Politics & Government

County Parking Costs an Issue in New Rochelle

Westchester County leases the parking for its Environmental Facilities workers.

The City of New Rochelle will try to get Westchester County to kick in more money for reserved parking at the New Roc City Garage.

Since 2003, the city has allowed county Department of Environmental Facilities workers, whose office is at 270 North Ave., to park in the city-owned garage on Huguenot Street between Harrison Street and LeCount Place.

County workers use 45 spaces in the garage, and the county has been paying $10 a month per space—something that city staff recommended continue for five years in a Nov. 19 memorandum.

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At the Dec. 4 City Council meeting, councilmembers objected to the low rate—rates for transient parking at the facility is $1 per hour—and asked City Manager Charles Strome III to go back to the county.

At the Dec. 11 council meeting, Strome reported that the county had agreed to $25 a month per space for five years.

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Councilman Barry Fertel, D-District 5, said he felt the city should charge the standard governmental rate of $50, which is what the post office pays for its employees.

"The post office is in far worse shape (financially)," he said. "I just think we should charge whatever we can."

Mayor Noam Bramson was concerned that raising the parking fee so drastically might make the county relocate its facility.

"I don't want to place the jobs in our central business district at risk," he said, adding he would reject any insistence to sticking with $50.

Strome said he recommended doing a one-year agreement with the county at $25 per space per month and then gradually raise it over the next few years.

The decision was tabled until Strome could research some questions the council had, such as whether the spaces were reserved around the clock or were set to specific daytime hours.

Corporation Counsel Kathleen Gill said the existing agreement, which expires Dec. 31, can be extended into January until the council has an opportunity to meet again.


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