NYC Councilman: Suspend Parking Meters During Snowstorms
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Muni-Meters in New York City would be taken out of service during most snowstorms if new legislation clears the City Council.
Councilman David Greenfield is proposing that the meters not be enforced whenever alternate-side parking rules are suspended for snow, WCBS 880's Rich Lamb reported.
The Brooklyn Democrat argues that plows push the snow to the curb from one side and shopkeepers shovel it from the other, leaving drivers to climb a mini-mountain to reach meters.
NYC Councilman: Suspend Muni-Meters During Snowstorms
"Remember, it's not the same like it used to, where every single car had a meter," Greenfield said Monday. "You literally have to trudge out, find a Muni-Meter, climb over a hill of today (what) would be slush and ice, try to get the receipt and go back to your car. I think we can be a little courteous to driving New Yorkers. It's just the right thing to do."
"It's very hard. I'm actually surprised they are charging us for this today," said Maria Garcia, of the Upper West Side. "I mean, even getting to the meter, I kind of had to swim throughout that. It was really hard."
NYC Councilman: Suspend Parking Meters During Snowstorms
Garcia is among the many who agree with Greenfield and feel New Yorkers should get a break from paying for parking spots during snowstorms, CBS2's Dick Brennan reported.
Jeanne Morales couldn't believe she had to pay for a Muni-Meter receipt.
"This is ridiculous. Some of the cars you can't even see the ticket, so why are they gonna charge you?" she said.
Greenfield said he's received tons of complaints.
"There's only one reason why we haven't changed it and that is because the city is trying to suck you dry," the councilman said.
Greenfield said he's been receiving texts, calls and tweets from other council members saying they like the idea.
But the Department of Sanitation said they need access to curbs during snow cleaning in commercial areas, and the mayor's office referred CBS2 to a comment the Department of Transportation commissioner made last year.
"To the extent that cars can get in an out of commercial spaces, merchants want them to do that and it's revenue to the city," Commissioner Polly Trottenberg said. "So, it's in contrast to alternate side of the street parking, where it's really a back and forth between snow removal and street cleaning," the statement said.
So for now, drivers will have to keep on feeding the meters.
