Pushback puts brakes on new parking regs

By MARTIN WILBUR

Mount Kisco officials announced Monday a pause in the start of new parking meter rates and hours as they plan to have ongoing discussions with the village’s business community upset about the changes.

Village Manager Edward Brancati revealed the delay at the June 2 village board meeting, the same day the 25 cents an hour increase was to take effect. The more controversial changes of extending the time drivers would have to pay for parking in the early evening, from 6 to 8 p.m., and adding Saturdays for street meters; and all but one of the four main municipal lots will be postponed until at least the first week in August.

“Everything will continue as is, and nothing will be implemented before Aug. 4,” Brancati said.

The village board was stoutly criticized at its May 19 meeting by business owners and Mount Kisco Chamber of Commerce representatives for the changes. While no one expressed concern of increasing the parking meter rates from 25 cents for every 30 minutes, to 25 cents for 20 minutes, there was strong pushback against adding Saturday hours and adding hours in the evening that the meters would be in effect.

The current proposal would exempt the roughly 300-space municipal lot on North Moger Avenue from Saturday charges. Three other lots, Blackeby, Shoppers Park and South Moger Avenue, would have Saturday charges added.

Mayor J. Michael Cindrich said that the village decided to delay starting the new regulations because he learned late last Wednesday they did not have the equipment to retrofit the meters to reflect the new rate. As a result, officials agreed to hold off making any of the changes to avoid confusing the public.

Meanwhile, Cindrich indicated that there is ongoing communication between the village and business owners who are upset that inclusion of Saturday meter hours and forcing the public to pay until 8 p.m., six days a week will hurt business.

He said the village may be willing to keep the hours of 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. for the long term.

“We’re looking at the time frame, unless it’s absolutely necessary to the village manager, the on-street parking and some of the other parking will most likely remain enforceable until 6 p.m.,” Cindrich said.

When asked about the likelihood of Saturday hours, the mayor responded, “everything is going to be discussed in the next month, month-and-a-half.”

Chamber of Commerce President Ed Reilly said business owners were heartened by the village’s pause of the new regulations while an amicable agreement is sought. He reiterated his concerns from the previous village board meeting that it’s not the extra 25 cents an hour that is worrisome, but about trying to keep the downtown competitive with nearby communities that do not charge for parking on Saturday. Since Saturday is often the biggest shopping day of the week, that change would hurt many merchants, Reilly said.  

He looks forward to the meetings with village officials in the weeks ahead.

“The bottom line, we’re all pulling in the same direction,” Reilly said.

While the regulations are paused, officials will be asking planning board member Michael Bonforte to reprise his parking study for the downtown, Cindrich said. Around 2017, Bonforte conducted a similar study for the village.