Officials curb student parking at Port Washington commuter lot
Some high school students have been swiping parking spots at the Vanderventer Avenue parking lot in Port Washington, Councilwoman Mariann Dalimonte said. Credit: Rick Kopstein
Few things irritate Long Islanders like the region's shortage of parking spaces.
That agita has reached Paul D. Schreiber High School in Port Washington, Councilwoman Mariann Dalimonte told Newsday in an interview.
In recent months, some students, faced with a lack of available parking spaces at the Monfort parking lot reserved for the school's seniors, have taken to swiping spots at the nearby lot on Vanderventer Avenue, Dalimonte said.
The Vanderventer Avenue lot, part of the Port Washington Parking District, is supposed to be primarily used by residents walking to the nearby Port Washington Long Island Rail Road Station. On Tuesday, the town updated its town code to formalize that only "commuters" who take the LIRR will be allowed to park at the lot.
"I've been getting complaints from residents for a very long time that there's not enough commuter spots," Dalimonte said. "Will there ever been enough commuter spots? No. But a lot of residents have noticed that students who go to the high school are parking in the lot."
Shannon Vulin, the Port Washington school district's public information officer, declined to comment.
The town board voted 6-1 to approve the change after a public hearing. Dennis Walsh, a Republican councilman, was the lone dissenter.
"Sometimes here ... we create laws and things that you know are not going to be enforced, as a feel-good thing," Walsh said.
Port Washington residents have to apply for a permit to park in the lot, which has about 30 spots, Dalimonte said. Two of the spots in the lot are reserved for shoppers.
Tom McDonough, president of the town’s Civil Service Employees Association Unit 7555 union, labeled the Vanderventer Avenue lot the "most dangerous parking lot in [the] Town of North Hempstead" during the public hearing.
"I've been in that lot at 7, 8 o'clock in the morning," McDonough said. "The kids that are parking there come racing in."
Dalimonte told Newsday she suggested that the town wait until the next school year in September to start enforcing violations.
Derek Skuzenski, the town's public safety commissioner, said during the public hearing there would be "complications" with enforcing the law.
"Enforcement is not impossible, but it will be very difficult," Skuzenski said. "I think there will be a community expectation to enforce it proactively, and doing so would require a lot of resources."
Skuzenski said it would require officers to follow people after they park.
"They may detour, you know, to a place to get a coffee," he said. "To observe someone deviate may be difficult."
Dalimonte said she would be comfortable handling enforcement herself if the town's code enforcement department does not have the resources.
"Give me the rights to write a ticket," she said. "If your staff can't do it, then we can do it."
Joshua Needelman covers the Town of North Hempstead for Newsday. A Long Island native and University of Maryland graduate, his work has appeared in publications including The New York Times and The Washington Post.
Winter break is full of fun NewsdayTV's Elisa DiStefano and Newsday Deputy Lifestyle Editor Meghan Giannotta have your look at activities to do with the family this winter break.
Winter break is full of fun NewsdayTV's Elisa DiStefano and Newsday Deputy Lifestyle Editor Meghan Giannotta have your look at activities to do with the family this winter break.
