By Liz Schevtchuk Armstrong
As if showing its determination to push ahead fast with its new program, the Cold Spring Village Board last week granted the first waivers for payments in lieu of providing off-street parking. The six waivers, approved by the board Sept. 28, bring in $250 apiece, for a total of $1,500 in revenue for the village. All six were for a single applicant, Frozenberry LLC, preparing to open a shop at 116 Main St.
The board adopted the waiver program on Sept. 14. Under it, new businesses in the B1 and B2 districts, essentially those in the Main Street and Chestnut Street corridors, can pay to be released from a zoning requirement that they provide a certain number of off-street parking places for their clientele. For instance, zoning demands that restaurants supply one parking place for every three seats, a bed-and-breakfast provide one parking space
for each guest room, and retail stores and offices offer one space per every 150 square feet of ground-floor area. The waiver program gives establishments an alternative to the scramble to find suitable off-street parking facilities.
The Sept. 28 Village Board action followed a request from the village Planning Board that the mayor and trustees consider Frozenberry’s waiver application.
