Don’t count Village of North Hills Mayor Marvin Natiss among the admirers of New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and his efforts to expand the use of bicycles.
At a village meeting last Wednesday, Natiss proposed banning bicycles and mopeds from a heavily trafficked right of way along the Northern State Parkway to make his village safer for joggers and walkers.
Natiss said the village has fielded complaints from residents of the Imperial Gardens and Acorn Ponds developments about vehicles causing near misses on a village right of way on the southern side of the Northern State Parkway. The half-mile long right of way runs past both developments.
Natiss suggested erecting a sign banning vehicles similar to an existing sign at the village’s largest park, Lowell Kane Park, which bans bicycles, mopeds and skateboards.
“We want to allow walking or jogging only,” Natiss said. “We already have an ordinance that regulates Lowell Kane Park. We’ll amend the ordinance to include other property”.
Natiss’ proposal was questioned by fellow village officials.
North Hills Deputy Mayor Dennis Sgambati asked about the village’s ability to control the traffic if the board imposed a ban on bicycles and mopeds from the right of way.
“Who do we send to enforce it?” Sgambati asked.
Village attorney Thomas Levin said the village could not impose a ban on vehicles along the right of way by simply erecting a sign.
“This is something you don’t want to do on the fly,” said Levin, who said he was unclear on exactly what kind of regulation Natiss wanted to enact.
“No bicycles, no motorized equipment,” Natiss said before he declared the matter “tabled.”
Natiss said he expects to present the amended ordinance for the village board’s consideration at next month’s board meeting.
In a phone interview last Friday, Levin said the village board was working on changes to the existing ordinance.
“What they need to do is amend the regulation,” Levin said.
In other developments, despite the cost of maintaining the village commuter shuttle bus service – $22,000 over the past two months – Natiss said the service for residents who use the Manhasset Long Island Rail Road station will be maintained.
“The people who use it love it,” he said. “It saves our residents hundreds of dollars a month in parking fees.”
The village board downsized the service in January by replacing two 20-passenger buses with two 14-passenger buses. Natiss has said the service is costing the village $200,000 to $225,000 per year with a peak average usage of 24 riders using the service that shuttles them to the Manhasset train station from North Hills Village Hall and back.
