A proposal to replace traditional parking meters with a digital payment system was presented at the Monday, March 9, meeting of the Village of Great Neck Estates Board of Trustees.
Kevin Wood of Parking and Mobility Consultants outlined a digital parking management program that would allow drivers to pay for parking using pay-by-cell or tap-to-pay technology.
If implemented, the system would make Great Neck Estates the first village in Great Neck to introduce a pay-by-cell parking program.
Wood said the village’s current parking meters are about 14 years old and require regular maintenance and servicing.
“The current system has a net cost of 34% after maintenance and other expenses,” Wood said.
Wood said replacing the meters with a digital system could increase parking revenue while reducing operating costs by 11%.
The proposed program would include a pay-by-plate system, allowing drivers to enter their license plate number at the time of payment rather than display a physical receipt. Enforcement officers would be able to verify payments digitally.
Wood said the system could also allow drivers to extend parking sessions remotely and offer validation or extended-stay options without requiring users to download an app.
Digital payment systems have become increasingly common, he added, noting that about 75% of Americans now adapted similar programs.
“It is our initial opinion that Great Neck Estates is due and justified in a parking rate increase,” Wood said.
Mayor William Warner said the presentation was intended to familiarize trustees and residents with the concept before the village considers pursuing vendors or entering into an agreement.
“This is before we got an official agreement and looking for a vendor,” Warner said, noting that Wood has previously worked with the village in a professional services role.
Warner said the board may also review parking rates, which have remained unchanged for many years. The village currently charges 25 cents per half hour for metered parking.
In other business, Warner praised the village’s Department of Public Works for its response to recent snowstorms, saying he received several calls from residents complimenting the department’s work.
Public Works Superintendent Ernest Garvey said storms can present challenges, including obtaining fuel for vehicles during severe weather, but crews worked to keep equipment operating and roads clear.
Residents also thanked the public works team for maintaining village roads and parking lots, which trustees said had only minor potholes following the winter storms.
Police department officials also noted that the village has begun installing fixed license plate readers at its entrances. The cameras will scan incoming vehicles and alert police if a license plate is flagged in law enforcement databases.
The board also authorized the mayor to sign an agreement with Municipal Valuation Services for annual institute evaluations.
Trustees granted permission to the Udall Scopes Preservation Committee to hold its 57th annual cleanup on Saturday, April 25.
Resident Emily Frank also notified the board that bald eagles have been spotted nesting in a treetop on Amherst Road. “There’s lots of white poop,” Frank said, “but it’s amazing.”
