Noyac Bay Ave. parking restrictions remain

Some parking remains prohibited on Noyac Bay Avenue after the Southampton Town Board on Tuesday rejected a resolution to eliminate all parking restrictions on the roadway.

In a narrow decision, Republicans Nancy Graboski, James Malone and Christopher Nuzzi voted in favor of keeping the existing parking restrictions, while Supervisor Anna Throne-Holst, an Independent, and Bridget Fleming, a Democrat, voted to lift them.

The original restrictions, prohibiting parking on both sides, were put in place in 2008 when those who live along the road complained about petty crimes.

Malone, who sponsored the resolution to end some restrictions, said a change last month that allows at least four cars to park along the road was sufficient.

Noyac Bay Avenue is the only street leading to a body of water other than the ocean that has parking restrictions, according to town officials. Parking on the road is restricted only during the summer season.

Residents who live along the road, as well as representatives from the Northampton Colony Yacht Club, argued that the area is not a common beach, and swimming is prohibited, so parking along both sides of the street was not necessary.

Throne-Holst and Fleming had argued at previous public hearings that no road should have restrictions, except for those leading to ocean beaches where roadside parking could create safety concerns.

Above: Noyac Bay Avenue, which dead-ends at Noyack Bay, had "no parking" signs installed when a previous town board agreed to the restrictions after residents complained about vandalism and burglaries.