A Citizen's Guide to Parking


Parking: it can be easy, it can be hard, it can be confusing at times, and nothing is worse than finding a parking ticket on your windshield when you return to your car from a day of shopping or finding an Odd-Even ticket on your windshield when you get up in the morning. This information is provided for you to make you aware of the Parking Regulations in the City of Elmira and to make it easier to find a space instead of finding a ticket.

General Parking Regulations
Parking is permissible on all City streets where signs do not otherwise regulate parking.

Overnight parking is permissible on all City Streets following the restrictions of Odd-Even Parking (below).

Parking in the downtown district is regulated through the use of parking meters. Follow the directions below or on the parking meter when parking in these spaces.

The parking of any motor vehicle within the front yard or street side yard must be on a driveway or parking pad. You cannot park a car on the grass.

In addition, you must follow the New York State Parking Regulations.
>New York State Parking Regulations

Parking Garages and Lots


The City of Elmira owns and operates the Centertown Parking Garage, located at 101 W. Water Street near the Clemens Center, First Arena, Chemung County Transportation Center as well as businesses on Water Street, Gray Street, and Church Street.

The Eastowne Parking Garage is located on the 100 block of Baldwin Street near Eastowne Mall, the Star-Gazette, the YMCA, and city and county office buildings on Lake Street. It is independently owned and operated by a private company.
>Display map to Parking Garages

Centertown Parking Garage Hours
6:30am - 10:30pm Monday-Friday
and during weekend events

Short Term Parking
Parking rates for the Centertown Parking Garage are:

Long Term Parking

Group Parking Rates
Group Parking rates for Centertown Parking Garage are available for businesses with employees in the downtown district. The discounted monthly rate for the number of parkers for businesses must be paid in one lump sum before the first day of the each month to be eligible for the group parking rates.

Number of monthly parkers	% discount	Year
100 or more	30	1
	25	2
	15	3
25 to 99	25	1
	20	2
	10	3
5 to 24	20	1
	15	2
	05	3

Regular monthly rates take effect in the fourth year and after

Parking Lots
The City of Elmira owns a parking lot at 237 W. Water Street. When parking in this lot follow the directions in the lots. At 237 W. Water Street, pay the parking meters as you normally would park at any parking meter.





Parking Meters
Parking meters are installed throughout the downtown district for on-street parking. When parking at parking meters, align the front or rear bumper of your car with the parking meter you are paying. Parking meters are required when parking in a metered space between the hours of 9:00am and 6:00pm Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday, and between the hours of 9:00am and 9:00pm on Mondays and Fridays. When parking at a meter, you are only allowed to park there for the maximum time indicated on the meter: 15 minutes, 1 hour, or 2 hours. After this time passes, you must move your car -putting another coin into the meter is defined as feeding the meter and is a violation. Parking meters are not intended for all-day or employee parking.

You can park at any 1 or 2 hour meter for 12 or 15 minutes (depending on the meter type) for FREE. Follow the directions to turn the knob all way for the free parking. This does not work if the meter still has time remaining on it.

There is no parking, stopping, or standing in metered spaces when they are covered by an official bag indicating No Parking, Stopping or Standing, or when directed by a Police Officer or other City Official.

Odd-Even Parking
To facilitate street cleaning and snow removal, the City of Elmira has adopted Odd-Even Parking for all City streets. Between the hours of 2:00am and 7:00am, motorists must park on the odd-numbered side of the street on odd-numbered calendar days, and on the even-numbered side of the street on even-numbered days. All streets in the city are subject to the odd-even calendar parking restriction, except streets where parking is restricted by signs or prohibited on one side of the street.

The easiest way to remember the ordinance is to always park your vehicle for the next day, as enforcement occurs between 2am and 7am. Be careful of months with 31 days: you will park on the same side (the odd side) two nights in a row.
>read the Odd-Even Parking Ordinance

Handicap Parking
Handicapped Parking is available in locations throughout the City. Parking or blocking a space (with a vehicle, shoveling snow, or shopping cart) marked by a handicap symbol or signed as a handicapped space either permanently or during specified hours is prohibited if you do not have a handicapped license plate or a handicapped permit. The fine for parking in a handicapped space is $75 plus a $30 surcharge by New York State. Applications for Handicapped parking permits are available in the City Clerk's office.
>information on obtaining a handicapped parking permit

Spaces are designated as handicapped by the Traffic Coordinating Board. If there is a location in the city where you feel there needs to be a handicapped space, you can petition the Traffic Coordinating Board to conduct a study and determine if a handicapped parking space is required.
>contact the Traffic Coordinating Board

Event Parking
Parking for events at the Clemens Center, First Arena, Wisner Park, or downtown venues is provided in the City owned parking garage for $2.00 event parking. Other businesses in the downtown district provide parking in their lots during events for a charge determined by them.

Parking for event-goers is not permitted in private lots or plazas such as Langdon Plaza. Vehicles which are parked in these lots may be towed away at the owner's expense.

Parking Tickets and Parking Fines
If you receive a parking ticket, you must pay it right away. Failure to pay your parking ticket within the time specified on the ticket will result in the fine being doubled. The City of Elmira aggressively pursues those who do not pay their parking tickets. Unpaid parking tickets are referred to a collection agency. If you have 3 or more outstanding parking tickets within an 18 month period, you will be reported to the DMV and a lien will be placed against your vehicle's registration.

Parking tickets may be paid by mail, in person at City Hall, or online.

>How to pay a parking ticket
>information on appealing a parking ticket

Parking fines are determined by the City of Elmira Code of Ordinances and the New York State Vehicle and Traffic Law.

• Overtime Meter Zone: $5.00
  Must be paid within 7 Calendar days of violation
  Late Penalty: $5 is added every 7 calendar days up to $25.
  
• Repeat Overtime Meter Zone: $50
  Fine assessed if a vehicle receives three or more overtime meter violations within the same calendar month.
  
• Feeding Meter: $10
  
• Too far from or overlapping meter space: $10
  Late Penalty: Unpaid after 14 days, fine doubles.
  
• Too far from curb: $10
  Late Penalty: Unpaid after 14 days, fine doubles.
  
• Parked between sidewalk and curb: $15
  Late Penalty: Unpaid after 14 days, fine doubles.
  
• Loading Zone: $15
  Late Penalty: Unpaid after 14 days, fine doubles.
  
• Odd Even (alternate parking 2:00 am-7:00 am): $10
  Late Penalty: Unpaid after 14 days, fine doubles.
  
• Parking on Sidewalk: $15
  Late Penalty: Unpaid after 14 days, fine doubles.
  
• Prohibited Areas: $20
  Late Penalty: Unpaid after 14 days, fine doubles.
  
• Bus Stop-Taxi: $20
  Late Penalty: Unpaid after 14 days, fine doubles.
  
• Blocking Driveway: $15
  Late Penalty: Unpaid after 14 days, fine doubles.
  
• Within 20 feet of intersection: $20
  Late Penalty: Unpaid after 14 days, fine doubles.
  
• Overtime, other: $15
  Late Penalty: Unpaid after 14 days, fine doubles.
  
• Fire Hydrant $25
  Late Penalty: Unpaid after 14 days, fine doubles.
  
• Fire Lane: $25
  Late Penalty: Unpaid after 14 days, fine doubles.
  
• Double Parking: $30
  Late Penalty: Unpaid after 14 days, fine doubles.
  
• Facing Wrong Way: $30
  Late Penalty: Unpaid after 14 days, fine doubles.
  
• On Crosswalk: $30
  Late Penalty: Unpaid after 14 days, fine doubles.
  
• Handicapped Parking $75 plus a $30 State Fee.
  After 14 days unpaid, $75 fee doubles for a total of $180.