Brian Sussman’s remarks captured the feelings of many New Rochelle residents about the proposed downtown parking meter changes saying, the City has always suffered for “lack of parking in the downtown.” In his 31 years in the downtown business district he has found the “road to New Rochelle paved with good intentions and bad results.” He cited the “failed experiment” a few years ago when the City Council had changed the parking regulations and added, “each City Council has compounded the problem.” He spoke at the New Rochelle City Council Citizens to Be Heard on April 13th. Avalon has caused parking areas to disappear citing the example of the Library Green park. He echoed the sentiments of many residents who felt that charging for parking overnight in the various downtown lots,'”won’t change a thing.”
Earlier that day at the City Council’s Committee of the Whole session, Ralph DiBart, the Executive Director of the BID (Business Improvement District), told the Council that his group now had changed their recommendation to only require the downtown lots to charge for 24 hour parking and not change the present meter parking regulations which end at 6 p.m. He added that the new CVS building on North Avenue would use the library lot and need places for customer parking.
Questions about how the City’s parking fund money was used were raised. For example, $100,000 had been approved to repave one library lot. It was disclosed that the need for evening parking by restaurants was an impetus for the BID Task Force study and recommendations for changes in the parking fees. Councilman Barry Fertel was concerned about how residents would be warned if a change in regulations were made. He was told the police would probably issue warnings before writing tickets. The financially constrained residents in the area were also discussed and there was a suggestion that perhaps the City could issue parking permits at a lower rate for residents with a low income.
Mayor Noam Bramson made it clear the Council would not vote that evening and this would be put on the agenda for next week’s meeting. At this point, Councilman Richard St. Paul reported on an informal study he had taken in the downtown at 4 a.m. that morning. Since cars on the street are ticketed during the hours of 4 to 7 a.m. there were few cars parked there. Lot coverages were enumerated: Avalon lot was completely full; Church-Division lot was 80% covered; 70 Huguenot lot was full; the Library lot had 30 cars; Library South lot was full; Maple Avenue lot had 4 empty spaces; and Prospect lot was mostly occupied. Charles Strome, City Manager, suggested a system whereby meters can be converted for permit parking. He felt St. Paul’s unscientific “study confirmed people park for free.” St. Paul felt any changes in the number of permits issued or other parking regulation changes should be based on research which would precede the change.” Strome replied this was “not going to happen.” The less competitive parking space rate charged by Avalon was again cited as a cause of this problem. Fertel claimed there was a “consensus” on the issue. Next Tuesday is Council’s legislative meeting where voting can take place..
One of the other speakers at Citizens to be Heard was Steven Morris, co-owner of Spectators, who stated the BID had not gone out to business owners to “honestly poll the downtown.” He suggested that the restaurants on Division Street with valet parking use the upper deck of the Church-Division lot. He felt charging for 24 hours of parking in the lots “will totally kill any business downtown,” and “will push people to park on the side streets.” He urged that a full meeting be held to “look at the whole picture.”
Jim O’Toole, the elected tenant representative on the BID, claimed the “24/7” plans to charge for parking is “not going to work.” There will be many cars, including those of the people who work in the restaurants, moving into the nearby streets. This will result in people in those neighborhoods coming to “scream” at City Council. He already had 172 names on a petition including 8 business owners.
Aisha Cook who attends Covenant Church on Main Street did not feel that people attending church services and activities in the area should have to pay for parking at night. David Lyerly of the Bible Way Church on Main Street thought everyone should not have to suffer from this proposed change. He looked at the streets in question at 5:30 p.m.and found plenty of parking He said “parking tickets drive people away.”
In the Westchester Herald, April 19, 2010 issue