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Islip is next in the town’s plans to add metered parking to its business districts.
Bay Shore’s was the first downtown area to see digital kiosks go up in November.
The town is waiting for the warmer months to start painting parking lines and constructing the same kiosks in Islip, said Councilman John Cochrane Jr., who is spearheading the town-wide meter initiative.
The meters will first appear on Main Street in Islip and side roads around the train station.
Cochrane said Islip Town has had problems with people leaving their cars overnight in high traffic locations.
“Employees and tenets are parking where it’s suppose to be two-hour parking for days at time,” he said. “Let’s have the customers and clients have parking.”
Business owner Don Kopf of Eyes On Main optical care on Main Street in Islip said he was weary when he first learned about the meters, but is now welcoming the idea of paid parking.
“At first, I didn’t like the idea of adding meters because it takes away from the small town feel of Islip,” said Kopf. “But there is no parking now, so any kind of change will hopefully be better.”
Kopf, who is also an Islip Chamber member, said he was won over during a chamber meeting where he learned about the increase in available parking now on Main Street in Bay Shore.
“From what I hear, we are all going to have a spot now and it’s going to be more organized,” said Kopf.
Also since the implementation of metered parking, Bay Shore’s roads were cleanly plowed during January’s big storm, while in Islip cars were left on the streets, Cochrane said.
Cochrane has pledged that meter-generated revenues will go back into helping the town’s downtown areas, though the money is going into the town’s general fund.
Once the meters are in place, the cost to park on Main Street and by the train station is going to be $.25 for 20 minutes, or $.75 per hour.
There will be free 15-minute parking spots available in front of certain downtown businesses.
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Caption: greaterbayshore.com file photo of Main Street in Islip.
