BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — A "parking war" between the City of Buffalo and a North Buffalo Walgreens is drawing attention to longstanding parking concerns for neighbors.
Over the weekend, neighbors and business owners in the area noticed signs going up in the parking lot of the Walgreens, at the intersection of Hertel and Parkside Avenue. These signs indicated drivers now needed to pay to use the lot. People often park there for restaurants like Kostas across the street, and other nearby businesses.
Kimberly Schirmer says she's lived near Hertel Avenue in North Buffalo for almost 30 years — and she's never heard of having to pay for parking at a parking lot in her neighborhood.
"This is unbelievable that they're doing this," she told 7 News.
"It's a hard place to park," said Aleasia Sudduth said. "Where are you going to go?"
But it turns out that Premium Parking, which was handling the new parking situation, did not have the permits in place with the city.
Pat Phillips of Premium Parking told 7 News that they have many parking lots in Buffalo, but mostly in the downtown area.
"It hadn't occurred to us at the time that the zoning for commercial parking was different in the hurdle district as it is in the central business district," he said. "As soon as the issue was brought to our attention, we ceased operations in compliance with the city, immediately went down to City Hall to understand better what we needed to do to be compliant."
A Buffalo city spokesman said that the city ordered the company to immediately cease operations and said that tweaks to the Green Code may be required to allow the parking plan to proceed in North Buffalo.
Workers were seen taking down the signs Monday afternoon.
Richard Wolf, a retiree who lives nearby, said he sees people using the Walgreens lot all the time — and they're not customers.
"I feel bad for Walgreens because everybody parks in their parking lots in the winter time. I also feel bad for the, the businesses here too that need parking.
Donna Ball, who was out walking with her friend Sherry Byrnes, said she'd like the city to build some parking.
"It would be wonderful if we had a two-story city lot someplace tucked away," she said. "That would really be ideal."
