Three new bills set out to ease parking concerns

One local pol is hoping Brooklynites can soon fugghedabout some of their longstanding parking problems, thanks to three bills he has in the works.

Introduced at the City Council last month, all three pieces of  legislation set out to alleviate specific parking-related issues New Yorkers have long complained about.

“I am committed to making life easier for all of New York’s drivers,” said Councilmember David Greenfield. “These bills are each designed to solve a real problem in a practical way. I will continue to promote common-sense reforms such as these that will help to ease some of the congestion and headaches that have historically come with driving a car in New York.”

One bill would do away with feeding parking meters on the Friday after Thanksgiving—a day he says that is well-known for excessive ticketing as shoppers are often delayed by long checkout lines in stores and get to their cars after the meters have expired.

The second piece of legislation is something Greenfield has been working on since 2013. The bill would prohibit the city from towing a vehicle unless it has been immobilized with a wheel lock for at least three days.

Although the waiting period would not apply to cars illegally parked at bus stops, hydrants, crosswalks, in tow away zones, in legal driveways or when the towing is necessary as a matter of public safety, the bill would allow for drivers to regain access to their cars without having to search for their cars at nearby impound lots while still holding drivers who violate parking and traffic laws accountable.

The third bill Greenfield is proposing would making parking accessible in front of inoperable fire hydrants. According to Greenfield’s office, numerous city hydrants are no longer functional. Painting these hydrants green and allowing drivers to park in these spaces will open up a number of spots all over the city, he contends.

Other solutions to the borough’s parking problems have been presenting themselves through technology.

This past summer, an app called SpotPog debuted on the parking scene, allowing drivers to find free and paid spots throughout the city.

The free app employs a community-centered approach, allowing users to swap free spaces and rent out driveways.