SKANEATELES - The Skaneateles Village Board of Trustees one-upped calls not to revamp the downtown district's parking laws by scheduling a public hearing to examine temporarily voiding the original laws created four years ago.

With several business owners arguing during prior public hearings that proposed revisions were unnecessary or that they would harm their businesses, the trustees announced during Monday's board meeting their plans to scrap the proposal in order to re-evaluate the need for the original laws.

The laws regulated the economic development of the downtown district by charging businesses a fee if they could not provide adequate off-street parking for customers or employees. The law was created in the aftermath of a parking shortage in 2005.

“Several speakers argued that, as a result of the changes made by the village to the regulation of the municipal lot and other public parking spaces, there is no longer a parking problem in the village,” said Mayor Bob Green as he read a statement to the public. “While that may be an overstatement, it is clear that there has been improvement in the availability of public parking in the village.

“After much discussion and reflection, we have therefore decided to suspend work on revising the off-street parking requirements.”

The village originally planned to charge business owners $7,500 for each private parking space that a code enforcement officer determined they lacked in order to adequately serve customers or employees.

While parking was a problem in the past, several community members such, as Skaneateles Area Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Susan Dove, argued things have improved.

“I think this is the right way to move forward at the right time,” said Dove, as she praised the board for re-evaluating the proposed laws. “I commend the board for this.”

During the next public hearing scheduled for Sept. 28, the trustees will examine using a moratorium to temporarily suspend the existing parking regulations in order to examine the laws' impact.

With the existing laws expected to be in limbo for nearly a year as the trustees determine how to move forward, Green said the village will step up its enforcement of on-street parking laws regarding the use of meters and the municipal lot.

“We feel that without the adequate off-street parking that several businesses lack, the on street parking will be abused and we are not going to allow that,” Green said. “We are going to step up the enforcement, and we are going to send letters to people who have three or more unpaid parking tickets.”

Staff writer Nate Robson can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 248 or nathan.robson@lee.net