Image credit: New York City Council.
On February 2nd, 2023, District 38 Council Member Alexa Avilés introduced Int. No. 899. The bill would create a residential parking permit system in Sunset Park and Red Hook.
The purpose of this law is to create a residential parking permit system in Sunset Park and Red Hook in Brooklyn. This law will require fixed fee payments applicable to parking within the neighborhood boundaries of Red Hook, which is all streets south of the Brooklyn Queens Expressway between the East River and the Gowanus Canal, and within the boundaries of Sunset Park neighborhood, which includes the areas south of Interstate 278, west of Fort Hamilton Parkway, and North of 66th street.
This law will require the Department of Transportation to provide the times of day and days of the week that the permit requirements will be in effect in these specific, designated areas of Red Hook and Sunset Park. The law will make no less than 20 percent of all spaces within the designated permit areas available to non-residents and provide for short-term parking of no less than 90 minutes in duration. The law shall also provide that motor vehicles with handicap plates are exempt from any permit requirements. The Department of Transportation shall provide the fees that are to be paid for residential permits, and Transportation shall ensure that the fees shall be credited to the general fund of the city of New York. This law will not require residential parking permits on streets where the adjacent properties are zoned for commercial, retail, or office use. The law will take effect 120 days after its passing.
Council Member Avilés hopes to be a part of a citywide process of improving residential parking ability for New Yorkers. The Council Member’s representative told CityLaw that the purpose behind this law was to address the issues constituents face against finding parking near their homes in Red Hook and Sunset Park. Some residents, for example, complain that they cannot find parking within fifteen blocks of their homes. The office stated that this is due to a surplus of commercial and manufacturing vehicles parking in these neighborhoods. There have been similar laws proposed in other parts of the City including Bill 595 proposed by Council member Lynn Shulman of District 29 covering parts of Forest Hills, Kew Gardens, Richmond Hills, and Rego Park, Queens. Avilés also hopes this bill sparks more conversation about expanding residential parking permits throughout the city.
If this law is enacted, The Department of Transportation shall decide which residents qualify, how they apply, how it will be enforced, and other administrative procedures.
The bill was sent to the Committee of Transportation and Infrastructure for further review. No public hearing has been scheduled as of yet.
By: Kiera Latham (Kiera is a New York Law School student, Class of 2023.)
Yes, this is a problem there in Bklyn and also in many areas of the city the Bronx and Manhattan were there are
larger stores and Mini Malls. one is Costco on 116th street Pleasant Ave. Bazaar on 125th 3rd Ave. NYC. Manhattan where there are lots of tenement. Buildings.
There are many areas that residents now can’t find parking within walking distance to their homes.
The people that should be able to get the permits should be the people that reside in the area and have a dated lease in their name and or mortgage or deed.