They want the Brooklyn Nets to be more like the Chicago Cubs — except without all the losing.
Frustrated over Barclays Center developer Forest City Ratner’s plans for dealing with local traffic and other quality-of-life issues once the Nets’ new arena opens in September, civic groups and elected officials today unveiled their own Wrigley Field-inspired plan for arena patrons.
It rips a page out of the Chi-Town playbook, including advocating for residential permit parking in Park Slope and other densely populated neighborhoods near Barclays Center.
The plan also follows the Cubs’ lead by having Nets brass dig deep into their pockets to provide extra sanitation services and more traffic cops near Barclays Center. The Cubs in 2011 shelled out $750,000 to fund such measures near Wrigley Field, according to the team’s annual report.
“The reason why it works around Wrigley Field is because they have a very strong neighborhood-protection program,” said Councilman Stephen Levin (D-Brooklyn), one of the elected officials backing the plan submitted by civic groups representing Park Slope, Prospect Heights and other Brooklyn neighborhoods.
Although a residential-parking permit plan is in place along bustling neighborhoods near Wrigley Field to prevent Cubs fans from hogging up scarce curbside spots, the state Legislature in Albany has repeatedly refused to back such permits in the Big Apple.
The civic groups’ plan also follows Newark’s lead by advocating for the creation of a new parking tax on drivers using parking lots within a half-mile of Barclays Center — with revenues going towards funding additional arena services. Fans parking in lots near Newark’s Prudential Center now pay an additional 7 percent surcharge.
Other plan highlights include prohibiting alcohol sales after the start of the third quarter of Nets games – even though every other NBA arena lets fans buy booze until the start of the fourth quarter.
The plan offers no estimated costs. However, those who penned it want Forest City Ratner to dip into the millions of dollars it’ll save annually after recently dropping a car-traffic-reduction plan to provide free MetroCards with Nets tickets.
The Empire State Development Corp., who approved the arena project, and Forest City Ratner said they would consider the proposals.
rcalder@nypost.com