If University Park residents like Max Hugely have their way, SMU students will be taken off the streets. A new parking proposal is in discussion by the UP City Council, and if it is approved, the west and east sides of the SMU campus will be off limits for student parking.
The proposal, which calls for the creation of new residential parking districts, was discussed by officials at the last city council meeting, June 15, Police Chief Gary Adams said the costs incurred from the new parking districts for items such as signage and additional parking enforcement officers, would be between $35,000 and $40,000.
Hugely, who resides two blocks north of the SMU campus, is not included in the new parking district. He voiced his concerns and those of his neighbors at the meeting.
“My neighbors and I, a lot of them, several of them were alarmed that we were not included in this area [the new parking districts],” Hugely said. “We already have issues with students parking on our streets and particularly during football games and campus events.”
SMU Park ‘N Pony Director Mark Rhodes said parking in residential neighborhoods is a historical issue for UP residents, SMU faculty and students. Rhodes empathizes with residents and said the university has made progress in the parking issue by spending a considerable amount of resources to add five new parking garages.
He said the issue is not the availability of parking spaces because there are spaces available; but rather the convenience and proximity of spaces to the campus.
“There is a four-hour window between the hours of 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. when the bulk of our students attend classes and when parking is hard to find in close proximity to Dallas Hall or Umphrey Lee,” Rhodes said. “Students don’t like 8 a.m. or 4 p.m. classes, and that’s when our lots our empty.”
Rhodes feels that there are two solutions to the problem – modify drivers’ behaviors or spend a considerable amount of resources trying to clear land in a tight city to build parking garages.
“We can spread out classes and stretch out the academic day so that students are not all trying to park at once or build for a four hour window capacity that becomes a waste of space and land and incurs cost on maintenance and electricity,” he said.
Jim Elliott, UP resident who resides on Rosedale opposes the proposed parking districts because he feels the growth of SMU will push the parking issue further out to residents like Hugely who are not included in the districts.
“I oppose it because it really shifts the burden to the city and the city’s residents to take care of a problem they didn’t create,” Elliott said.
Both Rhodes and city officials know that UP is the only city with a university in it that does not have reserved parking districts for residents. The council acknowledged the university’s efforts and progress towards providing faculty and student parking areas, but motioned to discuss the topic again at their July 6 meeting. If the plan moves forward, residents will be notified of in writing for a chance to respond before officials vote.
Residents not parked in a garage or driveway will also pay the price-— under the proposed plan as it requires homeowners and their guests to purchase permits to park on the streets. Residents who want to park in the street would pay $20 for their first permit and $15 for a second permit. The permit would be effective year-round Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. until 5 p.m.
Vehicles without the proper permit displayed during that time would receive a citation from police and could incur fines.
Visitors or vendors visiting homeowners would not pay a fee, but residents would be required to pick up guest permits from the city.
