City, ULV implement parking permit policy
Campus Times
September 17, 1999
In an attempt to control the usage of University of La Verne parking
lots, University officials, in conjunction with the La Verne City Council,
have implemented a parking permit system on campus.
The genesis of the idea came last spring when a large increase in students
resulted in resident complaints to the city council about the increase in
student usage of parking in and around B and D streets.
Residential concerns prompted city council members to call a meeting
between the city and ULV staff, including Phil Hawkey, executive vice president;
Brian Worley, director of facilities management; and John Lentz, director
of Campus Safety and Transportation.
"The city staff felt non-ULV people were using our parking lots,"
said Lentz.
It has been a long held belief that ULV parking lots are being utilized
by people not affiliated with the University.
"We saw some very graphic examples of this last year and during
the summer, when we saw tour buses using the Wilson parking lot," Lentz
said, referring to groups that would park their cars in the lot and take
turn-around trips to Las Vegas, leaving their cars in spaces meant for ULV
staff and students.
University officials also found evidence that residents, as well as
employees of some local businesses, were using ULV lots.
"There were even some instances of park and rides being formed,
where university parking lots were used," said Lentz.
With parking on campus as tight as it is now, with around 700 spaces
for approximately 5,000 students and staff members, the University felt
that one space being used by a non-ULV person was too much. ULV officials
decided parking permits would help to manage the problem.
Some students disagree. Gloria Ramirez, a junior, said that when she
first heard about the permit system, she did not know what to think of it.
"I don't see how permits are going to regulate who parks here,"
she said, referring to how identification is not necessary to sign up for
a permit. "I mean, if someone wants to park here, they will."
Robert Lee, assistant professor of movement and sports sciences, also
sees some problems with the new system. Although he does not feel that ULV
suffers from a big parking problem, he does not see how permits are the
answer.
"Why have a permit when you don't charge for them," he said,
while explaining why he felt permits will be ineffectual.
ULV mail clerk Ernie Granillo supports the concept behind the permits,
but thinks that some long term solutions need to be found.
"The University had very few options left. Permits will help, but
it's just a bandage to the problem," Granillo said. "We need to
find a real solution rather than something that is just temporary."
Parking permits are offered free of charge to students and staff members,
since simply having a permit does not guarantee a parking space on campus.
The permits will not create new spaces as much as they will control who
is using ULV parking spaces.
"President [Stephen] Morgan supports the idea of permits, but doesn't
think we should charge for them," said Lentz.
Originally, it was the intention of the University to charge between
$10-$20 a year for permits.
All students and staff members will be required to display a permit
in their vehicles beginning in October to park in any ULV parking. This
includes all campus parking lots, as well as areas such as C, 1st, and
2nd Streets. In addition, a new permit must be acquired every year.
The permit issued by the University does not allow students or staff
members to park on B Street, nor does it allow ULV students or staff to
park on any La Verne city street after 2 a.m.
The La Verne Police Department will begin issuing tickets for ULV students
and staff that are parked in the areas of B Street and on any city street
after 2 a.m. next week. These tickets could be up to $40.
Although the ULV permit must be displayed on the rear view mirror of
a vehicle, displaying the permit while operating the vehicle is a violation
of the vehicle code. Students and staff members may be issued a citation
if the permit remains displayed while they are driving.
Although there will be a long warning period, beginning as early as
October, those students or staff members who do not have a permit and are
using ULV parking, will be issued a $20 ticket by Campus Safety. Even though
the ticket will be issued by Campus Safety, the ticket is an LVPD ticket.
Failure to pay the fine could result in a higher fine or a hold on car registration.
Revenues gained from these tickets will not be used for ULV, but rather
will go to the city of La Verne. As the LVPD is the agency to deal with
the collection of the fines, they keep the funds.
"It would probably cost us money to do all of the procedures necessary
to keep the revenues," said Dr. Loretta Rahmani, dean of student affairs.
Currently, University officials plan to suspend the enforcement of the
permit system during large university functions, including sporting events
and plays.
The visitors policy has still not been solidified. For now, whenever
someone visits a resident, Campus Safety should be notified in advance.
They will take note of the vehicle and will not ticket that car.
For prospective students and guests visiting campus for a short period
of time, it is expected that these visitors will utilize the new 20 minute
parking spaces located around the university.
"We want to make this as easy as possible,"said Lentz. "We
are not after coming down with a hammer on anyone. We simply want compliance
in order to control our parking lots."