City Councilwoman Vickie Paladino and Assemblyman Daniel Rosenthal are calling on the NYPD’s 109th Precinct to crack down on illegally parked commercial trucks and other vehicles around Harvey Park in Whitestone.
The lawmakers sent a joint letter to 109th Precinct Deputy Inspector Louron Hall regarding the issue, saying the illegally parked commercial trucks, tractor trailers, and waste removal vehicles are continuing to plague the community, despite long-standing parking restrictions.
“For many years, the residents of Whitestone have pleaded for this exact type of action from the city,” the lawmakers wrote. “The persistent illegal parking of commercial trucks on the Whitestone Expressway service road continues to be a serious issue, because it prevents park goers from visiting Harvey Park safely.”
Harvey Park is one of the several premier green spaces in the Whitestone community and has thousands of visitors every year. It offers its residents numerous recreational activities, including a popular public hockey rink, local youth sports leagues, and much more.
Paladino and Rosenthal noted Mayor Adams’ Operation Heavy Duty Enforcement in Southeast Queens discharging the full force of the NYPD by utilizing three separate units, including heavy towing operations, booting and summonsing enforcement of illegally parked commercial vehicles.
“In the first week, this operation resulted in 597 summonses, 89 wheel boots attached, and 55 illegally parked tractor trailers towed in response to community-generated complaints,” the lawmakers said.
Despite signage prohibiting such activity, the commercial trucks consistently line up along the perimeter of the park, which proves to be a dangerous situation restricting visibility and posing a serious risk to pedestrians seeking safe access to the park, the lawmakers said.
“Local Law 2022/098 NYC Administrative Code Title 34 Chapter 4 § 4-08 states that street storage of commercial vehicles is prohibited in residential areas in excess of three hours, and there is also a restriction on parking a commercial vehicle on a residential street between the hours of 9 p.m. and 5 a.m.,” the lawmakers said.
According to the lawmakers, the problem stems from the lack of enforcement of the provisions of the local law, adding that the measures currently in place, such as the NYC Code Title 34 Chapter 4 § 4-08, are not being adequately enforced.
As a result, Paladino and Rosenthal are joining numerous Whitestone residents and civic associations in the request for the implementation of appropriate measures and the enforcement of those measures.
“The safety and well-being of our beautiful Whitestone community is a responsibility we all share. To that end, we respectfully request your intervention to ensure the safety of Harvey Park visitors and residents by use of active special operations and also an increase of enforcement of this area,” the lawmakers said.
