Southeast Queens Residents Want Auto Body Shops Fined by Naeisha Rose, Queens Chronicle
People throughout Southeast Queens, NY, are sick and tired of auto body shop owners parking vehicles they work on in bus lanes or double-parking, and a newly introduced bill by Councilman Bob Holden (D-Maspeth) might be what the doctor ordered. Holden’s bill, Intro. 0393-2022, would prohibit commercial establishments (auto body shops, mechanics, car renters and gas stations) from parking vehicles on city streets as part of their business or face fines between $250 and $400 per day. “We need to do everything possible to alleviate the shortage of parking spaces in our neighborhoods,” Kevin Ryan, Holden’s spokesman, said to the Queens Chronicle. “There have been widespread problems in our district and many other neighborhoods with commercial shops located near residential property, taking up parking spots with cars and trucks.” Holden represents all or parts of Glendale, Maspeth, Middle Village,
Ridgewood, Woodhaven and Woodside. Southeast Queens residents— and businesses accused of parking where they shouldn’t—have plenty to say on the issue. Candace Prince-Modeste, a Springfield Gardens resident, hopes
Jeanne Majors, a Jamaica resident, is tired of auto body shop owners taking up parking near her senior residence. Credit: Jeanne Majors
the bill gets the support it needs in the city council. “As a car owner ... I am constantly zigzagging my way along major corridors to avoid double-parked cars near auto body shops,” Prince-Modeste told the
Chronicle via email. “The added annoyance of limited parking availability near these shops, coupled with the poor aesthetic that the proliferation of these damaged or abandoned cars create, makes running basic errands an exhausting undertaking.” Prince-Modeste understands the legislation would be cost-prohibitive to some small business owners; however, it would provide the necessary enforcement to alleviate the careless and disrespectful practice that has plagued Southeast Queens for far too long. When asked by the Chronicle if auto body shop owners should be required to have several floors to work from so that cars won’t flood the streets, Holden’s spokesman said a car dealership, mechanic or a body shop should have adequate space on its property to carry out its job, rather than dominate parking on residential streets. “While Councilman Holden has been very vocal on behalf of small businesses, including sensible leg-
islation to help them save money, a business needs to have adequate property for what they do,” said Ryan. Jeanne Majors, a Jamaica resident at the Allen Cathedral Senior Residence at 107-02 Merrick Blvd., said there are too many cars parked in the bus lane and taking up residential parking. “I sometimes watch as a home attendant or someone coming to service someone here gets in their car and pulls off,” Majors told the Chronicle. “Somebody across the street must sit there and watch all day long, because they bring all their unmarked cars, their cars that are not licensed or the cars that they are fixing and park them in front of this building. There is no place to park for the family of residents who are visiting. This is really sad.” Majors, a nine-year resident at Allen Cathedral, said the issue with parking has become a serious problem this past year, and has gotten worse with a new auto body shop. See Shops Fined, Page 18
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