Last Updated on July 23, 2021 by Lawrence Berezin
Commercial vehicle parking in NYC may suffer a major change
Commercial vehicle parking in NYC has never been easy. Traffic is chaotic, street parking is limited, and special rules restricting nighttime parking are a nightmare (no pun intended).
However, parking is about to get worse if this proposed law is passed by the NYC Council. And the Resolution is turned into law by the NY State Legislature.
The length of time commercial vehicles can park on an NYC street
Currently, commercial vehicles are permitted to park on the street for three consecutive hours in the same parking space. One of the new laws restricting commercial vehicle parking in NYC would cut the time from three hours to ninety minutes (Yikes!). Here’s the text of the proposed law:
By Council Members Miller, Salamanca, Vallone, Richards, Dromm and Vacca
A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, to reducing the maximum time commercial vehicles may park
Be it enacted by the Council as follows:
Section 1. Subdivision a of section 19-170 of the administrative code of the city of New York, as added by local law 25 of 1988 and amended by chapter 458 of the laws of 2010, is amended to read as follows:
a. When parking is not otherwise restricted, no person shall park a commercial vehicle in excess of [three hours] 90 minutes. For purposes of this section, the term commercial vehicle shall mean a motor vehicle designed, maintained, or used primarily for the transportation of property.
§ 2. This local law takes effect in 120 days.
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Proposed NYC Council Resolution calling for increased penalties for commercial vehicles
Here’s the text of this astonishing resolution:
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A Resolution calling upon the New York State Legislature, and the Governor, to enact legislation to increase the penalty on commercial vehicles that park in residential neighborhoods, in violation of existing rules and regulations on such vehicles to up to $400 for the first offense.
By Council Members Miller, Salamanca, Barron, Gentile and Chin
Whereas, New York City rules and regulations restrict when and where commercial vehicles may park; and
Whereas, Currently commercial vehicles may park for a maximum of three hours in areas where other parking rules and regulations are not in effect; and
Whereas, Moreover, commercial vehicles and trucks may not park in residential neighborhoods between the hours of 9 PM and 5 AM; and
Whereas, In 2010, the State legislature enacted legislation authorizing New York City to increase the fine for tractor-trailer combinations, tractors, truck trailers and semi-trailers that park overnight in a residential neighborhood from $50 to up to $250 for the first offense and up to $500 for each subsequent offense within a six-month period; and
Whereas, Communities throughout New York City continue to suffer from commercial vehicles parking in residential neighborhoods; and
Whereas, Illegal parking by commercial vehicles, especially large trucks, poses safety concerns for pedestrians and reduces parking that should be available to community residents; and
Whereas, Increasing the fine to $400 for the first offense will create an additional deterrent to commercial vehicles and trucks who park in residential neighborhoods; now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Council of the City of New York calls upon the New York State Legislature, and the Governor, to enact legislation to increase the penalty on commercial vehicles that park in residential neighborhoods, in violation of existing rules and regulations on such vehicles to up to $400 for the first offense.
Commentary
Parking fines are absurdly high and there is no need to invent more restrictions for commercial parking in NYC to make it more difficult to engage in activities beneficial to all New Yorkers. Why make it more difficult to deliver the milk, construction supplies, or clothes? It is difficult enough for small businesses to shoulder the cost of night-time parking.
Enough, already.
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