Commercial Parking Ban to Get Another Look

Months after approving a that left some residents out in the cold, the Harrison Town Board will consider a change to the new law at Thursday night's meeting.

Approved in January, the original parking law banned commercial vehicles from parking in Harrison residential neighborhoods overnight. Such vehicles were already banned from parking in driveways in a policy geared at maintaining an aesthetic look.

The updated law was created after homeowners in residentially-zoned neighborhoods in Harrison and West Harrison complained about lack of parking and other issues caused by the vehicles being on the streets.

But in the weeks after the law was passed, people owning smaller commercial vehicles complained they had no place to park. In response, the board is expected to approve a change Thursday allowing one small commercial truck in residential driveways.

"We don't want to hurt anyone," said Harrison Mayor/Supervisor Ron Belmont. "I never realized if you have a car you drive to work it might need commercial plates."

Belmot was referring to smaller company cars or vehicles used for independently operated businesses. The proposed alteration would protect those residents and their vehicles, Belmont said, but the ban on larger vehicles with commercial signs and equipment is expected to remain.

"As long as it's not overburdened with signs and literature," Belmont said, adding that larger box trucks and construction vehicles will still be banned from parking overnight.

Belmont said the original law has been largely a success, but the change is needed to protect a small group of people adversely affected. In the months since the original law was passed, Belmont said larger vehicles have moved away from Harrison's neighborhoods, a goal of the original law.

Earlier this spring the town offered to sell commercial overnight parking to accommodate some of those affected, but the spots received little interest.

The proposed change will be considered during a public hearing at Thursday's town board meeting.