By ALICIA FEYERHERM
Tiger Media Network
Driving through campus, it is easy to spot the bright pink parking permits hanging from the rear-view mirrors of cars. These thin plastic tags, however, can cause a lot of trouble for drivers.
Between August 1, 2022 and July 31, 2023, the University Police Department issued 4,814 citation violations. Over 3000 of those citations came from Zone and Staff parking violations.
Students living on campus are only allowed to purchase Zone 2 parking permits. Zone 2 includes parking around all residential buildings as well as the Gross Memorial Coliseum parking lot and the Lewis Field Stadium parking lot.
Students living off-campus may purchase a Zone 2 permit for $13, or for an additional $12, they can purchase a Zone 1 parking permit. Zone 1 includes the parking lots of all the academic buildings as well as the parking stalls surrounding the quad. Zone 1 permits are also valid in Zone 2 areas.
For the last five years, Zone 1 parking citations have accounted for at least 40 percent of the total citations each year.
University Police Chief Terry Pierce says he understands the appeal for residential students to park in Zone 1, but warns against it.
“Always be willing to walk a little further to avoid a parking ticket,” Pierce said. “A lot of students want to get right up next to where they’re going to and end up with a ticket because they didn’t want to walk another two blocks.”
After the construction in front of Forsyth Library this summer, some parking spots that previously were Zone 2 spots are now Staff parking spots. Pierce said students have adjusted to that change and he is not aware of any significant increase in violations in that area.
However, in general, students have had issues with parking in Staff spots. Senior Anna Brull received her first parking warning of her Fort Hays career for parking in a Staff stall earlier this month. The stall in question was part of the Tiger Village parking lot, and the painting on the curb was fading.
“How are you supposed to know not to park there if the paint is faded?” Brull said. “I didn’t even know there was Staff parking here since it’s a residential building.”
Similar concerns were brought up during the Student Government Association meeting on October 5.
“I’ve had so many students talk to me about parking spots,” Senator Noah Erichsen said. “There’s several spots that people have gotten ticketed for being in Staff parking, but the markings on the curb were barely legible.”
Pierce said the Parking Committee has discussed repainting parking lines and restricted stall markings. He said repainting typically happens over summer break when there are fewer parked cars to work around. Student Government Association Vice President Emma Day said she would bring up repainting Staff markings at the next Parking Committee meeting.
All in all, parking citation totals have remained relatively consistent over the past five years. The COVID-19 pandemic along with lower enrollment numbers accounted for a slight drop in citations, but last year, citations were back to almost pre-pandemic levels.
“Just remember your common parking rules,” Pierce said. “Parking on campus isn’t any different than parking anywhere else except for the zones and permits. Don’t park in front of a fire hydrant and don’t park in a handicap spot unless you have the proper permit.”
You must be logged in to post a comment.