New Paltz Village board considers major parking amendments

New Paltz village trustees are considering a major amendment to the law governing parking in the village. At the October 8 Village Board meeting, trustees Ariana Basco and Sally Rhoads proposed an amendment which would, in Rhoads’s words, “ban non-resident parking in the R-1, R-2, R-3 and Historic districts Monday through Friday to 5 p.m. After five, weekends and holidays [would be] as we normally have,” she added.

Under the amendment, village residents would be provided with two identifying decals, with additional decals purchasable for $10 each.

Rhoads also proposed that town residents be issued decals, though the number provided is up for debate.  “I’m open,” she said.

Though mayor Jason West said he did not necessarily support the amendment, all five trustees voted for “concept approval” on it, so that “all proper notifications could be given to students on campus,” said Rhoads.

Local business owners, for their part, are not very happy about the proposed changes.

In a letter written by David Santner, owner of The Bakery on North Front Street, a number of changes to parking in the village are proposed by business owners, who, according to the letter, met with Rhoads and Basco several times over the summer. These changes include eliminating “alternate-side-of-the-street parking” to free up parking.

“The solution is to increase the amount of spaces,” wrote Santner. “Our proposal to end alternate-side parking would double the amount of spaces available. Sally and Ariana’s proposal would only exasperate the problem and push it onto other streets, particularly the streets in the business district.”

Santner described the village under the proposed amendment as a “private driveway. It is a terrible betrayal of the downtown business community,” he added. “This is the height of foolishness! It is also a terrible betrayal of the downtown business community and all of the work that we do. Why ask us to participate if your plan is to screw us?”

As it stands, the amendment would primarily impact SUNY New Paltz students and out-of-area visitors, before 5 p.m. on weekdays. As proposed, it is unclear whether SUNY students could be eligible to purchase parking decals from the village.