Officials say 28 cars got the boot at the Broadway Mall in Hicksville, on the heels of a $13 million renovation project at the Town of Oyster Bay garage located at the Hicksville LIRR station beginning Wednesday.
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Some speculate that the mall was trying to send a strong message to any LIRR commuters who may park there illegally once the construction begins, but Oyster Bay Town Supervisor Joseph Saladino says the boots violate town code.
He tells Eyewintess News that only municipalities can practice such enforcement, not private companies, and also that the fees they charged were higher than the town code allows.
The towing company contracted by the mall removed all the boots Tuesday and will offer refunds to those who got them Monday
Hicksville is the busiest LIRR station on Long Island, with an estimated 22,000 commuters passing through each weekday. The garage, which holds 1,400 parking spaces, will be shut down for the next three months after the prior administration in Oyster Bay had it constructed in 2011 only to realize it had major structural flaws.
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The new administration is still litigating to collect damages from the prior contractors, but starting Wednesday, commuters can legally park in the old Sears parking lot and take shuttle buses provided by the town during the morning and evening rush hours.
This will last the duration of the project.
It remains illegal to park at the Broadway Mall, but the boot removal was a victory of sorts for those who felt it was unduly harsh.
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