BROOKLYN —The city said there is no need for State Senator Daniel Squadron’s legislation that calls for permit parking for people living in the neighborhoods surrounding stadiums in New York City, including the new Barclay’s Center.
A report released by the Department of Transportation on July 6 found that off-street garages would absorb the majority of the new demand for parking and that on-street parking would primarily impact only the areas immediately surrounding stadiums.
The report also said that the Forest City Ratner Corporation, Barclays developer, has developed a plan that “promotes the use of mass transit to reach the arena, and for those who drive, encourages fans to pre-pay for parking in off-street garages.”
It concludes that permit parking would be a “hunting license,” for residents meaning that neighbors would have no parking guaranteed and would still have to compete for spaces.
In a statement released on Saturday, Squadron called the rejection of his legislation “particularly troubling.”
"A permit system is long overdue in neighborhoods where residents spend hours circling for parking near their homes -- especially on the overcrowded streets surrounding New York City's stadiums and major business districts," Squadron said.
In an article reported by Patch, Tom Boast, vice president of the Prospect Heights Neighborhood Development Council, said “the point was not to guarantee parking for residents, but to discourage people from driving to the arena.”
