Village freezes parking fees

To attract businesses to open shop in Lynbrook, the village board enacted an 18-month moratorium of its parking fund law at its Oct. 5 meeting. The law requires commercial building owners to pay $10,000 for each parking space they are short of the minimum number of spaces the zoning code requires.

Trustee Hilary Becker, who fought for the moratorium, said he is pleased it has come to fruition, but knows it is not a quick fix to the village’s downtown woes. “Just because we put a moratorium on the parking fund, it’s not like all of sudden, everyone will rush to do business in Lynbrook,” Becker said. “We just hope that it eliminates those who were discouraged by the fund. But there are still plenty of hurdles small businesses have to confront.”

Commercial buildings in the village are required to have a certain number of private, on-site parking spaces, determined by the building’s use and size. Building owners who do not meet the requirements must appeal to the Board of Zoning Appeals for a parking variance. If an owner meets state requirements for a parking variance — that is, if the variance would not negatively impact the surrounding residents or businesses — the BZA can grant one, and the owner can pay $10,000 for every spot the board waives. That money is then placed into a parking fund, which will be used to help solve Lynbrook’s parking problems, officials say, citing a shortage of spaces for businesses and consumers downtown.

If the owner cannot pay the parking fund assessment, he or she can appeal to the village board, and the board can reduce or waive the extra fees under certain conditions. If the BZA denies the request for a parking variance, however, the case is over, and the applicant cannot appeal to the village board.

Under the moratorium, Village Attorney Peter Ledwith said that if the BZA grants a parking variance to a potential building owner, he or she does not have to pay into the parking fund. The owner will not have to pay into the fund after the moratorium is over either, Ledwith added. In the event that a building owner is denied a parking variance, Ledwith explained, the applicant can now meet with the village board to work out a deal. “We invite you to work with the board,” Ledwith said of applicants who are denied a parking variance. “The board will work to get you parking. It’s a very generous offer. The board really wants to make life easier for businesses to come into the village.”

Lynbrook resident James Tisdell, a staunch opponent of the parking fund law, said he thinks the moratorium may spur economic development in the village, but once it’s over, commercial expansion in Lynbrook will be stagnant again. “I fear they will allow the moratorium to run its 18-month course, then the parking fund law will rear its ugly head and we will be right back where we started from,” Tisdell said. “Many new businesses avoided Lynbrook entirely due to this law.”

Bill Gaylor, president of the village Chamber of Commerce, said he was pleased to see the moratorium enacted and thinks it will move commercial expansion forward in the village. “We hope it encourages economic development,” Gaylor said. “We will continue to work with the village for an effective economic plan.”

When asked if the parking fund law will be in effect after the moratorium is over, Becker said it depends on the economy during the next 18 months. He said if the village still has a number of store vacancies after the moratorium is over, the parking fund law won’t help fill them. One of the board’s biggest concern, Becker noted, is bringing new businesses into the village, and he believes the moratorium can help do that. “The moratorium will be a big help in revitalizing the downtown area,” he said. “That’s high on our list. This is just one step, and we hope there are more to follow.”

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