Government

Changes to parking and paying parking tickets coming to Riverhead

The Riverhead Town Board is expected to schedule a March 20 public hearing on a code revision that would require apartment complexes, hotels and multi-family dwellings within the public parking district to require off-street parking.

If enacted, the change would not affect any place with an existing residential use or that has a final site plan prior to the date it’s put into effect. 

Other communities have adopted similar legislation to accommodate for parking in downtowns, town attorney Bob Kozakiewicz said at Thursday’s work session. This includes the Village of Patchogue, which enforces a payment in lieu of parking program.

Supervisor Laura Jens-Smith said this is just the beginning of being able to address parking issues.

Pay parking tickets online

Riverhead Town expects to roll out a new system next month that will allow parking violators to pay fines online. A Town Board resolution is up for a vote Wednesday to approve the fee collection services.

Ms. Jens-Smith said the goal is to get more people to pay their parking tickets.

“We’re hoping that it’s expedient for people to just pay their parking ticket online,” the supervisor said.

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