The East Hampton Town Board voted last Thursday to schedule a July 18 public hearing for consideration of a code amendment to prohibit parking on portions of Queens Lane and Sherrill Foster’s Path in East Hampton.
Queens Lane is lined with commercial and industrial uses on its northern end, near Springs-Fireplace Road, few of which can fully accommodate staff parking. The street becomes residential as it moves south toward Accabonac Road, but there has been a buildup of on-street parking in the northerly section, Councilman David Lys told his colleagues in presentations in May and earlier this month. Parked vehicles are obstructing sightlines, he said.
A pedestrian was struck by a vehicle while walking on the street in October, although no vehicles were parked on the street at the time.
Multiple site plans along Queens Lane have recently been approved, Mr. Lys told the board last month, which will add yet more traffic to the narrow street. “This is a public safety issue,” he said.
Proposed legislation would prohibit parking on both sides of Queens Lane from its intersection with Springs-Fireplace Road to the southern boundary line of parcels situated just south of the Queens Lane-Stuart’s Lane intersection. Parking would be prohibited on the north side of Sherrill Foster’s Path for its entire length.
The board should hear from all affected business owners, Councilman Jeff Bragman said in May, and try to anticipate unintended consequences of the proposed legislation. “There will be a lot of businesses impacted,” he said.
Jason Simmons, an owner of Jason and Bill’s Pools, which is based on Queens Lane, told the board in May that he would be one of those adversely affected. While he is in favor of safety, “if there’s no parking there, I won’t be able to function,” he said. “If we can’t park anywhere along here,” he said of the affected portion of Queens Lane, “I would have to move somewhere else.”
But at a June 4 town board meeting, Susan Vorpahl, who lives on Stuart’s Lane, supported the proposed legislation, telling the board that “it is hazardous coming out of Stuart’s Lane” due to the proliferation of parked vehicles on Queens Lane. Parked vehicles are also degrading the roadway, she said.
However, Supervisor Peter Van Scoyoc said at that meeting that he was concerned that a parking prohibition on Queens Lane might effectively push vehicles onto Stuart’s Lane and other adjacent streets.