Huntington's Parking Rules: The Rules That Matter

Every city handles parking rules a little differently. In Huntington, New York, there are 9 distinct rules that residents and property owners should be aware of. Some are stricter than what neighboring cities enforce, and others are more relaxed. Here is what you need to know.

Loading Zones

Huntington's zoning code requires off-street loading space whenever a building is enlarged by 50% or more, converted to a listed use, or newly built for a use in the loading table, except in the C-6, C-7 and C-9 business districts. Loading zones must sit within 75 feet of a building entrance and meet fixed minimum bay dimensions in Chapter 198, Article VIII.

Key details: Trigger: 50%+ floor area increase or use conversion. First bay minimum: 10 ft x 25 ft, 12-ft clearance. Standard bay minimum: 12 ft x 35 ft, 14-ft clearance. Distance to entrance: Within 75 feet. Exempt districts: C-6, C-7, C-9 business districts.

Building without required loading space, or converting a use without adding it, is a zoning violation enforced by the Department of Engineering Services through the Town's building permit and certificate of occupancy process; a certificate of occupancy will not issue until the site plan shows the required bays. Site plan approval can also condition or deny a project that ignores § 198-53's dimensions.

EV Charging

Huntington's Town Board designates specific spaces on public streets and in Town-owned lots as electric vehicle parking and charging stations. Parking in a marked PEV/HPEV charging space is barred unless the vehicle is actively charging, and the Town Board sets fees based on kilowatt-hours consumed plus a surcharge, on top of the regular space fee.

Key details: Governing section: § TC3-3(A)(11)-(12), Traffic Code. Fee basis: Kilowatt-hours per charge plus surcharge. Must be charging: Space reserved for actively-charging PEV/HPEV. Set by: Town Board (fees, time limits, occupancy). Towing cost: $500 plus $10/day storage (§ TC6-3).

Occupying a designated EV charging space without charging, or parking there outside the Town Board's posted time and fee terms, is a parking violation processed through the Traffic Violations Bureau under Chapter TC7. The Department of Public Safety may remove a vehicle parked in violation of § TC3-3 under § TC6-2(C); recovery costs under § TC6-3 run $500 for towing plus $10 per day of storage and a $150 administrative surcharge.

Street Parking Limits

Huntington requires every vehicle parked in a marked street or Town-lot space to stay inside the lines and face the proper direction of traffic flow under § TC3-2, and separately bars parking, standing or stopping that blocks a driveway or alley under § TC3-3(E), enforced the same way as the Code's other stopping restrictions.

Key details: Direction rule: Must face flow of traffic (§ TC3-2). Driveway blocking: Prohibited at all times (§ TC3-3(E)). Hydrant buffer: 15 feet, unless attended (§ TC3-3(B)). Double-parking: Barred on roadway side of curb (§ TC3-3(C)). Enforcement: Traffic Violations Bureau, Dept. of Public Safety.

Parking against the flow of traffic, blocking a driveway or alley, parking within 15 feet of a hydrant, double-parking roadside, or stopping in an intersection are each parking violations under Article II, cited through the Traffic Violations Bureau (Chapter TC7). A vehicle parked in violation of these restrictions may be removed by the Department of Public Safety under § TC6-2(C), with towing and storage fees set by § TC6-3.

Commercial & Oversized Vehicles

Huntington's zoning code bars residents from keeping commercial vehicles or construction equipment on residential property without a permit or a Zoning Board of Appeals grant. The rule reaches box trucks, dump trucks, cranes, tractor-trailers, and any six-or-more-wheel vehicle built on a truck chassis. The Director of Public Safety can exempt a heavy vehicle used for non-commercial purposes.

Key details: Governing section: § 198-76(A), (D). Permit needed: Municipal authorization or ZBA grant. Covered vehicles: 6+ wheel trucks, cranes, tractor-trailers. First-offense fine: $1,000-$5,000. Repeat offense: Up to $15,000, 6 months jail.

A first conviction under § 198-125(A) carries a fine of $1,000 to $5,000, up to 15 days in jail, or both. A second offense within five years raises the fine to $2,000-$10,000; a third or subsequent offense within five years is a misdemeanor punishable by $4,000-$15,000 or up to six months. Each day the vehicle remains after a notice of violation is a separate offense.

This is one of the stricter rules in Huntington's municipal code. If you are unsure whether your situation complies, it is worth checking with the city before proceeding.

Overnight Parking

Huntington bars parking or leaving unattended heavy equipment, trucks and commercial rigs on Town roads between 10:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m., and all day on Sundays. The list under § TC5-2 covers cranes, snowplows, moving vans and refuse trucks; it does not reach ordinary passenger cars.

Key details: Restricted hours: 10:00 p.m.-8:00 a.m., all day Sunday. Governing section: § TC5-2, added 8-28-2007. Covers: Cranes, snowplows, moving vans, refuse trucks. Includes: "House coach" per VTL § 119 (motor homes). Does not cover: Ordinary passenger cars, pickups, SUVs.

A vehicle on the § TC5-2 list found parked or left unattended on a Town road during the 10:00 p.m.-8:00 a.m. window, or anytime on a Sunday, is a violation of the chapter cited through the Traffic Violations Bureau under Chapter TC7. A vehicle left in place may also be removed by the Department of Public Safety under § TC6-2(C) for violating a Code parking restriction, with towing and storage fees billed under § TC6-3.

Abandoned Vehicles

Huntington deems a vehicle abandoned if it sits plateless for over 6 hours, poses a safety risk with plates on, stays illegally parked over 48 hours, or stays legally parked over 96 hours. Causing abandonment is a violation carrying a $100 to $1,000 fine under § TC6-6.

Key details: No plates: Abandoned after 6 hours (§ TC6-6(A)(1)). Illegally parked: Abandoned after 48 hours (§ TC6-6(A)(3)). Legally parked: Abandoned after 96 hours (§ TC6-6(A)(4)). Fine: $100 to $1,000 (§ TC6-6(B)). Towing/storage: $500 tow, $10/day storage (§ TC6-3).

Causing or allowing a vehicle to become abandoned under § TC6-6(A) is a violation of the Code punishable by a fine of $100 to $1,000 under § TC6-6(B). The last owner is separately liable under § TC6-6(D) for the Town's removal and storage costs, and under § TC6-3 those charges run $500 for towing, $10 per day for storage, and a $150 surcharge, on top of any immobilization fee if the vehicle qualifies for that remedy under § TC6-2(D).

This is not one of those rules that cities tend to ignore. Huntington actively enforces its abandoned vehicles requirements.

Preferential Parking Districts

Huntington designates certain Town parking fields under Schedule L as resident-commuter or non-resident commuter permit zones, off-limits 6:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on weekdays without the matching permit. Residents pay $75 a year; non-residents pay $150, issued by the Town Clerk.

Key details: Resident permit fee: $75/year (§ TC4-11(A)). Non-resident permit fee: $150/year (§ TC4-11(B)). Restricted hours: 6:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m., weekdays (§ TC4-3(B)). Issued by: Huntington Town Clerk. Permit rule: Non-transferable, strict liability (§ TC4-13).

Parking in a permit zone during restricted hours without the correct permit is a parking violation processed through the Traffic Violations Bureau under Chapter TC7. Posting, altering or transferring a permit unlawfully is a separate strict-liability violation under §§ TC4-12 through TC4-15, and a Clerk who finds an applicant in violation of parking rules may refuse to issue or renew the permit under § TC4-11(C).

This is not one of those rules that cities tend to ignore. Huntington actively enforces its preferential parking districts requirements.

Driveway Rules

Huntington caps how much of a residential front yard, outside the driveway or garage, can hold parked or stored motor vehicles: 50% in the R-5, R-7, R-10 and R-15 districts and 25% in the R-20, R-40 and R-80 districts. Cars also can't sit within 8 feet of a septic tank or cesspool.

Key details: Section: Huntington Code § 156-23. R-5/R-7/R-10/R-15 limit: 50% of front yard. R-20/R-40/R-80 limit: 25% of front yard. Septic clearance: 8 feet from tank or cesspool. First-offense fine: $500 to $2,500.

Under § 156-24, a first violation of the front-yard parking limits carries a fine of $500 to $2,500, with each day the excess parking continues treated as a separate offense punishable in the same range. The Bureau of Administrative Adjudication may impose a monetary penalty within that same range for any offense or continuing offense.

RV & Boat Parking

Huntington's zoning code limits how boats, trailers, and house coaches sit in a residential front yard: anything over fifteen feet long cannot be parked between the street right-of-way and the front building line. The same section bars keeping any boat, trailer, or mobile home in a way that endangers children.

Key details: Section: § 198-76(B), (C). Length cap: 15 feet in front yard. Measured area: Right-of-way to front building line. Side/rear yard: Not covered by (B). Child-hazard rule: No length exemption.

A violation of § 198-76(B) or (C) is punishable under § 198-125(A): $1,000-$5,000 for a first offense, up to 15 days jail, or both; $2,000-$10,000 for a second offense within five years; and $4,000-$15,000 or up to six months for a third or subsequent offense, with each continuing day a separate violation.

The Bottom Line

Huntington is tougher than many cities when it comes to parking rules. Out of the 9 rules covered here, 3 are rated strict. If you are a homeowner, renter, or business owner in Huntington, take the time to understand these requirements before they become a problem. Most violations come with fines, and some repeat violations can escalate.

This guide is based on Huntington's current municipal code. Local rules can and do change, so check the individual ordinance pages for the latest details, penalties, and FAQs.