Albany Residential Parking System Signed – What This Will Mean For You

Governor Paterson on Monday signed the Albany Residential Parking System bill, sponsored by Sen. Neil Breslin (D-Bethlehem) – in which grants the Albany Common Council the authority to develop a residential parking plan to alleviate concerns from Center Square/Hudson Park residents who have to contend with state workers for parking in the blocks adjacent to the Empire State Plaza.

The bill, which was originally proposed in April, is supported by Albany Common Council president pro tempore Richard Conti and County Legislator Chris Higgins. Conti, in an interview with the Times Union, said “It’ll make it easier for residents during the daytime. When you have that much competition during the day for parking, there are traffic safety issues.”

Here’s the link to the proposed parking plan – www.knickledger.com/map-residentparking.pdf

Under the guidelines from the law, the Albany Common Council now will conduct a process in which questions such as who will get a residential permit, how will it be enforced, and under what circumstances can variances be approved. The Common Council will undoubtedly be lobbied by Center Square residents – ensuring their voice is heard for their neighborhood.

The plan has been almost a quarter century in the making. In 1986, the City of Albany passed a parking system to dissuade state workers from parking on their blocks during the day. Obviously, unions for state employees – already fighting for parking spaces provided by the state in general – didn’t take to this so kindly.

In 1988, the New York State Court of Appeals overturned the city’s plan, under the pretense that a municipality couldn’t restrict access to public roads. A spokesperson for the Public Employees Federation (PEF) at the time declared it was, “open season because nobody has to have a hunting license for a parking place.”

To paraphrase Bugs Bunny, it’s now duck season for the swarms of employees, yearning for that oh-so-not-as-big-as-they-need spot to get to work on time.

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