By:Andrew Coen
In order to keep pace with surrounding villages, the Lawrence Village Board of Trustees unanimously approved a resolution at a meeting Monday to increase fines for parking violations, just over a year after voting for a parking-fine hike.
The most notable parking-fine increases, which took effect immediately after Monday night's vote, are for parking at an expired meter and overtime parking, both jumping from $15 to $20. Other increases include double-parking violations, rising from $50 to $75, head-in parking violations, from $15 to $20, and parking from 3 a.m. to 5 a.m., from $25 to $35.
According to Lawrence Mayor Dr. Jack Levenbrown, the increase in the expired-meter fine is projected to add at least $60,000 in revenue to the village each year. "This would be a great revenue stream for the village," Levenbrown said during the meeting.
He also said that the new fines are either the same as or lower than those in other area villages. "I think you'll find these fines to be pretty similar to other villages, and even on the low side," said Levenbrown.
The new fines for violations in Lawrence are in line with neighboring Cedarhurst, which also recently raised the expired-meter fine from $15 to $20. The one exception in Cedarhurst is the fine for double parking, $100, which is $25 more than in Lawrence.
The new $20 penalties for parking at an expired meter and overtime parking are also identical to the surrounding villages of Lynbrook and Malverne. Rockville Centre's fine for expired-meter parking is $20, and for overtime parking, $30.
Valley Stream has a $25 penalty for expired meter and overtime parking. Atlantic Beach's fines are $50 for all parking violations, with the exception of parking in a handicapped space, which is $100.
"Raising the fines from $15 to $20 will not have a major effect," said Dan Manchroff, manager of Jerusalem Famous Pizzeria, at 344 Central Ave. in Lawrence.
"I don't think it will affect business, but for employees it's going to be tough, because they constantly have to go feed the meters and they get lots of tickets as a result," said Gino's Pizzeria owner Frank Leone. "No customer likes to get a ticket while they're eating, but usually people are in and out of here pretty quick, so I don't think it will affect them too much. As long as the [extra revenue] is spent wisely, I'm OK with it."
The new increased parking fines come 15 months after the Lawrence board decided to up penalties at a village meeting in July 2003. The trustees voted at that meeting to increase fines for an expired meter from $10 to $15 and for overtime parking from $10 to $15. The board also doubled double-parking violations, from $25 to $50, and raised fines for prohibited parking from $25 to $35, and for restricted parking from $25 to $35.
The trustees also increased no-stopping violations from $25 to $35, no-standing violations, from $25 to $35, head-in parking infractions, from $10 to $15, and time stalled, from $20 to $35. In addition, no-permit violations were hiked from $25 to $35, parking in a loading zone from $25 to $35 and parking at a bus stop from $25 to $50. The trustees also doubled the penalty for parking in front of a fire hydrant from $25 to $50, and the fine for parking in a no-parking area from 3 a.m. to 5 a.m. went from $15 to $25.
Thirteen months ago, in another parking-related increase, the trustees voted to raise the parking meter fees to 25 cents per hour in long-term lots and 25 cents per half-hour in short-term spaces. Before the increase, which the board approved unanimously at a September 2003 meeting, drivers paid a quarter for two hours of long-term parking and a dime for 30 minutes in short-term spaces.
The next village meeting is scheduled for Thursday, Nov. 11, at 7:30 p.m., at Lawrence Village Hall. From now on, the meetings will be held the second Thursday of every month starting at 7:30 p.m., according to village officials.
Comments about this story? ACoen@liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 210.
