there used to be.

• Vehicles are longer and no longer fit in the angle parking spaces, creating traffic hazards.

• Many of the parking meters are broken.

“There aren’t enough businesses to warrant the current number of meters,” Soto said.

The change from angle parking to parallel parking could take several months. At Wednesday’s council meeting, attorney Michael Greek, the borough’s solicitor, was directed to make proposed changes to the borough ordinance to eliminate the specified angle parking spaces. The proposed changes will have to be advertised before they can be approved by the council.

The council has been discussing parking meter changes for several months. It was stated previously that many of the meters in the downtown section are broken.

It was agreed that removing angle parking and converting it to parallel will mean fewer parking spaces.

In other business

• The council said Tamaqua Transfer has agreed to continue collecting trash and recyclables in the borough for another year. Last month the council asked Tamaqua Transfer to extend its contract for a year at the existing rate. That cost is $304,030.08 per year.

• Soto said the borough was requested to submit pre-applications for Community Development Block Grant funds. He said anyone with suggestions for the potential funds should contact him.

Projects which were unsuccessfully submitted in the past, such as the Dock Street Bridge, will be requested again.

• Soto was given permission by the council to attend a Rental Property Inspection Management Program for municipal officials in Berks County. The cost to attend is $135.

On a related note, a report from the Code, Zoning, Planning Committee said there is a problem with landlords not registering tenants or paying bills.

At a committee meeting Chief of Police Jack Soberick suggested revoking rental licenses and even removing people from the home if bills are overdue for specified periods.

Soberick said at the committee meeting he feels it would be in the best interest of the borough to better coordinate code enforcement and police services when a new code enforcement company is hired.

• Council said it is considering increasing its fee for zoning board appeals. It presently charges $600 for a zoning hearing.

Borough Secretary-Treasurer Jill Seigendall said every hearing held in the past year has cost the borough more than $600.

What the borough is charging is “far under” what it costs to hold the hearings, Soto said.

The council will continue looking into the matter.