Councilman Greenfield Vying For A Change To Hydrant Parking Regulations

Councilman David Greenfield wants the city to change a law that allows cars to park 15 feet away from fire hydrants in no-standing zones while a driver is in the car from sunrise to sunset only. He wants the law revamped to extend to a 24-hour time allowed for parking.

“It seems like one of these archaic laws that’s been on the books for many, many years, back before there were lights and sirens,” said Greenfield to the New York Post.

Greenfield introduced the bill yesterday. He states that his constituents have complained to him regarding receiving parking tickets when parking near hydrants after sunset. The tickets are as high as $115.00.

“One hundred years ago, when you had fire vehicles without lights and sirens, they probably didn’t want you parking at a hydrant at night because you couldn’t see them, but I would imagine in the year 2012 . . . you could hear these guys coming from a mile away.”

Greenfield is no stranger to parking woes. He’s been introducing bills related to hydrant parking since his election into office. Last year, he introduced a bill that would have required the curb in front of a hydrant be painted red to mark the illegal zone. Another bill was meant to shorten the 15 feet no-parking zone to just 10. Neither of his bills have been passed, but it doesn’t seem like Greenfield will stop trying to change what he deems to be New York’s antiquated parking laws.