Published on March 10, 2016

New Meters In Our Village

The Village’s parking meters, many of which are decades old, are being replaced with the most technologically advanced and user –friendly meters anywhere.  We are the first community in New York State to get them.  They put Cedarhurst at the forefront of modernizing parking management for downtown shopping districts.

There is a great deal of speculation, misinformation and urban legend surrounding the meters.  Allow us to present the facts accurately.

First and foremost, the parking policies that were in place previously have not changed at all.  The meters will make it easier and more convenient for parkers, help retail merchants and guarantee fairness for everyone.  Additionally, their security features will make our community safer.

Here are some of the terrific benefits and advantages of the new meters.

  • The meters accept credit cards. Gone are the days when drivers needs to rummage through a pocket or bag, or run into a store, looking for quarters.  You don’t have a quarter, no problem. Just swipe and go.  This feature is a time and stress saver
  • We will release a smartphone app shortly that will allow drivers to pay from their phones without even getting out of the car. No more standing in the rain, snow or freezing cold to pay at the meter.  You can even add time remotely if your meal or shopping takes longer than planned.
  • Forget where you parked? No problem.  The app will take you back to your car.
  • You don’t know where to park? No problem.  The App will display real-time information showing where the nearest open parking spots are located.
  • Each meter has 5 video cameras with night vision that constantly monitor the street for added safety. They will also catch someone hitting your car, keying your car, or breaking into your car.  By reading the license plate, the meters can identify stolen cars and notify law enforcement.
  • The meters are highly sophisticated and accurate computers. They are networked over the internet and calibrated regularly.  They will not run fast or slow and will give everyone the full time that was paid for.  No longer will anyone get shortchanged by a fast meter, or find themselves fighting a “defective meter” ticket.
  • The meters are monitored 24/7. If one has a rare failure, a maintenance alert is generated automatically so that the meter is repaired promptly.  In addition, when there is a problem with a meter, it goes into “free parking” mode to avoid confusion and invalid tickets.
  • The meters will generate more revenue for the Village from “zeroing out” when a car leaves the spot. This is exactly the same thing that happens when someone parks in a lot in Lawrence or elsewhere with Muni-Meters.  The unused time of the previous user does not transfer to the next car.  This puts the cost of maintaining the parking areas on the people who use them rather than it being a cost paid by the Village’s taxpayers.  Keeping the business district, clean, free from snow and ice and properly lit is a very expensive process.
  • The Village Parking Fields will remain free on Saturdays and Sundays.
  • We will continue to provide “Free Parking” during the holiday shopping season.
  • The meters have large color screens that are also used to display advertising and timely public service announcements.
  • The meters have been used on Central Avenue for about 18 months in an extensive pilot and development mode, and they have performed nearly flawlessly. We have had almost “zero” complaints in the last 12 months.
  • Merchants have complained that neighboring store owners and employees park in one spot in front of their store and feed the meter all day. The shoppers can’t find parking.  The old meters could not prevent someone from feeding them all day.    On the other hand, the new meters will not allow feeding beyond the maximum permitted length of stay (typically either two or four hours).  This ensures that spots will turn over.
  • We have an equitable parking system that is administered fairly and overseen by a judge. We do not engage in “gotcha” tactics and seek to enforce our parking regulations responsibly.  The deployment of the new meters has been discussed at BID meetings for more than a year.   The changeover is not a whim.  It is a carefully considered program to meet the Village’s parking administration needs using the most sophisticated equipment and software available.