Parking Enforcement Policy

Parking Enforcement Policy

(last revised Feb. 1, 2012)

Definition of Academic School Year

All citations will remain on file, which stays with the offender from the Fall Term through Winter Term of the Academic Year, unless a valid parking permit is purchased at full price if the vehicle is un-registered. Any person purchasing a permit at a reduced rate will still be responsible for paying citations received to date to clear his or her account. Parking citations that are issued to registered vehicles will remain on record for the entire academic school year, regardless of an offender paying all the outstanding citations.

Ticket Appeals

All citations may be appealed within 14 days from the date that the ticket was issued.

1. Appeal times will be Wednesdays from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m., Fridays from 11 a.m. to noon, or by appointment in the Campus Safety and Security Office in the Reid-Knox Building.
2. Ticket appeals will be reviewed and a letter will be sent to the violator via e-mail, noting whether the appeal was approved or denied.
3. After the decision, Campus Safety and Security will notify Facilities and Service Management which tickets may be voided and which tickets should be posted to the violator’s account.
4. If the violator fails to appeal the ticket(s) within the 14-day time frame from which the ticket(s) were issued, the tickets will automatically be posted to the account of the violator.
5. All fines and fees can be paid at the Business Office in Hamilton.
6. Campus Safety and Security has a two-week time frame to reply to appeals.

Parking Infractions for Registered Vehicles (Valid Parking Permits)

When a violator receives three (3) citations, the following procedure will commence:

1. A warning letter from Campus Safety and Security will be sent to the violator in regard to the three (3) citations.
2. The violator has one week to pay all citations and provide the receipts to Campus Safety and Security as proof that the citations have been paid.
3. The violator may appeal the ticket(s) within a 14-day time frame from when the ticket(s) were issued.
4. If the violator fails to appeal the ticket(s) within the 14-day time frame, the ticket(s) will automatically be charged to the violator’s account.
5. On the fourth ticket and without response to the warning letter, Campus Safety and Security will immobilize the vehicle, resulting in a $35 immobilization fee along with the $20 citation, for a total fee of $55.
6. A letter will be sent to the violator indicating that the vehicle has been immobilized and the violator has one week to resolve the issue. At the end of the one-week time frame and with no response to the immobilization letter, the vehicle will be towed at the violator’s expense.
7. Only when all citations and boot fees have been paid in full will Campus Safety and Security remove the immobilization boot from the vehicle.
8. Vehicles that have been released from immobilization because citations are paid in full will then be placed on suspension, meaning that if there is another violation, the vehicle will be towed at the offender’s expense and the offender will lose parking privileges on campus.

Parking Infractions for Non-Registered Vehicles (No Valid Parking Permit)

When a violator has received three (3) citations, the following procedure will commence:

1. A warning letter from Campus Safety and Security will be sent to the violator in regard to the three (3) citations.
2. The violator has one week to respond to the letter.
3. The violator may appeal the ticket(s) within the 14-day time frame from when the ticket(s) were issued.
4. If the violator fails to appeal the ticket(s) within the 14-day time frame, the ticket(s) will automatically be charged to the violator’s account.
5. On the fourth ticket, Campus Safety and Security will have the vehicle towed off campus.
6. A letter will be sent to the violator, stating that his or her vehicle has been towed off campus property.
7. Unregistered vehicles that have been towed will remain towed until the violator purchases a valid parking permit to park on Alma College campus property and all fines and fees are paid in full. The vehicle must be parked in its designated, assigned parking space.

Handicap Parking

It is a serious offense to park in a handicap spot without a valid handicap plate or permit. When any vehicle (registered or unregistered) is observed parking in a handicap spot without a valid handicap plate or permit, the following procedure will commence:

1. Campus Safety and Security and other authorized personnel will issue the violating vehicle a $20 fine. Campus Safety and Security will notify the local authorities to issue a fine for parking in a handicap spot without a proper plate or permit. This means the offending vehicle will receive two (2) tickets: one ticket from Alma College Campus Safety and Security and a second ticket from one of the local law enforcement agencies (Alma Police, Gratiot County Sheriff or Michigan State Police).
2. If the same vehicle is observed 24 hours later in the same handicap spot, the offending vehicle will be issued another $20 fine from Campus Safety and Security and then will be towed from the handicap spot.

Vehicle Towing

Registered Valid Parking Permit Violators

On the fifth ticket, Campus Safety and Security will have the vehicle towed off campus subsequent to the immobilization of the vehicle and/or after the one-week notice of the vehicle immobilization letter.

Non-Registered Non-Valid Parking Permit Violators

On the fourth ticket, Campus Safety and Security will have the vehicle towed off campus. When the vehicle is in violation after the first tow, the vehicle will be towed until the violator purchases a valid parking permit to park on Alma College campus property.

Handicap Parking Violators

Offending vehicles lacking proper plates/permits parked in a handicap spot 24 hours from when the first ticket was issued will be issued a second ticket and towed off Alma College campus property.

Responsibility for Tow and Fees

All fees and tows are the violator’s responsibility.

Faculty and Staff Permits

Faculty and staff members must place the Alma College parking permit on the exterior back lower driver side window. Failure to have a visible permit will result in the following:

1. If the permit is not visible (faded and not properly located at the assigned location) the officer will issue a warning citation to the faculty or staff member on the first violation.
2. On the second offense, a citation will be issued to the violator.
3. Faculty and staff have 14 days to appeal the ticket(s) from when the citation was issued.

Student Permits

Students must place the Alma College parking permit on the lower left corner of the driver side windshield for easy visibility. Failure to have a visible, properly located permit will result in the following:

1. If the permit is not visible or properly located, the student will be issued a warning citation on the first offense.
2. On the second offense, a citation will be issued.
3. The student has 14 days to appeal the ticket(s) from when the citation was issued.

Parking Permits

All parking permits may be purchased and picked up at Facilities and Service Management.

Occupied Parking Lots

When a parking lot is completely occupied the student or faculty member who is supposed to park in the location (Valid Parking Permit on a Vehicle) will contact Campus Safety and Security at (989) 463-7777 and inform the officer of the parking issue.

The officer will respond to the parking lot location and observe the parking issue. If a parking space is unavailable, the Campus Safety Officer will redirect the student (with a Valid Parking Permit) to a different location to park. The officer will document the necessary information on the “Temporary Pass.” The top part of the Temporary Pass will be issued to the student and the student place the pass in a visible location on the dashboard of the vehicle. The receipt will be kept for Campus Safety records. No vehicles will be issued a temporary pass if they are on the waiting list to receive a parking permit.

Loading or Unloading Belongings from a Vehicle

If faculty, staff, students or guests wish to park close to a location and the location is a no parking area or an unauthorized parking lot, the individual will notify Campus Safety and Security about the request for parking close to a location and Campus Safety and Security will document the make of the vehicle in the parking assist log. If the individual fails to remove the vehicle promptly (within the given grace period) the vehicle will be cited for violation of the grace period.

Different Vehicle on Campus for Registered Drivers

When a student, faculty, staff or any other employee of the college brings an alternative vehicle because the registered vehicle is non-operational, he or she will notify Campus Safety and Security that the registered vehicle is not operational and an alternative vehicle has been brought to campus.

During regular business hours, all requests will be directed to Facilities and Service Management for a temporary pass until the registered vehicle is operational and returns to campus. If notification occurs after normal business hours, Campus Safety and Security will issue a one (1) day temporary pass after verifying that the vehicle is a valid registered vehicle. No vehicles will be issued a temporary pass if drivers are on a waiting list to receive a parking permit.

If an operator fails to inform Campus Safety and Security of the use of an alternative vehicle and receives a citation, the operator will be responsible for the citations which he or she receives. If an operator is discovered issuing the temporary pass to a different operator for parking privileges, both operators will be charged the full amount of a parking pass, the registered operator will have his or her parking privileges revoked, and the offenders may be processed through the student judicial system.

Faculty Profile

Dr. David Clark
Departments: Biology

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