Winthrop-University Hospital is requesting the use of 250 parking spaces in village Parking Field 6E, which is located behind the Garden City Chamber of Commerce tollhouse off Seventh Street.

Hospital employees would occupy the spaces for approximately 12 months, according to John Broder, vice president of external affairs and development at Winthrop-University Hospital, while Winthrop rehabilitates and expands its own parking facilities.

"This project is intended to ultimately enhance available on-campus parking for ambulatory patients and visitors," Broder said in a March 17 written request to the board.

According to Village Administrator Robert Schoelle, Field 6E offers a total of 599 spaces, specifically 301 spaces in the southerly portion, the portion Winthrop is requesting to use.

If granted use of the lot, hospital employees would then be transported to and from Winthrop by hospital-owned and operated jitneys Monday through Friday between the hours of 6 a.m. and 10 p.m.

Hospital officials hope to begin rehabilitation work on or about May 1 or sooner, pending trustee approval.

Pell Terrace resident Tom Ryan, however, doesn't believe it's fair that he, a resident of the village, has to pay a $75 annual railroad permit to park at the train station when the village is "giving away" spaces to outsiders. "There seems to be a disjoint," he told trustees. "I pay taxes, I pay for a parking permit, let's be fair to our own residents," Ryan said to applause.

Trustees Tom Lamberti and Nick Episcopia agreed.

"I think that if we are to allocate spaces for Winthrop Hospital and restrict a whole parking area for their exclusive use, where do we stop?" Lamberti asked. "I think they should pay a fee."

Episcopia believes there's a clear difference between offering free parking for the village business community and institutionalizing a set of parking spaces. "It sets a precedent, I just don't think the precedent is a good one," Episcopia added.

According to Mayor Peter Bee, the Village of Garden City has a somewhat unique situation in that it generally offers free parking to the public with the exception of parking permit fees for the train stations partly out of concern that if that were not so, non-residents would take up all available parking at the train stations.

Trustee Robert Rothschild, who noted Field 6E is the least used lot in the entire village, reminded fellow trustees that the village granted the same request to Adelphi University during its construction period - allowing students to park in the Garden City Pool parking lot for free. The village granted permission for use of the lot only while the pool was closed to the public.

Mayor Bee fears imposing a parking fee may drive hospital employees to then park elsewhere in the village, although Trustee John Watras believes some, if not most, will do this anyway. "They are going to park on Suffolk Lane or near the Cherry Valley parking lot," Watras said.

Trustees did not vote on the item. Instead they tabled it, pending village counsel opinion on the legality of imposing a fee.