The idea of establishing a parking sticker for village residents is on hold for now, according to Mayor Hubbard. READ
Tag: greenport parking
The Greenport Village Board is planning to hold a public hearing on a proposal to create more time-limited parking in the IGA parking lot.
Cars are left in the Hampton Jitney parking lot in Greenport “for months and months and months,” according to Greenport Village Trustee Mary Bess Phillips.
Village Board members also believe some people leave their vehicles there for the entire winter.
Greenport Village’s decision to hire a new parking and traffic code enforcement officer last summer is paying off, according to officials.
The village has issued 583 parking violations since June 17, which brought in $52,165 in fines through November. Figures for December are not yet available.
KATHARINE SCHROEDER PHOTO | Fire Fighter is moving to the railroad dock.
Despite objections from residents and two board members, the decommissioned New York City fireboat Fire Fighter is moving from Mitchell Park Marina to the railroad dock.
During its regular meeting Monday, Greenport Village Board members approved the mooring of the historic boat at the Suffolk County owned dock, which Village law reserves for commercial fisherman.
The motion passed by a 3-2 margin with Trustees David Murray and Mary Bess Phillips in opposition.
The contract between the village and the Fireboat Fire Fighter Museum to dock the vessel at Mitchell Park Marina expired earlier this month. Since its arrival in Greenport in February, the plan has been to ultimately move Fire Fighter to a permanent berth at the railroad dock near the East End Seaport Museum.
The relocation of the 134-foot ship, now a nonprofit floating museum, is pending a determination by Suffolk County on whether it can dock at the railroad pier. The county leases the railroad dock to the village for a token fee of $1 per year, according to Mayor David Nyce. In exchange, Greenport maintains the dock. The county, however, is the final authority on who can use the dock — which is intended exclusively for commercial fishermen — and it has the right to refuse any sublease agreement the village enters into regarding the railroad dock, the mayor said.
Greenport resident John Saladino disagreed with the mayor’s statements on the lease.
“No where in the lease agreement with the County is it required for the village to get County approval for a vessel to dock at the railroad dock,” he said in a statement after the meeting.” The first page of the lease clearly disputes Mr. Nyce’s contention the dock is to be used exclusively for commercial fishing boats.”
Housing Fire Fighter at the railroad dock has drawn outrage from fisherman who said the move conflicts with the Village’s law to support and maintain a working waterfront. Many have called the overall condition of the boat into questioning.
“I want to state up front that I am in support of any village project that offers residents something new and unique that attracts visitors from outside the village,” said Stephen Clarke, owner and operator of the Greenport Yacht & Shipbuilding Company. “I want to draw the board’s attention to things that might have been overlooked. It is not an inspected boat. The most routine maintenance has not been done on this boat in more than 10 years.”
After a previous meeting, Mayor Nyce said though the boat had not been hauled out, it was inspected last fall.
Although the now-expired contract had protected the village previously, the resolution passed on the condition that a $1 million insurance policy is taken out by its owner to protect the village from liability.
Board permits alcohol consumption on public property
Board members Monday approved a permit allowing The Long Island Power Squadron to serve alcohol on public property at Mitchell Park Marina for an event running from July 25 through July 28 at Mitchell Park Marina.
Board members are currently reworking the regulation to formally allow the consumption of alcohol on public property during all special events, according to Mr. Nyce. If passed the amendment to the Mass Public Assembly Permit would authorize private organizations to serve alcohol at Mitchell Park.
The intent is to allow guests of the marina to use the park as a reception area, the mayor said. The amendment would still prohibit the sale of alcohol and would restrict the events to an enclosed area, he said.
All of the events are subject to the approval of the Village Board regardless of its passage.
CARRIE MILLER PHOTO | Sterling Street parking ban passes.
Sterling Street parking ban passes
Motorists looking to park on the waterfront side of Sterling Street will have to find an alternative spot.
Residents remained split on the issue for months, but board members ultimately decided the additional parking was a source of safety concerns and adopted the law prohibiting parking on a portion of the eastern side of Sterling Street.
The ban stretches about 50 feet and eliminates two to three parking spaces.
Mayor to Mexico
Mayor Nyce is headed to Mexico.
Board members approved a resolution permitting Mayor Nyce to attend the Hagedorn Foundation and Witness for Peace program in Mexico City, Mexico from July 13 through July 21.
The Port Washington-based Hagedorn Foundation supports social equality and champions immigration reform; while Witness for Peace works towards peace, justice and sustainable economies in the Americas by changing U.S. policies, according to its website.
Mr. Nyce was said he was invited to represent Greenport because of the village’s diverse Latino population.
“The idea is to tie the history of immigration here to what’s currently going on in regards to [nationwide immigration],” he said.
The Witness for Peace program will compensate the majority of the travel costs, Mr. Nyce said.
The village will provide $200 for the mayor’s transportation to and from John F. Kennedy International Airport in Brooklyn.
Visitors to Greenport Village could soon be prohibited from parking on a portion of Sterling Street’s eastern side if a proposed amendment to a local law is approved.
A public hearing on the amendment was held at the Third Street firehouse Monday evening.
Reporter Cyndi Murray live blogged from the meeting. Read a recap below:
JENNIFER GUSTAVSON PHOTO | Greenport Village Board.
Suffolk Times reporter Jennifer Gustavson reported live from tonight’s Greenport Village Board meeting.
The board failed to pass a contract to install parking meters downtown by a 2-3 vote. Trustees David Murray, George Hubbard and Mary Bess Phillips voted no.
Click on the blog below to read the recap:
KATHARINE SCHROEDER FILE PHOTO During the summer, parking is at a premium on Front Street in Greenport. Village Board members are reviewing proposed parking regulations and the public will get a chance to weigh in before officials ask Southold Police to start an enforcement crackdown.
Greenport residents got their first look Tuesday at proposed rules that could affect their parking habits downtown. There are no surprises in the proposed village code amendment, which mirrors recommendations made last month by members of the village code committee.
Drafted by village attorney Joseph Prokop, the proposal could be amended by the Village Board. A public hearing date has not yet been set.
Greenport has been without enforceable, written parking regulations for years, so drivers have been able to be park at fire hydrants or in handicapped spaces without fear of getting a ticket. And even though there have been many complaints, especially from merchants, about insufficient parking during the peak summer season, nothing has been done to enforce existing 10-minute and two-hour limitations.
With passage of the new rules, the village would ban parking without a special permit at a fire hydrant or in handicapped zones and authorize Southold Police to strictly enforce its regulations.
The action is in line with a report from Michael Kodama of MK Planning Consultants in Burbank, Calif., who told Village Board members and merchants last year that before they considered creating additional parking spaces, they needed to have up-to-date parking regulations that were strictly enforced. Only then could the village realistically assess whether or not there’s a need for more parking, Mr. Kodama said. His full report is available at the village’s official website, thevillageofgreenport.org.
“During the field observation (Aug. 27, 2009), we did not see any parking enforcement in order for current parking rules and regulations to be effective,” Mr. Kodama said in his July 22, 2010, written report.
Under the new rules, violators of either restriction on parking at fire hydrants or in handicapped zones would be fined $100. Also, 10-minute limits would be changed to half-hour limits at parking spaces located as follows:
• in designated spaces at the IGA parking lot, which is village property;
• on both sides of South Street between First and Second streets;
• on both sides of First Street between Front and South streets; and
• on both sides of Main Street south of Front Street.
Also, two-hour parking would be enforced:
• on Front Street between Main and Third streets;
• on Main Street between Center and Front streets; and
• on one side of Third Street between Front and Wiggins Street.
Two handicapped spaces would be designated at the northeast corner of the IGA parking lot; two more on Main Street, just south of Front Street; and two on First Street, just south of Adams Street. Some are new and some are already posted as handicapped spaces.
Village Board members are expected to discuss the proposed rules at the Oct. 18 work session and recommend any changes they wish before scheduling a public hearing.
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