A SUGGESTION TO ENCOURAGE MORE PEOPLE TO USE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION: LEASE UNUSED PARKING SPOTS ON CENTRAL AVE FROM SHOPPING CENTERS, CO-OPS, CONDO’S AND TURN THE SPOTS INTO COMMUTER PARKING FOR COMMUTERS INTERESTED IN TAKING BUS TO MANHATTAN
CURRENTLY, THERE ARE NO LEGAL PARKING SPOTS ON CENTRAL AVE FOR COMMUTERS
The Westchester County Department of Transportation should use their influence to persuade commercial property owners, co-ops and condo’s on Central Avenue to lease unused parking spots on the avenue to commuters who take the Westchester-Manhattan express bus to New York City.
At the present time there are no allocated parking spots for commuters. Although many residents park at the stores, there have been instances where they have been ticketed or towed. If the property owners would lease some parking spaces to the county the property owners would benefit because they would generate more revenue. The county bus system would benefit because it would be much easier for commuters to use the Westchester-Manhattan bus system, and the environment would benefit because less people would drive to New York City and more people would use public ransportation.
I have received an e mail from a co-op Board that is interested in leasing to the county between 8-10 parking spots. There may be other co-ops, condo’s, businesses that would be interested in negotiating a lease agreement with the county Department of Transportation.
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22 comments:
I received a letter in the mail about this from the Office of the Supervisor. It bothered me to know that so much Town money was spent for postage to do a mass mailing for such a matter that affects so few residents.
I'm perplexed as to why the Supervisor so eager to do the County's business? The Town has so many more pressing matters to deal with - particularly all the neglected everyday operations.
This sounds like an excellent idea!
Who will be policing these leased spaces.
Will the Town be amending the Town Code to permit the rental/leasing of parking spaces? As you have probably not checked, what you propose is not permitted by the Town Code at the present time. When do you intend to hold the necessary public hearings to change the Code?
Quality of life. Edgemont residents will benefit if this suggestion is implemented.
Hartsdale would benefit more than Edgemont if this silly proposal goes through.
Will the person leasing the parking space cover the vehicles parked there if anything should happen to them.
If the County leases, does the owner of the property still have to pay property tax?
Why is it legal for the County to lease spaces from the landlord, but individuals are forbidden by the Town Code from doing the same thing?
The law must be consistent and applied equally to all.
Oh well this leasing policy that will be enacted in this famous town will make the area look worse than it is.
How come no one looked into the old Barnes and Nobel store to build it into a municipal parking building garage.
This is what is needed not a space here and there.
You are looking at the impossible way to service bus riders
in leasing existing parking spaces.
Look at the whole picture before you take a leap.
Paul,smarten up .By the way I heard the Brooklyn Bridge is up for sale again maybe you and the rest of the town council will be interested in the purchase..
If there are unused and thus unnecessary parking spaces languishing on Central Avenue, then what this suggests is that developers are being unfairly required to allocate more of their property to fulfill parking requirements than are needed.
Whether the developer would then use this space to increase the size of the "improvement" or allow more of the plot to remain unpaved is another consideration, although building size is subject to other limitations. However, I don't believe that the Planning Department is big on allowing commercial development to execute a "land banked" parking strategy such as was allowed for the Library which was granted a variance to provide LESS than the required parking, the subject 34 space difference being "land banked". On Central Avenue, the policy was not to allow developers to build less than the requirement by tolerating land banking and thus residents are witness to lot line to lot line asphalt.
Hence, the apparent plethora of unneeded and unused unsightly paved parking areas as the result.
However Town requirements being what they are, the number of required parking spaces has to do with the size and use of the building. Furniture stores need less parking than drugstores for example. Thus, the requirement would appear to align the assumed need of parking standards with the use of the building and not to provide a mandatory and arbitrary cushion so that these parking spaces can then be used for other purposes, like commuter parking.
Incidentally, in one of the great dramatic Town Hall seat filling moments, remember when the Union Baptist Church obtained the right to use the parking areas at the Crossway Shopping Center? Apparently this developer was also required to build parking in excess of actual need.
Which brings me to the issue of need. What is the basis for the assumption that "commuters who want to take the bus into NYC"?
How many of these so-called "commuters" have indicated a need. Certainly the commuters who live on Central Avenue and elect to take the bus have parking where they live. So, we're talking about commuters who come from elsewhere. Who are these loud voices that have caused the Supervisor to be lobbying on their behalf? Who has the clout to cause the Supervisor to revisit this compelling matter year after year as though it were a diary entry.
"Let's see, fall long gone, leaf pick-up off the Agenda; winter about to end, snow angels no longer promotable; spring, time to revisit commuter parking on Central Avenue..."
And, just for everyone's knowledge, the "commuter" bus, the express 4C, only makes limited stops along the route. In Greenburgh, that would be Dalewood Drive, Hartsdale Avenue, Marion Avenue, Underhill/Old Army, Ardsley Road and on the return, Clifton Road. So I'm sure that only the appropriate surplus parking is being targeted, right?
And what are out neighbors, White Plains and Yonkers doing or is this just a Greenburgh matter which might result in all of their riders rushing to park in Greenburgh.
Another example of fiddling while Rome burns. What does it matter if nothing is being done by the Town Board which is voting for 20%+ tax increases this year, likely to be repeated in 2009 and really hitting the fan in 2010. But we'll always have a welcome to Greenburgh sign on the roadways while no one takes note of the loaded moving vans headed out of town.
"fiddling while Rome burns"
Exactly! I wish the Supervisor would attend to the primary responsibilities of a municipality before fiddling with optional ventures of negligible necessity. It's becoming more and more embarrassing to live in Unincorporated Greenburgh.
EHA apartment dwellers should encourage talks to allow them to rent spaces in the lots on Central. Oh wait! Some already do rent spaces there! Yes, the ones willing to walk to the Fountain or Chef Central, anyway. No, it's not free. That could be a bit of a problem. Oh well.
Does no one care that renting out spaces VIOLATES THE TOWN CODE?
Or have we become so used to the Town ignoring the law that we no longer care?
Hey Feiner, how about using a little vasoline before abusing us again?
Ardsley commuters love this idea. We need parking spots.
I will use the bus if I can park on Central Ave.
There is no way that leasing could accomodate bus user from the neighboring towns.
If this is done you will have to have more police guarding these areas.
Dear 7:29 (Anonymous)
Are you afraid you will be attacked because of your controversial statement.
Who will be using the bus if they can park on Central Avenue?
I am curious to know who Ardsley commuters are who are so excited about taking an hour and fifteen minute uncomfotable bus ride vs a 35 minute train ride. Do they think that these "leased" Central Avenue parking spots are going to be free parking?
If it is up to our supervisor yes they will be free to those outside the unincorporated areas.
He will fight all the way to get other areas on his side I mean can't you not see this time after time.
No Hal, the Ardsely people assume that any parking spots will be paid for out of the B budget as they are in the TOV.
My prediction - they will be free to anyone in Town, including villages that is first respondr, volunteer, school or town employee, handicapped, senior citizen, single mother, veteran, low income(did I leave anyone out?).
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