Parking Letter to Cold Spring Board of Trustees
May 1, 2024
Dear Village of Cold Spring Board of Trustees,
We, the undersigned, are Main Street business owners impacted by the new parking regulations put into effect in the Village of Cold Spring.
As members of the community that are constantly in conversation and communication with locals and visitors alike, we would like to share with you our experiences and findings from this past month in the hopes of expediting constructive improvements to the current parking regulations.
In an effort to gather information in an organized and consolidated manner, many merchants participated in sharing a survey with customers on the current parking regulations.* 20% of the 137 survey responses came from Village of Cold Spring residents; 50% were residents of greater Philipstown. Proposed improvements to the current parking regulations were ranked by survey participants in the following order of importance: (1) lower parking meter rates, (2) more 15/30 minute spots for locals running quick errands, (3) more parking meter stations and (4) longer parking meter time. Almost all survey respondents were frequent visitors, with 25% visiting at least once a month and 70% visiting at least once a week. 84% stated that the new parking regulations impacted their time spent in the Village of Cold Spring and noted they intended to avoid Main Street on Fridays and weekends and shift their visits to neighboring towns with less or no parking restrictions.
The effect of the new parking regulations has been felt immediately by Main Street businesses, with an average marked decline in revenue of 20-25% this April in comparison to last year and/or flattened sales in a month where we expect to see an increase in sales along with the warming weather. A continuation of this trend will undoubtedly lead to a very different looking Main Street at the end of the year.
We understand the effort and time put into these new parking regulations by the Trustees, with an eye towards increasing much-needed revenue for the Village of the Cold Spring. We recommend the following modifications to the current parking infrastructure that we believe are easily and quickly implementable and would provide equivalent revenue to the Village, a better experience for locals and visitors, and much needed relief to our local businesses:
1) Lower parking meter rates to $1.5 - $2.5 / hr. Although we would like to see a lower meter rate on the current days of parking meter operation (Friday to Sunday), we understand the need to balance the myriad needs of the Village as a whole and are open to extending the meter days of operation to compensate for the lower parking rate.**
2) Adjust parking metering to allow extensions after 3 hours, rather than requiring people to leave Main Street after 3 hours. Survey respondents overwhelmingly noted that the 3 hours does not allow sufficient time to visit Main Street.
3) Allow merchants to purchase a transferable employee parking pass for resident parking areas or decrease resident parking spaces on streets with underutilized resident parking to reduce additional financial and logistical burdens on employees, as well as ensuring safety for those who work late hours.
4) Add metered spaces for motorcycles in irregularly sized parking spaces, increasing meter revenue.
A healthy Main Street is key to a thriving community, promotes economic prosperity for merchants and residents alike, and reduces the ecological impact of commerce. We feel lucky to live and work in a close-knit community that understands that a healthy, sustainable, and equitable local economy is vital to preserving our unique character and our natural environment.
We hope you will take this letter in the spirit that is meant - to foster clear, consolidated communication between Main Street merchants and the Village, and to contribute even more to a vibrant, welcoming Cold Spring.
* Comprehensive results from this survey will be provided to the Trustees in a separate correspondence. Shop owners wear many hats - we have done our best to create a thoughtful survey to provide useful information to the Village.
**Projected revenue from meters is based on 70% occupancy over 8 months and 35% occupancy over 4 months for 80 parking spaces, as per calculations stated by the Village accountant. Parking meter proposed rates will also be provided separately.
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Cadah Goulet & Grace Lo, Co-Chairs of the Main Street Committee, Cold Spring Chamber of Commerce
Eric Ramirez, Decoologist (Antique Alley)
Juan Rosado, Decades (Antique Alley)
Deb & Julie Cohen-Musgrove, Dilkara Antiques (Antique Alley)
Jerry Solomon, Solomon’s Mine (Antique Alley)
Timothy Chevtaikin, Archipelago
Tara Caroll, Barber and Brew Added May 8, 2024
Jane Timm, Ethan Timm, Bijou Galleries
Elizabeth Canevari, The Blue Olive
Brad Gilley, Citrine Cafe Added May 21, 2024
Tom Alfano, Cold Spring Antiques Center
Stacey Dugliss, Cold Spring Apothecary
Caroline Sansone, Erin Browning, Scott McGibney, Cold Spring Cheese Shop
Craig Roffman, Cold Spring Coffeehouse
Craig Muraszewski, Cold Spring General Store
Jimmy Hussein, Cold Spring Hotel & Cafe
Michael Hardman, Cold Starts
Judiann Romanello, DamnAged Vintage
Doug Price, Doug’s Pretty Good Pub
Maryrose & Douglas Donaghy, The Foundry Rose Fran Farnorotto, The Gift Hut
Yali Lewis, Lewis & Pine
Silvia Gaugler, Lucestella Studio
Erika Barratt & Melanie Leonard, Lucinda & Jane Alexandra McGill, Mundane
Bo Corre, Now In Bloom
Tara Caroll, Old Souls Added May 8, 2024
Jacqueline Azria, Paulette Cold Spring
Grace Kang, Pink Olive
Cadah Goulet, Poor George
Erin Murphy, Reservoir
Nicole Le Blanc, The Shoppes
Heidi and Michael Bender, Split Rock Books
Grace Lo, Supplies for Creative Living
Sammy Smith-Coleman & Lara Shihab-Eldin, Understory Market Janet Carter, Vintage Violet
Melanie Leonard, Wynono & Co.
Board of Directors, Cold Spring Chamber of Commerce