Farmingdale says farewell to most free downtown parking
Farmingdale has started installing parking meters in the village's downtown, where starting in September out-of-towners will have to pay 50 cents an hour to park every evening except Sunday. Credit: Newsday/Ted Phillips
Visiting Farmingdale's downtown for nightlife will cost a little more starting next month, after village trustees last week approved parking meter fees for most municipal parking lots.
It will cost 50 cents an hour to park downtown during evenings from Mondays through Saturdays, according to village officials.
Farmingdale residents and employees of downtown businesses can get stickers exempting them from meter use. The stickers are free to residents but cost $50 per year for employees. Sunday parking will remain free.
“We have become a destination spot and it's fair, in my opinion, to charge some of the people that come into our destination town 50 cents an hour to enjoy themselves and pay to help with the upkeep,” Farmingdale Mayor Ralph Ekstrand said in an interview.
Since 2012 the village has spent $6 million to $7 million on maintenance of its nine downtown parking lots, including the purchase of one property that was converted into a municipal parking lot, Ekstrand said.
Charging parking fees to people who visit the village to patronize its restaurants and bars is better than “putting the burden on our residents all the time,” Ekstrand added.
The village is installing 20 new meters in all that are slated for six municipal parking lots and Main Street.
Two lots near the Long Island Rail Road station already are metered and have a different time and fee schedule. One village lot will remain free.
Motorists will input their parking space numbers into a meter or into a smartphone app. Then they can pay with quarters or by credit card at the meter or with a credit card using the app.
Village officials plan to begin numbering between 800 and 1,000 parking spaces next week, village administrator Brian Harty said in an interview.
He added that apart from the meters destined for Main Street, most already have been installed.
The village’s budget for the fiscal year that began June 1 projected that annual parking meter revenue will go from $140,000 to $395,000 — a 182% increase.
That estimate assumed the meters would have been operational in June, Ekstrand said.
Supply chain issues delayed the start date, according to the mayor.
Tickets for not feeding the meter will cost $50, village officials said. Ekstrand said potential money from tickets wasn't figured into the $395,000 parking meter revenue projection.
Manny Coelho, co-owner of Lithology Brewing Company on Main Street, said he isn't surprised the village is adding parking meters after the same thing was done in many other Long Island downtowns.
"It's kind of inevitable at some point," Coelho said in an interview. "It's the way a village has to pay maintenance."
Coelho said he's heard some grumbling from employees and customers but he's not concerned about parking fees having a long-term impact on business.
"I don't think that's going to deter someone," Coelho said.
Farmingdale Chamber of Commerce president Joseph Garcia said limiting the parking fees to the evenings means not impacting retail businesses or coffee shops whose customers might be more economically sensitive.
"Ultimately what small business on Main Street needs is a thriving downtown that feels safe, that feels attractive, that feels updated and clean," Garcia said.
If revenue from parking meters can provide that, then "a couple bucks is worth it," he added.
Visiting Farmingdale's downtown for nightlife will cost a little more starting next month, after village trustees last week approved parking meter fees for most municipal parking lots.
It will cost 50 cents an hour to park downtown during evenings from Mondays through Saturdays, according to village officials.
Farmingdale residents and employees of downtown businesses can get stickers exempting them from meter use. The stickers are free to residents but cost $50 per year for employees. Sunday parking will remain free.
“We have become a destination spot and it's fair, in my opinion, to charge some of the people that come into our destination town 50 cents an hour to enjoy themselves and pay to help with the upkeep,” Farmingdale Mayor Ralph Ekstrand said in an interview.
New parking plan
- 20 new meters will be installed in six parking lots and Main Street
- It will cost 50 cents per hour to park
- Failing to pay will result in $50 tickets
- Village residents park free
- Employees can buy annual parking sticker for $50
- New meters in effect 5 p.m. to 1 a.m., except Sundays
SOURCE: Village of Farmingdale
Since 2012 the village has spent $6 million to $7 million on maintenance of its nine downtown parking lots, including the purchase of one property that was converted into a municipal parking lot, Ekstrand said.
Charging parking fees to people who visit the village to patronize its restaurants and bars is better than “putting the burden on our residents all the time,” Ekstrand added.
The village is installing 20 new meters in all that are slated for six municipal parking lots and Main Street.
Two lots near the Long Island Rail Road station already are metered and have a different time and fee schedule. One village lot will remain free.
Motorists will input their parking space numbers into a meter or into a smartphone app. Then they can pay with quarters or by credit card at the meter or with a credit card using the app.
Village officials plan to begin numbering between 800 and 1,000 parking spaces next week, village administrator Brian Harty said in an interview.
He added that apart from the meters destined for Main Street, most already have been installed.
The village’s budget for the fiscal year that began June 1 projected that annual parking meter revenue will go from $140,000 to $395,000 — a 182% increase.
That estimate assumed the meters would have been operational in June, Ekstrand said.
Supply chain issues delayed the start date, according to the mayor.
Tickets for not feeding the meter will cost $50, village officials said. Ekstrand said potential money from tickets wasn't figured into the $395,000 parking meter revenue projection.
Manny Coelho, co-owner of Lithology Brewing Company on Main Street, said he isn't surprised the village is adding parking meters after the same thing was done in many other Long Island downtowns.
"It's kind of inevitable at some point," Coelho said in an interview. "It's the way a village has to pay maintenance."
Coelho said he's heard some grumbling from employees and customers but he's not concerned about parking fees having a long-term impact on business.
"I don't think that's going to deter someone," Coelho said.
Farmingdale Chamber of Commerce president Joseph Garcia said limiting the parking fees to the evenings means not impacting retail businesses or coffee shops whose customers might be more economically sensitive.
"Ultimately what small business on Main Street needs is a thriving downtown that feels safe, that feels attractive, that feels updated and clean," Garcia said.
If revenue from parking meters can provide that, then "a couple bucks is worth it," he added.
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'Why am I giving up my Friday night to listen to this?' A Newsday analysis shows the number of referees and umpires has declined 25.2% in Nassau and 18.1% in Suffolk since 2011-12. Officials and administrators say the main reason is spectator behavior. NewsdayTV's Carissa Kellman reports.
