BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — Many aren’t too happy with how the parking situation is being handled at the Buffalo AKG Museum while several people were ticketed $60 for parking on the grass nearby.
According to a tweet by Matt Sabuda, the City of Buffalo ticketed almost every car on the side lawn.
One Buffalo resident says having the city ticket people $60 for parking is extreme.
“Down right wrong. Bad planning,” says Charles Davis. “For individuals to live in the City of Buffalo, or those come out of town and see this beautiful building and there’s nowhere to park.”
7 News reporter Yoselin Person went to the location and saw a sign that says “PLEASE DO NOT PARK ON THE GRASS.”
But a person who got ticketed who didn’t want to be on camera says there was no sign and she believes the sign was put up after the fact.
Buffalo AKG Museum responded to the concerns saying in a statement:
“For years, parking in the museum’s neighborhood has presented an issue to visitors and residents. Even when our new parking garage is open and operational, we anticipate that parking will continue to be in short supply. Over a period of nearly five years, we have proactively engaged the owners of nearby, often unused parking lots to develop a collaborative solution, and we urge them to continue those conversations with us in order to avoid inconveniencing the tens of thousands of visitors we plan to welcome in the coming months.” – Janne Sirén, Peggy Pierce Elfvin Director of the Buffalo AKG Art Museum
7 News was told that for now the parking garage is closed because it’s still under construction.
But the people that 7 News reporter Yoselin Person spoke with say there should be better planning.
“I think this is an example of the challenges that we face in Western New York is the lack of communication between the organizations and so there needs to be a plan in place,” says Munirah Ali, a Buffalo resident.
Ali even suggested this:
“On the website or just publicize on the lawn or newspaper using local news outlets to communicate with the plans for parking after those meetings take place between the different departments and organizations,” she says.
The City of Buffalo didn’t respond to 7 News request for comment.
