Manhasset Park District commissioners David Paterson and Mark Sauvigne said Wednesday they are seeking the Town of North Hempstead’s help to address parking problems in Manhasset.
Paterson and Sauvigne said one-hour parking restrictions on Plandome Road are not being enforced by the town, and the park district should be able help enforce the restrictions.
“[We want to] help the congestion on Plandome Road,” Sauvigne said at a meeting of the Council of Greater Manhasset Civic Associations. “[We want to] create open spaces for the stores.”
Sauvigne said the park district needs an intermunicipal agreement with the town to enforce the restrictions because Plandome Road is owned by the town.
The agreement would cost the town nothing, Sauvigne said, and the park district would figure out a system to split the fees collected with the town.
Parking laws limit motorists to one hour of parking on Plandome Road between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. except on Sundays and holidays.
Paterson said if the park district was allowed to enforce the restrictions on Plandome Road, the town would be able to divert its manpower elsewhere.
Paterson and Sauvigne said they also want to reconfigure a parking lot owned by the park district located between Manhasset Avenue and Memorial Place.
The plan would add 16 new commuter parking spaces, Paterson said, and include changes to the lot’s entrances and exits.
Because the park district owns the lot, the park district would just need town approval to make the changes, but not an intermunicipal agreement, Sauvigne said.
The commissioners said they also want to make changes to the parking lot behind Mary Jane Davies Park, which currently has 19 spaces.
Paterson said the park district would keep the number of spaces in the lot the same, but designate three spots for the park and leave the remaining 16 spots for merchant and commuter parking.
The town owns the lot behind the park, so the park district would need an intermunicipal agreement to make the changes, he said.
Overall, the changes to both lots would create 32 more commuter parking spaces at no cost to the town, Paterson said.
Sauvigne said he has been working on parking issues with the town since late 2013, but has not made any progress.
“We need the town to get on board,” Sauvigne said. “[We’ve] been put on the back burner. We want it to get on the forefront. It’s frustrating”
Paterson said the park district fist submitted their proposals for both reconfiguring the parking lot and the intermunicipal agreement for Plandome Road in late 2013.
Approximately six weeks ago, Paterson said, the town asked the park district to resubmit its proposals.
Paterson said the park district has not heard back from the town and he doesn’t expect “any concrete progress until [early 2016.]”
Paterson, who running for re-election against former park Commissioner Jay Hernandez, was invited to address the civic association about his candidacy. Sauvigne said he attended to provide the civic association with an update on parking on Plandome Road.
“Everyone needs to work together to solve [the parking problem],” Sauvigne said.
Following a presentation by Paterson on his candidacy, civic associations President Richard Bentley gave him his endorsement.
“Just go out and vote for David Paterson,” Bentley said.
The next meeting of the Council of Greater Manhasset Civic Associations will take place on Dec. 9 at 8 p.m. at the Historic Onderdonk House.
