Town considers limits on boat launch parking
Town Board members are considering restrictions that would limit use of parking at the Rhinecliff waterfront mini-park to handicapped slots and boat owners with trailers.
The issue was reviewed during a meeting last week. Supervisor Elizabeth Spinzia said slots are being used both in an area where parking is prohibited as well as in spaces marked as off limits to train customers.
“I talked to (police officer in charge) Peter Dunn about this, and his one suggestion was that we make all parking down there illegal,” she said.
There is an area marked “No Parking April 1 to Oct. 15” facing the Hudson River that has enough space for five vehicles, with a “No Parking” sign in front of a sixth slot at the end. On Sunday, all those spaces were taken.
“People are leaving their cars, and boats can’t get in and out,” Spinzia said.
Parking is allowed along about 400 feet of Dutchess Terrace that connects the launch area to the railroad tracks overpass. Those are marked as prohibiting “commuters,” but no other limits are cited on the signs, with only about half the space used on Sunday and only one of those vehicles had a boat trailer.
Spinzia said changes would “only allow parking for handicapped and for people to bring their boats in. Everybody else has to park somewhere else and walk in.”
The park is accessible by a pedestrian overpass that is not handicapped-accessible.
Councilman Joseph Gelb objected to the proposal to limit parking, saying it would take away use from people who are properly using the park.
“Some people go down for five minutes, look at the river,” he said. “It seems that we ought to allow parking for 10 minutes.”