Parking restrictions for several Massapequa Park parking lots, as well as some of the spaces along the Village's more commercial roadways are the subject of a new study by the Planning Commission, according to Village Administrator-Clerk William Colfer.

"We are trying to find out if the parking available there is adequate for the needs of the merchants," Colfer explained. "If indeed a change is required, recommendations will be made to that effect."

Parking Lot 2, adjacent to the Village Hall, as well as Lots 3 and 4, behind the stores on the south side of Merrick Rd. are being scrutinized, as are the parking spaces on Merrick Rd. itself, and Park Ave. at Taylor and Jackson Avenues, specifically.

According to Colfer, the study, which began this week, will most likely include interviews with some of the small business owners, as well as members of the Massapequa Park Merchants Association. The Planning Commission will have the option of hiring a consultant if they deem it necessary, Colfer said. "There will be a lot of work to do to get this done right," he added.

Mayor James Altadonna said he didn't even know when a study of this nature was last conducted in the Village. "It's about time we examine the situation because of the importance of maintaining a balance between merchants and commuters," he said. "If I was a merchant, I would rather have my customers closest to the stores, with employee parking further away."

The parking problem is compounded with a shortage of parking on school grounds. Many students at the high school are overflowing into Lots 3 and 4, as well as parking on the streets in front of businesses. Merchants on Merrick Rd. have complained that there is inadequate parking for their customers, and that times on the meters are too long.

"We are considering changing the mix. Instead of all spaces in the area being 3-hour parking spaces, some could be made less than that, some more," Colfer said. "We want to work within the confines of the existing parking lots and spaces to make the regulations as consistent as possible."