Stanford Report, October 5, 2009

New program will limit parking in College Terrace neighborhood

A new College Terrace parking permit program comes on the heels of increased parking enforcement on campus; a full complement of campus parking enforcement officers may mean more tickets.

BY KATE CHESLEY

Beginning in early November, weekday parking in the College Terrace neighborhood adjacent to the university will be limited to two hours for vehicles without permits, according to Jean McCown, director of community relations.

McCown said the Palo Alto City Council recently approved a new residential parking permit program in College Terrace, which is bordered by Stanford and California avenues. Residents of the neighborhood will be eligible to apply for permits that will give them unlimited access to on-street parking. Those without permits, however, will be able to park there for only two hours between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.

The city plans to install signs and distribute fliers to inform those who park on the street during weekdays of the new restrictions. A definite date for the start of the program has not yet been set.

The new program will affect university employees and residents who have parked in College Terrace or students living in nearby Escondido Village, who have found it a convenient option to on-campus parking.

"Residential permit parking in neighborhoods next to schools and universities is extremely common in Northern California," said McCown. "Back in 2000, the Santa Clara County General Use Permit predicted this might be needed. Now that it is being implemented, employees and students should understand that they won't be able to park in that neighborhood during the week without risking a ticket."

Increased parking enforcement on campus

The College Terrace program is occurring at the same time the Department of Public Safety is fully staffed for the first time in several years, including a full complement of parking enforcement officers. In other words, the chance of getting a ticket for parking illegally on campus is higher than it has been in previous years, according to Chief Laura Wilson.

"People have gambled that they would not receive a parking ticket for parking illegally and oftentimes won the gamble," Wilson said. "We want people to know that the chances of getting a parking ticket have increased, so the odds of 'winning' have decreased, and the penalty has increased at the same time. Nobody likes getting a ticket, so I encourage people to buy their parking permits and park where the permit authorizes you to park."

In addition, McCown encourages departments with invited guests who drive to campus to explain in advance the university's parking permit system and to point out available pay lots. Many of the appeals received by the Department of Public Safety could be avoided through better communication with the university's invited guests, she said. Departments can contact Parking and Transportation Services at 723-9362 or transportation@stanford.edu for assistance in identifying the best options for guest parking or alternatives to driving to campus.