Assemblymember Brennan to Push for More Atlantic Yards Parking

Those already drafting their contingency plans for a parking nightmare once the Barclays Arena opens may soon have something to look forward to.

While the Department of Transportation is to cope with the impending parking pain once the 18,000-seat arena opens for the 2012 basketball season, Assemblymember Jim Brennan is drafting his own plan to keep game-goers from taking up precious neighborhood parking spaces.

Brennan is gearing up to introduce legislation that would “compel Ratner to provide more parking,” he said last week.

Brennan said that the 1,100 parking spaces Atlantic Yards developer Bruce Ratner plans to provide for the arena is insufficient given the size of the arena. Residents have long worried that on game days, parking in the neighborhood will be nearly impossible and have pressed the city to initiate residential parking permits.

“We’re going to force them to provide more off-street parking,” said Brennan. “There is no reason that Forest City Ratner should be allowed to not provide parking.”

According to an aide from Brennan’s office, the legislation is still “very preliminary” and will require significant research before it proceeds.