Nyack Extends New Parking Hours; Some Merchants Upset

After several months of sampling a —and fielding a —Nyack has decided to extend the test run.

The test period comes to a close Saturday, Sept. 15, and local lawmakers decided Thursday night to lengthen that period until November.

The board is still able to modify or change the rules at any time, said mayor Jen Laird-White.

"We're not making any other decisions, so this is the smart thing to do," added trustee Doug Foster.

Earlier in the night, village administrator Jim Politi recommended the board extend the parking rules due to a lack of solid information.

"Data is coming in slowly," he said.

The new set of rules requires downtown motorists to pay for parking from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., and 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. Parking is free from 6 a.m. to 11 a.m., and 6 p.m. to 11 p.m.

A group of residents and local merchants were present at Thursday's meeting, and quick to add their voice to the din.

"I am really suffering because of parking," said Marianne Olive, who owns three Main Street businesses—, and .

Olive said her bar traffic has dropped off 30-percent, and two of her tenants have already moved out due to the parking change. And late-night revelers are now parking in residential neighborhoods and irking families as result, she noted.

"Nyack has so many vacancies, we can't afford to have more," Olive added.

J.P. Schultz, who lives on Fourth Street and works as a realtors downtown, disagreed.

"For some businesses, the new parking has been a positive," he said.

Schultz said his husband works at a fine dining restaurant downtown, and has seen tips increase 47-percent since the transformation. Further, Schultz said potential home buyers can now stick around later after a house tour, and visit the downtown.