Tuckahoe Parking Bill Stalls in Albany

There's a lot of foot-dragging in Albany these days. The state budget is more than two months late, and long-promised reforms in property taxes, ethics and elections have yet to materialize.

But for some Tuckahoe residents, another stalled initiative may be just as important. A bill sitting in the state Assembly would expand the village's residential parking permit system to encompass almost every street in Tuckahoe, making dozens of spots available exclusively to area residents.

The measure passed the Senate this year and in 2009, but has never made it to the Assembly floor for a vote despite being introduced in several sessions.

Assemblywoman Amy Paulin, D-Scarsdale, the bill's sponsor, said in a memo accompanying the bill that expanding the program would be a boon to Tuckahoe residents without having a negative effect on visitors.

"The current residential parking permit system has been very effective in addressing the safety, environmental and quality of life issues in the designated area, while providing relief of overtime parking restrictions to residents living in these areas," the memo reads. "The village's population continues to increase and traffic hazards, congestion, air and noise pollution remain a concern."

The memo continues, "The original permit system was created to deter commuters from the train stations from using the limited supply of residential off-street parking instead of the public and private off-street areas provided for them...This creates an additional burden on the residents to find parking since many of the homes in that part of the town have little or no off-street parking."

Expansion of the parking system needs state approval because state law requires that a certain percentage of a village or town's parking be left open to the general public. Municipalities that want to expand further must provide a compelling reason to do so. According to Paulin, Tuckahoe's reason is its small size and two train stations.

The bill was supposed to be deliberated by the Assembly Transportation Committee on Tuesday, but was removed from the committee's agenda minutes before the meeting began, meaning its chances of coming up for a vote this year are slim.

A source with knowledge of the bill's progress said that Transportation Committee Chair David Gantt, D-Rochester, unilaterally removed the bill from the agenda after learning that Paulin had reached out to committee members and secured enough votes to move the bill.

"The Assembly is particularly sensitive to making sure that public streets remain open to the public," the source said. Paulin "is trying to convince her house that Tuckahoe needs this, that the residents of those blocks need this."

Gantt did not return multiple call seeking comment. Legislators are in Albany this week trying to hammer out a deal to close the state's $9.2 billion budget gap.

Amanda Miller, who lives a few blocks from the Crestwood station, said the parking situation is so bad around her home that she routinely takes long walks or cab rides to run errands and visit relatives and friends.

"If I'm lucky enough to find a spot near my house when I come home from work on a Friday, I'm not going to move the car until I leave Monday morning," she said. "More than once I've parked half a mile away from the house."

Village officials first requested the parking measure in July of 2006. In accordance with state law the current Board of Trustees also had to approve the expansion, which it did in June of 2008.

According to the minutes of the June 9, 2008 meeting, "Mayor [John] Fitzpatrick stated that … to date, nothing has happened. The current Village Board would need to pass the resolution supporting this petition in order for Governor [David] Paterson to review it and possibly sign it."

Specifically, the bill would expand the residential parking zone to include Fisher Avenue to the eastern border between Tuckahoe and Eastchester; the northern border between Tuckahoe and Eastchester; and the southern border to White Plains Road.

Of the Village's four trustees, Stephen Quigley responded to an email for comment, saying that he was not aware of the bill and that in the six months he's been on the Board there has been no discussion, to his knowledge, on the matter. 

Fitzpatrick and Police Chief John Costanzo did not return calls and e-mails seeking comment.