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FROM OUR TOWN

Orangetown council unanimously passes legislation governing the use of parking lots and meters in the Pearl River business district.
By Anne Phyllis Pinzow
Staff Writer

Orangetown's town council voted unanimously on the long debated legislation governing the use of municipal parking lots and parking meters in the business district of the hamlet of Pearl River. The legislation affects Pearl River municipal Parking Lot No. 1 located between East Washington Avenue and East Central Avenue as well as Municipal Parking Lot No. 2 located on the east side of South William Street and south of Franklin Avenue and all the metered streets.

In both parking lots, one and two, $.25 an hour meters will be in operation from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday however free parking will be available there on Sundays and holidays.

Un-metered areas of the lot will be available for drivers who are residents of Orangetown and who have obtained a permit for overnight parking, commuter parking or merchant parking. Permits are available for semi-annual fees of $180 for spaces designated for overnight parking. Commuter parking permits for designated spaces will be sold for $100 for six months or $190 for 12 months.

Merchant parking in designated areas will be available to those proprietors with places of businesses in Pearl River and their employees who pay a $10 annual permit process fee plus the meter fees. All permits, which are not transferable, are obtainable from town hall and must be displayed on the rear windshield and be visible from the rear.

When applying for permits, at least one of the following examples of documentation must be presented proving residency or ownership of property and employment in Orangetown

• A deed to real property,
• A current lease to any real property,
• A current driver's license,
• A current motor vehicle registration certificate
• A voter's registration card or
• A signed letter from the owner or lessee of any real property certifying that the individual applying for such a permit is an employee.

However the meters fees will be enforced only from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Saturday. Yellow meters will designate merchant parking, blue meters will mark parking for handicapped individuals, red meters will be used in "15 Minute Parking zones". In those areas $.25 will only give drivers 15 minutes of parking as opposed to the other area where $.25 will pay for an hour.

According to the newly passed law, all revenue from the meters will be used to cover the cost of installation, operation, maintenance, policing and supervision of parking meters and enforcement of the parking laws.

During the public hearing, Felice Morris of Pearl River said that she did not think it right to charge parking fees for people who need to leave their car at the Post Office to get their mail from post office boxes.

"I'm one of the box holders and I consider that public property that I should have access to with no charge. I have to pay $.25 to $.50 to get my mail." Morris said receives her medications at the Post Office.

Under the new arrangement, parking in the Post Office lot costs $.25 for 15 minutes. Councilman Denis Troy who has been liaison to the committee on parking said the arrangement was made because of the quick changeover requested in the area. However the meters can be reprogrammed and if needed, will be, he said.

Doctor Ronald Backman, who has owned and operated his medical office on Central Avenue for 35 years said that this parking pattern will call a hardship for not only himself but for his employees. He also pointed out that according to the tax map, property that he owns was taken over by the town as a municipal parking lot and installed meters on his property.

"We should be able to park in that parking lot without having to feed the meters." Pete Fornabaio said he objects to the hike in fees for residents to park.

Troy said that the committee working on the parking pattern and meters tried to be respondent to the Chamber of Commerce and merchants to increase spaces available to shoppers. However, because of the rate structures, commuters who would ordinarily park in the Metro North parking lot behind the Saloon are now parking on Central Avenue.

"It's important that we are in sync with Metro North," he said. Troy said the purpose of fees is only to maintain the lots and the meters and to enforce the parking laws.

While diagonal parking was not addressed in the legislation, Troy said that he agreed it was more dangerous but it also encouraged motorists to slow down while driving through Pearl River. "It's a change in culture, it's a change in how people drive."

Councilman Tom Morr asked Town Clerk Charlotte Madigan to open the office a couple of Saturdays. Madigan said permits could be applied for through the mail but identification would also have to be mailed. She added that the clerk's office would be open one evening for commuter applications. Supervisor Thom Kleiner said that the laws could be modified in order to better meet the needs of the community.

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