Additional front yard parking has been illegal in NYC since the late 1980s, when the Quality Housing (for mid-density districts) and Lower Density Contextual zoning amendments passed.

Required or permitted parking must be located in the side lot ribbon (in a driveway adjacent to the side lot line), within the building, or in the rear yard. In addition, there are restrictions on the minimum distance between curb cuts, with 17 or 34 feet generally required to preserve on-street parking.

Of course, no one pays attention to zoning anyway.

Given the right circumstances, you could turn the argument around, however. I walked on Broadway from Bond St to Spring St yesterday afternoon and the sidewalks were thronged, so much so that I doglegged over to Lafayette. Wider sidewalks would induce more pedestrian traffic and probably more business. How come we never hear businesses making that argument?

Or are they only talking about curb cuts that don’t lead to a garage? In that case, all the law will do is generate ill will between owners of old homes and new homes- or a garage-building frenzy.

The article put transit in a good light. Even though Haddon could have done more to debunk Özdemir’s ludicrous claim, it was more than balanced by pro-BRT quotes from a bus rider and Assemblymember Kavanaugh.

Lewis apparently an expert in Advanced Social Problems. Maybe he can put some of that know-how to work and explain why he and his wife spend so much time and energy on maintaining two cars, when he can get to work by bus within twenty minutes door-to-door.

Anyway, per the WSJ, electric bicycles causing havoc in China.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703657604575005140241751852.html?mod=WSJ_hpp_RIGHTTopCarousel

“Those electric bikes just don’t listen! The problem is they go too fast. They can’t stop like bikes. I saw an accident just over there the other day where someone on an e-bike rushed through the intersection and plowed over someone on a regular bike.”

It does seem to be that the problem is weight and speed. They tried to regulate the E-bikes to keep them under 15, but people modify them to let them rip.

“A nearby saleswoman offered another solution: After getting a new bike registered with police, a simple adjustment to the motor pushes the maximum speed back up to 20 mph. ‘Any slower and you might as well ride a bicycle,’ she said.”

“They haven’t gotten to the heart of the matter, which is how this will increase the speed of bus service,” Kavanagh said.

Also see the line on the Turkish restaurant on Second Avenue. If you’re relying on people driving to your restaurant, I suggest that you move it to Queens or Weschester.

Reporter need to press harder on that point or go inside and have a show of hands of how many actually drove there. How many of your customers really drive there? Or is it that almost only you the owner drive there? Hmmm