Pols Rallying for Residential Parking Permits
This Monday, several City Council Members and a number of neighborhood groups are holding a forum for Brooklynites to chew on the idea of residential parking permits. The town hall-style meeting will focus on whether the permits, which would probably cost a small annual fee, could help alleviate curbside parking problems and traffic in Downtown….
This Monday, several City Council Members and a number of neighborhood groups are holding a forum for Brooklynites to chew on the idea of residential parking permits. The town hall-style meeting will focus on whether the permits, which would probably cost a small annual fee, could help alleviate curbside parking problems and traffic in Downtown. Council Members David Yassky, Letitia James and Bill de Blasio have organized the event, which is expected to draw several hundred residents, and DOT comish Janette Sadik-Khan is scheduled to attend. Councilman de Blasio sees the forum as the first step in developing parking strategies for all of Brooklyn. “Lack of a coherent parking strategy has been an ongoing problem in Brooklyn, de Blasio told us. I think this forum represents a step in the right direction, and I look forward to extending this conversation to communities throughout the borough. Regardless of the fate of congestion pricing—which would almost certainly increase competition for spots—Downtown’s population is expected to swell in coming years, thus exacerbating the already great demand for curbside parking spaces. Councilman Yassky said it is long past time for New York to consider adopting the permits, especially in Downtown. Other big cities have used this strategy successfully to reduce traffic and ease parking difficulties, he said. Four years ago, when the Bloomberg Administration was seeking approval for new development around Metrotech, Deputy Mayor Doctoroff promised—in writing—that the administration would try residential parking permits in the surrounding neighborhoods. The administration needs to make good on this promise.
The forum will take place at 7 p.m. on Monday, February 4th, at the St. Francis College auditorium on Remsen Street in Brooklyn Heights.
Congestion Pricing and Resident Permit Parking [Brownstoner]
Photo by mike lowe.
I would be in favor of a $15 to $25 per month fee to park overnight on the street, available only to those whose cars are registered and insured in the area.
The money would stay in the area in the form of additional spending on amenities — parks, libraries, streetscape, schools. Perhaps the city would even pick up the cost of sidewalk repair in areas with permits.
The goal would be to influence some of those who do not need a car not to get one, and those who have two or more to get by with one. Those not carrying their share of Brooklyn insurance fraud would have to start doing it.
The hardest thing about parking where I live is finding a legal spot when you come home late, especially if the next day is alternate side.
What 1:55 said……
Mark me down as against a residential parking permit zone. I have a car in Brooklyn, and for whoever keeps saying that its cheaper to rent, they don’t have any idea what they are talking about. I live in Park Slope, and I’m sorry, but the parking situation is not that bad. This is NYC, people, not Orange County. Yes, you have to look around for a parking space, but if you do, you can find one. As others have said, a residential permit plan would prevent me from going anywhere else – say to drive my son over to visit his friend in Windsor Terrace – and people from coming to see me (I can just see explaining the system to my father in law from New Jersey!). What’s the purpose of having a car then? This whole idea that everyone is coming from outside the neighborhood and using up “our parking” is ridiculous. It’s not “YOUR” parking. It’s everyone’s parking – just like the parking spot you use when you go somewhere else. If you can’t find a space quickly enough, quit complaining and rent one.
In response to this:
—–
So you can park outside of your house (whoopee) but er, woops, you can’t drive anywhere else in the city because you will never find a legal parking space.
—–
Although I am opposed to parking permits, this may be a reason to support them. In a city where public transportation is so easily available, you should NOT be driving from one hood to another.
Cars should really only be used by people who need to regularly leave the city, in which case being able to park outside your door is a good thing.
Why exactly should parking be free? Parking is a cost of having a car in a city, if you’re not willing/able to pay for it you maybe shouldnt have a car. And sorry, public transportation in Brooklyn isnt so horrible that you cant get from one place to another–and have you heard of cabs/car services? If you love your car so much maybe New York isnt the place for you.
“Gas + Insurance + Maintenance + Payments + Tickets + Parking =less than the costs of a car service. Not to mention the time saved looking for parking.”
Gas: I can afford it, I drive an environmentally responsible, small SUV.
Insurance: Two over -40 drivers, no accidents ever, great driving record. Even in NYC, my insurance is manageable.
Maintenance: We service the car regularly, which over time amortizes (to some degree) maintenance costs.
Tickets: Haven’t had many. We’re pretty careful.
Parking: I live on a side street in Crown Heights, which has a much better parking situation that Brooklyn Heights, Park Slope, Boerum Hill, etc. No problems here.
Car service: Not my car/Car could be smelly/Inconsistent service and prices/Not all drivers are safe/Drivers sometimes belligerent/Car not always large enough to transport large items for a home/.
I think I’ll stick with my car.
Count me against permit parking and congestion parking. Fees fees everywhere theres fees. Parking fines are already too high and unfair. That doesn’t solve the problem and neither will this.
No matter what they come up with, some people (perhaps) will be helped and some will be hurt. My guess, is that more people would be inconveninced than helped for many of the posted reasons.
However, we “all” will pay for it.
Bill De Blah Blah and his on-the-take wife have two cars…
The list of Brooklyn’s politically wired on Thompson’s payroll includes Paul Bader ($90,000), husband of Congresswoman Nydia Velázquez; Nickolas Perry ($30,000), son of Assemblyman Nick Perry; Pinchus Hikind ($91,855), brother of Assemblyman Dov Hikind; Chirlane McCray ($75,000), wife of Councilman Bill de Blasio; – from http://www.villagevoice.com/news/0331,barrett,45867,5.html
Resident only parking schemes are the stupidest things in the world. Every city I’ve ever seen them used in, they’ve eventually been applied all over the city and each resident would only get a permit for their specific “zone”. So you can park outside of your house (whoopee) but er, woops, you can’t drive anywhere else in the city because you will never find a legal parking space. What’s the point of that? In a crowded city like ours, people who want a car should have to pay for a private parking garage in order to park it. Otherwise all the valuable street space will be taken by people who want to use the public streets as their personal driveways, hogging the limited amount of space we have for their own selfish use. The idea would be particularly damaging to Brooklyn because we do not have very good subway connections between the various Brooklyn neighborhoods. If we implement residential parking permits, forget about driving from one Brooklyn neighborhood to another to visit the shops or have brunch. Everyone will just have to get on the subway and go to Manhattan instead, because we’ll never be able to park anywhere except for outside of our own little houses.