[Added 4-16-2012 by Ord. No. 46.72.11[1]]
[1]
Editor's Note: This ordinance also repealed former Art. VIII, Prepaid Permit Parking, which was added 12-21-1998 by Ord. No. 25.41.98 but was declared invalid by the New York State courts and was not in effect.
A. 
The Common Council of the City of Albany and State of New York find that increased automobile use in certain areas of the City of Albany has resulted in traffic hazards, congestion and air and noise pollution detrimental to the health, safety and well-being of its residents. In addition, a lack of adequate on-street parking poses a hazard to residents and other pedestrians in such areas. The City and state find that a residential parking permit system will reduce such hazards and will reduce pollution levels as well. Recognizing that alternate, off-street parking spaces have become available for workers commuting to the downtown area, the State of New York has deemed a residential parking permit system necessary in the City of Albany. It is the further intent of this article to expand the availability of short-term parking available for visitors and patrons of small businesses, to ensure the City can successfully comply with air quality regulations and to promote the use of public transportation.
B. 
This residential parking permit system is adopted pursuant to § 1640-e of the Vehicle and Traffic Law of the State of New York.
[Amended 10-7-2013 by Ord. No. 41.91.13; 4-21-2025 by L.L. No. 3-2025 (J-2024)]
As used in this article, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated, unless the context clearly requires otherwise:
BUSINESS/PROPERTY OWNER PARKING PERMIT
An authorization, based on the submission of adequate documentation in accordance with the provisions of this article, allowing an owner of a business, property or not-for-profit corporation operating in the City of Albany, and operating within a prepaid parking permit area, to park a vehicle, or vehicles designated by such business, property or not-for-profit corporation, for a period of time within such prepaid parking permit area without regard to the two-hour limitation on streets requiring display of a parking permit.
CHIEF OF POLICE
The Chief of the Albany Police Department or their designee.
CITY CLERK
The City Clerk of the City of Albany or their designee.
COMMISSIONER OF ENGINEERING
The Commissioner of the Albany Department of Engineering or their designee.
DWELLING UNIT
One or more rooms, including a kitchen or kitchenette, and sanitary facilities in a dwelling structure, designed as a unit for occupancy by not more than one family for living and sleeping purposes.
HOLIDAY
A legal day of observance designated by the State of New York during which state offices are closed.
NONRESIDENT
An individual not currently residing within the permit area.
PARKING PERMIT
A business parking permit, residential parking permit or visitor parking permit issued in accordance with this article.
RESIDENT
An individual currently residing within the parking area based on the submission of adequate documentation in accordance with the provisions of this article.
RESIDENTIAL PARKING PERMIT
An authorization allowing a resident individual to park a vehicle operated by such person for a period of time within a prepaid parking permit area without regard to the two-hour limitation on streets requiring display of a parking permit.
RESIDENT, TRANSIENT
An individual currently residing within the parking area based on the submission of adequate documentation in accordance with the provisions of this article for a temporary period not to exceed eight months.
TRANSIENT RESIDENTIAL PARKING PERMIT
An authorization allowing a transient resident individual to park a vehicle operated by such person for a period of time within a prepaid parking permit area without regard to the two-hour limitation on streets requiring display of a parking permit.
VISITOR PARKING PERMIT
A temporary authorization allowing an individual to park a vehicle operated by such person for a period of time within a prepaid parking permit area without regard to the two-hour limitation on streets requiring display of a parking permit and for a consecutive period of days not to exceed one week, except for cause.
[Amended 1-21-2021 by Ord. No. 1.11.21; 11-17-2025 by Ord. No. 20.62.24]
A. 
A residential parking permit system is hereby established within the following areas, as shall be further defined in accordance with Subsection B of this section:
(1) 
Zone A: those neighborhoods generally west of the Empire State Plaza and consisting of designated streets within the neighborhoods identified as Center Square, Hudson/Park, Park South, and Washington Park.
(2) 
Zone B: those neighborhoods generally east of the Empire State Plaza and south of State Street and consisting of designated streets within the neighborhoods identified as Mansion and Pastures.
(3) 
Zone C: those neighborhoods generally east of the Empire State Plaza and north of Central Avenue and consisting of designated streets within the neighborhoods identified as Sheridan Hollow and Ten Broeck Triangle.
B. 
Zone boundaries.
(1) 
Zone A.
(a) 
Zone A shall commence beginning at a point in the center line of South Lake Avenue where it is intersected by the center line of Myrtle Avenue; running thence northerly along the center line of South Lake Avenue to the point of intersection with the center line of Madison Avenue; thence easterly along the center line of Madison Avenue to the point of intersection with the center line of Robin Street; thence northerly through a portion of Washington Park to the point of intersection with the center line of the southerly end of Englewood Place; thence northerly along the center line of Englewood Place to the point of intersection with the center line of State Street; thence northerly along the center line of Robin Street to the point of intersection with the center line of Washington Avenue; thence westerly along the center line of Washington Avenue to the point of intersection with the center line of Robin Street; thence northerly along the center line of Robin Street to the point of intersection with the center line of Bradford Street; thence easterly along the center line of Bradford Street to the point of intersection with the center line of Lexington Avenue; thence southerly along the center line of Livingston Avenue to the point of intersection with the center line of Washington Avenue; thence easterly along the center line of Washington Avenue to the point of intersection with the center line of South Swan Street; thence southerly along the center line of South Swan Street to the point of intersection with the center line of Madison Avenue; thence easterly along the center line of Madison Avenue to the point of intersection with the center line of Museum Road; thence southerly along the center line of Museum Road to the point of intersection with the center line of Park Avenue; thence westerly along the center line of Park Avenue to the point of intersection with the center line of Delaware Avenue; thence northerly along the center line of Delaware Avenue to the point of intersection with the center line of Myrtle Avenue; thence westerly along the center line of Myrtle Avenue to the point of intersection with the center line of South Lake Avenue, the point and place of beginning.
(b) 
Not more than 2,583 on-street parking spaces shall be designated and allocated as permit parking only in accordance with this chapter on the following residential streets:
Designated Street
Bounding Intersections
Willett Street
Madison Avenue to Hudson Avenue
Willett Street
Hudson Avenue to Lancaster Street
Willett Street
Lancaster Street to State Street
Sprague Place
Western Avenue to State Street
Henry Johnson Boulevard
Spring Street to State Street
Knox Street Alley
Knox Street to Property Line
Knox Street
Madison Avenue to Dana Avenue
Knox Street
Dana Avenue to Morris Street
Knox Street
Morris Street to Myrtle Avenue
Lark Street
Dana Avenue to Morris Street
Lark Street
Morris Street to Myrtle Avenue
Dove Street
Spring Street to State Street
Dove Street
State Street to Chestnut Street
Dove Street
Chestnut Street to Lancaster Street
Dove Street
Lancaster Street to Jay Street
Dove Street
Jay Street to Hudson Avenue
Dove Street
Hudson Avenue to Hamilton Street
Dove Street
Hamilton Street to Madison Avenue
Dove Street
Madison Avenue to Jefferson Street
Dove Street
Jefferson Street to Elm Street
Dove Street
Elm Street to Irving Street
Dove Street
Irving Street to Myrtle Avenue
Washington Avenue
Robin Street to Robin Street
Washington Avenue
Robin Street to Lexington Avenue
Washington Avenue
Robin Street to Island east of Robin Street
Bradford Street
Robin Street to Lexington Avenue
South Swan Street
Myrtle Avenue to Irving Street
South Swan Street
Irving Street to Elm Street
South Swan Street
Elm Street to Jefferson Street
South Swan Street
Jefferson Street to Madison Avenue
State Street
Englewood Place to Sprague Place
State Street
Sprague Place to Henry Johnson Boulevard
State Street
Henry Johnson Boulevard to Willett Street
State Street
Willett Street to Lark Street
State Street
Lark Street to Dove Street
State Street
Dove Street to South Swan Street
Spring Street
Lark Street to Henry Johnson Boulevard
Chestnut Street
Lark Street to Dove Street
Chestnut Street
Dove Street to South Swan Street
Lancaster Street
Willett Street to Lark Street
Lancaster Street
Lark Street to Dove Street
Lancaster Street
Dove Street to South Swan Street
Jay Street
Lark Street to Dove Street
Jay Street
Dove Street to South Swan Street
Hudson Avenue
South Swan Street to Dove Street
Hudson Avenue
Dove Street to Lark Street
Hudson Avenue
Lark Street to Willett Street
Hamilton Street
Lark Street to Dove Street
Hamilton Street
Dove Street to South Swan Street
Madison Avenue
Robin Street to South Lake Avenue
Madison Avenue
Robin Street to New Scotland Avenue
Madison Avenue
New Scotland Avenue to Knox Street
Madison Avenue
Knox Street to Willett Street
Madison Avenue
Lark Street to Dove Street
Madison Avenue
Dove Street to South Swan Street
Jefferson Street
South Swan Street to Dove Street
Jefferson Street
Dove Street to Delaware Avenue
Elm Street
South Swan Street to Dove Street
Elm Street
Dove Street to Delaware Avenue
Irving Street
Dove Street to South Swan Street
Dana Avenue
New Scotland Avenue to Robin Street
Dana Avenue
New Scotland Avenue to Knox Street
Dana Avenue
New Scotland Ave to Robin St
Dana Avenue
Knox Street to Lark Street
Dana Avenue
Lark Street to Delaware Avenue
Morris Street
Delaware Avenue to Lark Street
Morris Street
Lark Street to Knox Street
Morris Street
Knox Street to New Scotland Avenue
Morris Street
New Scotland Avenue to Robin Street
Morris Street
Robin Street to South Lake Avenue
Myrtle Avenue
South Lake Avenue to Robin Street
Myrtle Avenue
Robin Street to New Scotland Avenue
Myrtle Avenue
New Scotland Avenue to Knox Street
Myrtle Avenue
Knox Street to Lark Street
Myrtle Avenue
Lark Street to Delaware Avenue
Myrtle Avenue
Dove Street to South Swan Street
Myrtle Avenue
South Swan Street to Park Avenue
Park Avenue
South Swan Street to Dove Street
Park Avenue
Dove Street to Delaware Avenue
(2) 
Zone B.
(a) 
Zone B shall commence beginning at a point in the center line Eagle Street where it is intersected by the center line Warren Street; running thence northerly along the center line of Eagle Street to the point of intersection with the center line of Madison Place; thence easterly along the center line of Madison Place to the point of intersection with the center line of Philip Street; thence northerly along the center line of Philip Street to the point of intersection with the center line of Hamilton Street; thence easterly along the center line of Hamilton Street to the point of intersection with the center line of Grand Street; thence southerly along the center line of Grand Street to the point of intersection with the center line of Madison Avenue; thence easterly along the center line of Madison Avenue to the point of intersection with the center line of Green Street; thence easterly along the center line of Green Street to the point of intersection with the center line of South Ferry Street; thence westerly along the center line of South Ferry Street to the point of intersection with the center line of South Pearl Street; thence southerly along the center line of South Pearl Street to the point of intersection with the center line of Morton Avenue; thence westerly to the point of intersection of Dr. Martin Luther King Boulevard; thence retuning easterly along the center line of Morton Avenue to the point of intersection with Eagle Street; thence northerly along the center line of Eagle Street to the point of intersection of Warren Street, the point and place of beginning.
(b) 
Not more than 597 on-street parking spaces shall be designated and allocated as permit parking only in accordance with this chapter on the following residential streets:
Designated Street
Bounding Intersections
Philip Street
Madison Avenue to Elm Street
Philip Street
Elm Street to Wilbur Street
Philip Street
Wilbur Street to Bleecker Place
Philip Street
Bleecker Place to Myrtle Avenue
Philip Street
Myrtle Avenue to Park Avenue
Philip Street
Park Avenue to Warren Street
Grand Street
Park Avenue to Myrtle Avenue
Grand Street
Myrtle Avenue to Wilbur Street
Grand Street
Wilbur Street to Elm Street
Grand Street
Elm Street to Madison Avenue
Green Street
Westerlo Street to Herkimer Street
Green Street
Herkimer Street to Madison Avenue
Madison Place
Eagle Street to Philip Street
Eagle Street
Madison Avenue to Madison Place
Eagle Street
Madison Avenue to Elm Street
Eagle Street
Elm Street to Bleecker Place
Eagle Street
Bleecker Place to Myrtle Avenue
Eagle Street
Myrtle Avenue to Park Avenue
Elm Street
Eagle Street to Philip Street
Elm Street
Philip Street to Grand Street
Wilbur Street
Philip Street to Grand Street
Bleecker Place
Philip Street to Eagle Street
Myrtle Avenue
Grand Street to Philip Street
Myrtle Avenue
Philip Street to Eagle Street
Park Avenue
Eagle Street to Philip Street
Herkimer Street
South Pearl Street to Green Street
Westerlo Street
Green Street to South Pearl Street
Westerlo Street
South Pearl Street to Trinity Place
Ash Grove Place
Trinity Place to Grand Street
Trinity Place
Ash Grove Place to Madison Avenue
Morton Avenue
Eagle Street to South Swan Street (Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard)
(3) 
Zone C.
(a) 
Zone C shall commence beginning at point where the center line of North Hawk Street is intersected by the center line of Clinton Avenue; running thence northerly along the center line of North Hawk Street to the point of intersection with the center line of First Street; thence easterly along the center line of First Street to the point of intersection with the center line of Saint Joseph's Terrace; thence northerly along the center line of Saint Joseph's Terrace to the point of intersection with the center line of Second Street; thence northerly along the center line of Hall Place to the point of intersection with the center line of Ten Broeck Place; thence easterly along the center line of Ten Broeck Place to the point of the intersection with the center line of Ten Broeck Street; thence northerly along the center line of Ten Broeck Street to the point of the intersection with the center line of Livingston Avenue; thence easterly along the center line of Livingston Avenue to the point of the intersection with the center line of North Pearl Street; thence southerly along the center line of North Pearl Street to the point of the intersection with the center line of Wilson Street; thence westerly along the center line of Wilson Street to the point of intersection with the center line of Ten Broeck Street; thence southerly along the center line of Ten Broeck Street to the point of intersection with the center line of Clinton Avenue; thence westerly along the center line of Clinton Avenue to the point of intersection with the center line of North Hawk Street; thence southerly along the center line of North Hawk Street to the point of intersection of Orange Street; thence tangentially to the center line of Sheridan Avenue; thence westerly along the center line of Sheridan Avenue to the point of intersection with Lark Street; thence northerly along the center line of Lark Street to the point of intersection with Clinton Avenue; thence easterly along the center line of Clinton Avenue to the point of intersection with the center line of North Hawk Street, the point and place of beginning. Zone C shall additionally include the residential addresses at 174 and 176 North Pearl Street.
(b) 
Not more than 319 on-street parking spaces shall be designated and allocated as permit parking only in accordance this chapter on the following residential streets:
Designated Street
Bounding Intersections
North Pearl Street
Livingston Avenue to Wilson Street
Ten Broeck Street
Clinton Avenue to Livingston Avenue
Hall Place
Ten Broeck Place to Second Street
Street Joseph's Terrace
Second Street to First Street
Second Street
Ten Broeck Street to Hall Place
First Street
St. Joseph's Terrace to Ten Broeck Street
Sheridan Avenue
South Swan Street to Dove Street
Sheridan Avenue
Dove Street to Lark Street
Orange Street
South Swan Street to Lark Street
(4) 
A property located on the outer side of a center line zone boundary shall be deemed within a zone.
C. 
The Residential Parking Permit Area Map is on file with the City Clerk.
[Amended 4-4-2022 by Ord. No. 6.22.22]
A. 
No person shall park, or move and re-park, a vehicle, nor allow a vehicle to be parked, or moved and re-parked, in any one parking zone as such zones are established in § 359-74 of this article, for more than two consecutive hours per day between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. on weekdays, except holidays, along any street which has been designated a residential parking permit area pursuant to this article, unless the vehicle is issued a valid parking permit in accordance with this article.
B. 
Valid residential permit status shall be checked via license plate of the permitted vehicle.
A. 
Upon application and payment of the applicable fee, any person who is a resident or business/property owner, who meets the applicable requirements of this article, shall be issued by the City Clerk one valid parking permit for each vehicle registered in the applicant's name or in the name of another upon proof that such vehicle is used exclusively by the applicant. At the time of application the applicant shall indicate the prepaid parking permit area for which a parking permit is requested. The permit shall be valid only within the prepaid parking permit area indicated on the permit. No person, other than a business owner, may apply for, hold or receive more than one permit, except a visitor permit as otherwise provided for by this article. The City Clerk shall establish guidelines to issue parking permits, including proof of residency and/or ownership requirements. No permit shall be issued to any person or vehicle that has any outstanding parking ticket(s) issued in the City of Albany, at the time of permit application, unless such violation is pending adjudication at the time of the application.
B. 
Resident permits issued under this section shall be specific for a single vehicle, shall not be transferred, and shall be displayed only as the City Clerk prescribes. The permittee shall remove the permit from the vehicle if the vehicle is sold, leased, or no longer in the custody of the permittee. The permittee shall notify the City Clerk of any change or amendment from the information contained in the original application.
C. 
Three business employee permits may be issued to a business/property owner at any time for any business without regard to number of employees or off-street parking. A business/property owner permit is valid only for the vehicles listed thereon and shall be displayed on the vehicle for which the permit is being used only as the City Clerk, by regulation, may prescribe.
D. 
If the permit or the portion of the vehicle to which a permit has been affixed is damaged such that it must be replaced, the permittee, upon application therefor, shall be issued a replacement. The City Clerk may require display of the damaged permit before a new permit is issued.
E. 
Permits may not be assigned from one person to another but may be transferred to another vehicle owner by the permit holder upon application to the City Clerk.
A. 
Upon application and purchase of a residential parking permit, a resident of a prepaid parking permit area may purchase not more than one visitor parking permit per household for use within the prepaid parking area for which a permit is issued in accordance with § 359-76 of this article; provided, however, that a resident of a prepaid parking permit area not purchasing a residential parking permit may purchase a visitor parking permit in accordance with the provisions of this article. Transient residents and nonresident business/property owners shall not be entitled to a visitor parking permit.
[Amended 10-7-2013 by Ord. No. 41.91.13]
B. 
A visitor permit issued in accordance with this section shall include a unique code assigned by the City Clerk upon issuance that will facilitate the identification of the name and address of the permit holder.
C. 
A visitor permit issued in accordance with this article is for use by visitors to a resident within the parking permit area; any other use is a violation of this article.
[Added 10-7-2013 by Ord. No. 41.91.13]
Upon application to the City Clerk, any person licensed or registered as a contractor in the City may obtain at no cost a reasonable number of temporary permits for the vehicles of the contractor and the contractor's employees for the period of time that the contractor is engaged in work within a neighborhood permit area for which a permit has been issued by the City.
A. 
The City Clerk shall collect the following fees at the time a permit is issued:
[Amended 10-7-2013 by Ord. No. 41.91.13]
(1) 
Residential parking permit: $20.
(2) 
Transient residential parking permit: $15.
(3) 
Nonresident business/property owner permit: $20.
[Amended 11-18-2013 by Ord. No. 56.112.13(MC)(UC)]
(4) 
Visitor permit:
(a) 
When purchased by a resident purchasing a residential parking permit: $5.
(b) 
When purchased by a resident not purchasing a residential parking permit: $10.
(5) 
Replacement/transfer permit: $10.
B. 
All fees shall be credited to the general fund of the City.
A. 
Motor vehicles registered pursuant to § 404-a of the Vehicle and Traffic Law shall be exempt from any permit requirement established pursuant to this chapter.
B. 
A resident may apply to the City Clerk for a permit not otherwise available pursuant to the aforementioned rules and regulations in the following circumstances:
(1) 
Where a home health care provider provides home health care to a resident and regularly drives to the resident's home.
(2) 
Where a resident has a short-term health emergency.
(3) 
Such other instances of hardship (excluding self-created hardship) as the City Clerk in his or her discretion determines sufficient for issuance of additional residential parking permits.
A. 
Any vehicle parked in the permit area in violation of this article may be issued a fifty-dollar parking ticket.
B. 
No resident or nonresident business owner shall permit a nonresident to use a residential or nonresident business permit issued to a resident or nonresident business owner or aid a nonresident in any way in obtaining a parking permit. No resident shall allow for the use, sale or transfer of a visitor permit in violation of the authorized uses under this article. Violation of the terms of this section shall be punishable by a fine not to exceed $250 and/or suspension of residential parking permit privileges for a period not to exceed six months.
[Amended 10-7-2013 by Ord. No. 41.91.13]
[Amended 4-21-2025 by L.L. No. 3-2025 (J-2024)]
The City Clerk, in consultation with the Albany Police Department, Department of Engineering, Department of Law, Department of Development and Planning, Treasurer’s Office and the Albany Parking Authority, may promulgate such rules and regulations as are necessary and proper to carry out the provisions of this article.
[Amended 4-21-2025 by L.L. No. 3-2025 (J-2024)]
A. 
Six months after the effective date of this article, and annually thereafter, the City Clerk, in consultation with the Albany Police Department, Department of Engineering, Department of Law, Department of Development and Planning, Treasurer’s Office and Albany Parking Authority, shall review and evaluate the implementation of the parking permit system pursuant to this article, including the adequacy of parking permit fees provided herein, and submit a report of their findings and recommendations to the Mayor and the Common Council.
B. 
The Chief of Police and Commissioner of the Department of Engineering, or their designees, shall periodically review and assess on-street parking patterns within residential parking permit areas and those residential areas adjacent to such permit areas. The Chief of Police and Commissioner of the Department of Engineering, or their designee, may recommend or take such actions as necessary, within their authority to regulate traffic and parking within the City, to address parking or traffic patterns which may prove a nuisance for certain impacted neighborhoods.
[Amended 4-21-2025 by L.L. No. 3-2025 (J-2024)]
A. 
The Common Council recognizes that implementation of a residential parking permit system will expand the availability of on-street parking capacity through a reduction in all-day commuter parking. The Council further recognizes that a certain level of excess on-street parking capacity is likely to exist after implementation of the permit system under this article. It is the Council’s intent that a certain level of unutilized capacity may be made available on a market-based rate for nonresident commuters.
B. 
After implementation of this article, and upon a finding of the Common Council in consultation with the Chief of Police and Commissioner of Engineering, or their designees, and the Director of the Albany Parking Authority, the City Clerk may make available a specified number, by zone, of nonresident commuter permits upon authorization of the Common Council.
C. 
An authorization by the Common Council under this section shall be by legislative enactment, which may be in the form of a resolution, which shall state its findings, the number of nonresident commuter permits which may be issued by zone and the fee therefor.
D. 
A legislative enactment under this section shall not be made until there has been adequate time to assess the impact of implementation of this article and in no case less than three months from the implementation date of this article.
If any section or sections of this chapter shall be declared unconstitutional or otherwise void and ineffective, the validity of the remainder of the provisions hereof and their application shall not be affected thereby.