Cedarhurst lifts Oak Avenue parking restrictions

Without driveways of their own residents of Clinton Avenue have had to compete for parking in front of their own homes. Farrah Montuori, who lives on Clinton said, “[The meters and restrictions] have pushed out-of-town train commuters and other cars into our area.”
In response, at their June 5 meeting the village board of Cedarhurst voted to remove the no parking between 3 and 10 A.M. restrictions on the north side of nearby Oak Avenue, in hopes of reducing the amount of commuters and Cedarhurst Park visitors who use Clinton for parking.
Spaces with no parking between 9 A.M. and 5 P.M. restrictions will also be added to the south side of Oak Avenue. This will presumably keep away commuters while still keeping spots open for residents after work. Mayor Benjamin Weinstock said that this combination should open up 20 parking spaces in the area by drawing cars away from Clinton Avenue.
Following the hearing Weinstock said that the board had, “Discussed it, and discussed it and discussed it some more and eventually we came to the conclusion that this would be the best solution.”
Montuori had been trying to get this issue resolved for months. She said that, “I’m hoping that this solution will pay off in the end for Clinton Avenue and we’re willing to give it a shot to see where it takes us.”

Montuori suggested other possible solutions that included opening up what used to be a lot exclusively for the Little League to all residents visiting the park and issuing special parking permits to everyone who lives on Clinton Avenue. She said that East Meadow residents who live by the Nassau County Medical Center have similar permits.
Weinstock responded by pointing out that the lot is made of gravel and would have to be paved before it was opened to the public. He said, legally the village would have to make the permits available to all Cedarhurst residents, and that the East Meadow residents needed special approval from the governor. However, he did not rule out paving the lot or issuing special permits if the current proposal fails to resolve the parking problem.
The issue may still persist, but Clinton Avenue residents believe their voices are being heard. Resident Jean Gilligan said, “They’re making a genuine effort to help us and I think that’s great.”