Parking Problems Persist, But Officials Working Toward a Solution by Anthony Carace

BURLINGTON, VT - Of the innumerable issues facing Burlington citizens, the itch most can’t seem to scratch is the parking problem. Many Burlington residents regard the parking situation as dire. With such a large amount of people competing for spaces, so few driveways for residents to harbor their vehicles in, and so many students with so little money to pay for a zone pass, finding a place to park can be a struggle. However, it is not as severe as most may fool themselves into believing. In a city that values walking and public transportation as highly as Burlington does, parking is an issue that can be easily remedied.

For those who prefer to go by car, on the other hand, searching for a space can be quite the hassle. The problem stems, at least partly, from the almost 20,000 students who migrate to the city each fall. While most freshmen don’t bring their cars freshman year, many upperclassmen do, and they put considerable pressure on Burlington Parking Enforcement and campus security. Champlain College has specific parking zones for campus residents, yet these continually conflict with Burlington’s permanent residents. It became such an issue that “Burlington residents actually complained to the police department,” said Carl Riden, associate director of Public Safety at Champlain College. Most cities have a first-come-first-served policy concerning spaces that can be occupied, Riden noted. Burlington, on the other hand, has adopted an unorthodox system in which permanent citizens have priority over parking spaces. And while students may purchase parking permits from the College for $100, zone violations are a persistent problem. “We ticket between 125 and 150 people a week,” said Riden.

The resident-only zones occupy a considerable portion of the streets in Burlington, and they have hours set from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., depending on the area; however, there is ample room for Champlain students to park. UVM, on the other hand, has no parking restrictions. Students and commuters are allowed to park wherever they can find a space, excluding lots on the UVM campus. “UVM has always placed more demand on parking availability than Champlain,” said Riden. Indeed, the student and faculty population of UVM far exceeds that of Champlain, so it seems only natural that the University would have a greater need for parking spaces in and around the campus.
The Gilbane Parking Lot, on Lakeside Avenue, offers year round service for those who need a place to stow their car for the day. An added benefit is that the lot offers a shuttle to commute Champlain students to and from campus.

Attendees of Champlain and UVM account for only a fraction of the Burlington parking problem, however. Certain streets, such as South Union and South Winooski, just on the outskirts of the downtown area, are available for whomever to park their vehicles during the day, and there are several garages where people can park for free for the first two hours, after which an hourly fee is added. Unfortunately for commuters who travel to Burlington for work, these spaces fill up quickly. This results in more ticketing and stricter regulation from Burlington Parking Enforcement, an issue that will probably never be fully resolved.

As for Burlington Parking Enforcement, Parking Manager John King says that he sees no real conflict between permanent citizens and those students who have cars and need places to park them. “The real trouble is downtown, where space is somewhat limited,” said King. “You can definitely park on Main Street…just don’t expect to get a space right in front of the business you’re trying to enter.”

While tickets will forever be a punishment for illegitimate parking, King noted that ticketing has gone down considerably in recent years. The ticketing records are kept by fiscal year. “In 2005-2006, there were 84,000 tickets issued, and there were only 63,000 for the 2008-2009 year,” said King. This massive cut in tickets shows that there may be a slight upswing in people’s awareness of the parking issues. Fewer tickets could mean fewer conflicts, as well as fewer cars in the city.

Despite the parking enforcement’s heading of the issues, there is no stopping the winter and its impact on the city’s drivers. Parking bans constitute a huge part of the problem because there are far too many cars and not nearly enough garages for people to stow them in. “There are certain measures people can take to prevent a ticket,” said King. “They can double up in drive ways, and they can even park on the lawns, which they never used to be able to do.” Parking bans are issued well before a storm is due to hit the city, and the media issue notifications well ahead of time; lights are posted on telephone poles that flash when a parking ban is imminent. “People are given plenty of notice…it’s just up to them to pay attention,” said King. Overall, King said he feels the system works “very well.” As with any system, there are always kinks, but the parking situation is constantly monitored and improved.

The citizens of Burlington, on the other hand, have mixed feelings both about student parking and Burlington’s Parking Enforcement, but they remain mostly positive. Eric Mootz, an off-campus Champlain senior, says he has no real problems with the parking in the city except “when I can’t find a space in front of my house. What makes me real(ly) mad is when people take up spaces because...they don’t know how to properly park.” Drivers’ parking abilities and the permission to park anywhere, however, are two separate issues. Chris Donnelly, a Burlington resident, feels similarly to Mootz on the issue of first-come-first-served policy. “That’s the way it should be…whoever gets there first should get the space. There’s enough parking for everyone. It’s annoying if you don’t get a spot in front of your house, but that’s how it is.” Many live-in residents of the city have drive-ways, so there is little issue about finding a space to park for them. For those who are forced to park in the street, however, the battle and the irritation may never end.

The issue is not as severe as many may think, though. Burlington citizens have many options to avoid parking predicaments, and much is being done by Parking Enforcement to make sure the process runs as fluidly as possible. Any questions or concerns regarding zone violations, snow bans, or tickets should be directed to Parking Enforcement, located at the Burlington Police Department.