The Town of Hempstead Board recently approved a resolution limiting parking in the Elmont area in response to concerns that have grown with the opening of the UBS Arena.
Since the public opening Nov. 20, the UBS Arena has been the home to the New York Islanders as well as hosting concerts, which will be held year round outside of hockey season. Residents said that ever since November there have been issues with the venue.
Angel Joyner said at the board meeting that she lives fairly far from the UBS Arena but still deals with people willing to make the walk.
“I’m a corner property. When I come home it seems like there’s a party at my house,” Joyner said. “They block my driveway, they block cars bumper to bumper and we can’t move.”
She also complained about urinating, noise complaints from patrons talking on her road and littering. She said she had talked to people outside her home before the meeting, but it has not always been productive.
“They want to be confrontational about something they’re wrong about,” Joyner said.
Hempstead’s board unanimously approved parking regulations on roads off Hempstead Turnpike including Locustwood Boulevard, Heathcote, Huntley Sussex, Warwick and Wellington roads. In addition, 106th and 109th avenues and Fieldmere and Pine streets were included.
Hempstead Supervisor Don Clavin said that issues have worsened due to delays to the completion of the parking garage on Hempstead Turnpike, which should be finished in the spring.
A little north of Elmont, some Floral Park residents have been dealing with issues related to UBS attendees as well. In a letter to the village on Nov. 24, Mayor Kevin Fitzgerald alerted residents to use the designated entryways in order to reach the $1.3 billion arena.
“This past weekend we witnessed people climbing fences at certain locations to gain access to and from Belmont Park,” Fitzgerald said. “I am requesting that residents do not use this as a means of ingress and/or egress to the arena.”
Clavin said that he had Nassau Supervisor-elect Bruce Blakeman share the same sentiment in advocating for the residents surrounding the UBS Arena and will do as much as possible to mitigate these issues.
“We hear you loud and clear,” Clavin said. “It’s unfortunate the state and representatives dropped this on us. We’ll stay on top of the police, it’s going to come down to constant, constant enforcement so people understand this is a residential area.”
