Circling the block for a parking space solution

Clinton Avenue residents in Cedarhurst live a short distance from the Long Island Rail Road station and Andrew J. Parise Cedarhurst Park, and every weekday morning they see commuters searching for parking spaces that are either not metered or require a village permit. With so many people parking in this densely populated area there only so many spots to go around.

Some homeowners in the area at least have their driveways, but residents of what is called Sageville, a small housing district located near Court, Clinton and Fifth avenues, where the property sites are smaller than the other homes and do not have driveways. Those residents rely on street parking.

Farrah Montuori lives on Clinton Avenue and has been petitioning the village for several months now for special parking passes just for the residents in this specific neighborhood. She believes that parking meters and restrictions near the train station and the park have, “Pushed out-of-town train commuters and other cars into our area.”

Resident Fred Mare says the situation makes his day more difficult, “My wife and I are getting up there, I’m 65 and I have a heart condition and a lot of the time we get home and she has to park all the way down the road because there aren’t any spots here.”

Erica Dahan, another resident, says that she’s gotten into confrontations with motorists in the past, and that something needs to be done in this unique case. “I understand there’s public parking,” she said, “but this street isn’t like the rest, it’s a special street there should be special rules.”

Compounding their frustration is the empty lot right across nearby Oak Avenue that used to be reserved exclusively for youth sports. “They haven’t played Little League games there in years,” Montuori said. “After I brought it up they took those signs down, but put up signs that said ‘No parking anytime.’” Her ideal solution would be special resident stickers, which would allow residents unique parking privileges on their home street. She said she is even willing to pay for that privilege.

Mayor Benjamin Weinstock said he is reluctant to allow that practice, citing the issues it may cause. “If you have a friend or relative visit then they wouldn’t have the same parking pass which would create more headaches.”

Opening the ball field lot has its own problems associated with it, according to Weinstock. “The lot wasn’t used regularly so the gravel that was laid down has been sufficient, but if we wanted to let people use it more often we would have to pave it and add a drainage system,” he said.

Village officials have offered a solution. Parking on Clinton Avenue would be prohibited from 9 to 10 a.m.. Commuters wouldn’t be able park without being ticketed, and residents could move their cars for the hour, they said.

“If there was a simple solution we would have solved this a long time ago,” Weinstock said. “My heart goes out to these people, but the problem is no one has a magic bullet. We want to be fair, reasonable and accommodating. If any resident has a suggestion we’re open to it.”

Village of Cedarhurst holds its monthly on June 5 at 8 p.m., at Village Hall at 200 Cedarhurst Ave.