Tuesday, Oct. 7, the Manhasset Chamber of Commerce held its meeting at the MLFD firehouse on Bayview Avenue with invited speaker Susan Auriemma of the Coalition for a Safer Manhasset (CSM). The topic of the meeting was investigating the possibility of adding commercial parking zones to downtown Manhasset for trucks making deliveries to local merchants. Local business owners were invited to attend and share their feedback and input regarding proposed locations for commercial parking. Each location being considered is a place that is otherwise unutilized during business hours.

Currently, delivery truck drivers have few options to park legally and therefore safely while driving their routes in Manhasset. It is commonplace to see trucks parked on crosswalks and sidewalks and very often in the lane of travel, forcing drivers to cross the double yellow line into oncoming traffic in order to proceed around these large vehicles. In addition, pedestrians are often blocked from view by illegally parked trucks when attempting to cross Plandome Road, thus creating a potentially hazardous situation.

None of the locations identified by CSM would take away shopper parking spaces. In fact, during the process of identifying spaces that are currently not being used, there is potential for adding several shopper parking spaces which was of course a piece of news well-received by local merchants. Feedback from merchants regarding the potential for adding commercial parking was overwhelmingly positive.

Also present at the meeting were MLFD Chief Bryan O'Malley, POP Officer Robert Browne of the Sixth Precinct and Commissioner Pat Roberts of the Manhasset Park District. All of these individuals were asked if they had any concerns or suggestions regarding the proposed commercial parking locations. Each of them expressed their support of the efforts of CSM and the chamber of commerce to attempt to improve the situation for trucks making deliveries in our area. It was noted that this is an issue that has been ongoing and that these individuals were glad to see it being addressed.

Also discussed at the meeting was for merchants to encourage their drivers to use rear entrances when available to make deliveries. In informal conversations with delivery drivers and merchants unable to attend, the response was overwhelmingly positive that there could potentially be legal spaces for commercial vehicles to park in Manhasset in the future.

In preliminary discussions with the Town of North Hempstead some concerns were raised regarding signage and feasibility of using the proposed locations for commercial parking. However, the chamber and CSM believe that in continuing discussions regarding the topic that at least some of the proposed locations can indeed be converted to commercial parking during certain hours of the day. In doing so, they can make Manhasset just that much safer for residents, both pedestrians and motorists alike.

For more information about the proposed commercial parking zones, please contact CSM at csm556@yahoo.com or Nancy Morris, president of the Chamber of Commerce, at leemanhassetcc@aol.com.