2008-2009 Motor Vehicle Policy

St. Olaf College is a residential campus and as such, the campus community (faculty, staff and students) will be asked to support and help enforce the parking policy to ensure that all vehicles are being operated safely and parked in appropriate spaces.

GENERAL POLICY (Students, Faculty and Staff)

1. The Motor Vehicle Policy is administered by the Parking Office located in the lower level of the Administration Building. The office hours are 7:30 am to 3:00 pm Monday through Friday during the academic year. Any questions regarding this policy should be directed to the Parking Office at ext. 2972.
2. The Parking Policy is in effect the entire calendar year, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
3. All motor vehicles including motorcycles, mopeds, and scooters operated on the St. Olaf campus by students, faculty or staff must display a current license plate, be registered with the Parking Office and display a current parking permit. Parking permits issued by the Parking Office are assigned to a specific vehicle and are NOT transferable to another vehicle. If another permit is needed for a different vehicle, please contact the Parking Office for another permit.
4. Campus parking areas are designated by the type of parking permit issued by the Parking Office. Parking areas are assigned to students, faculty/staff and visitors. Vehicles must be parked only in areas designated by the type of parking permit displayed.
5. All drivers of motor vehicles shall operate their vehicle in a responsible manner and adhere to the Motor Vehicle Code for the State of Minnesota. Failure to operate a motor vehicle in a safe   and prudent manner will result in revocation or denial of a parking permit.
6. St. Olaf College is a residential campus and as such, all operators of motor vehicles will give pedestrians the right-of-way on campus. Drivers must obey all traffic control devices and the posted speed limit.
7. Short-term parking (less than 15 minutes) will be permitted in areas not normally designated for parking near residence halls (i.e. fire lanes) for purposes of loading and unloading only. Vehicles  parked in these areas must display the emergency flashers and limit parking to 15 minutes. Failure to display the emergency flashers or exceeding 15 minutes will result in the issuance of a parking citation.
8. To improve vehicular safety and to assist with snow removal on campus, several             faculty/staff/visitor parking areas have been designated as “no overnight parking/tow away    zone” areas.  Parking will be prohibited from Midnight to 6:00 a.m. every day on a year-round   basis in these areas.
9. Verbal or physical harassment of any person responsible for helping our community with parking management on campus, is a violation of college policy and cause for disciplinary action.

VIOLATIONS AND REGULATIONS

1. The following parking or permit violations will result in a parking citation being issued. Violations of parking regulations are the responsibility of the person who registered the vehicle involved. The fine amount is listed with each violation.
   1. Parking permits shall be affixed as provided in the instructions accompanying the permit. Expired permits shall be removed from all vehicles. ($5.00) Note: The fine for “failure to remove expired permit” will be waived if the expired permit is brought into the Parking Office within thirty days     from the date the citation was issued.
   2. All vehicles, including motorcycles, scooters and mopeds operated on the St. Olaf campus by students, faculty or staff, must be registered with the Parking Office and display a current parking permit. ($25.00)
   3. Only those vehicles authorized by the Parking Office shall possess a parking permit. ($50.00)
   4. No vehicle shall display an altered or counterfeit parking permit or misuse a permit. If this occurs, the permit will be revoked and the students involved will be referred to the appropriate judicial authority. ($50.00)
   5. Vehicles must display a handicap permit to park in a stall specifically reserved for handicap permit holders. ($50.00)
   6. Vehicles shall be parked only in those areas designated by the type of parking permit displayed. ($10.00)
   7. No vehicle shall be parked in an area designated “No Parking” whether permanent or temporary.  ($10.00)
   8. No vehicle shall be parked in a designated “Fire Lane” for a period longer than 15 minutes. Vehicles must also display the emergency flashers. ($50.00)
   9. No vehicle, other than the authorized vehicle, shall be parked in a stall marked “Reserved”. ($20.00)
   10. No student, faculty or staff vehicle shall be parked in a space specifically reserved for “Visitors Only”. ($20.00)
   11. Vehicles shall be parked only in those areas designated for parking. Exceptions to this regulation maybe granted by the Parking Office. ($10.00)
   12. No vehicle shall be parked on or over a stall line, which restricts the use of the next parking stall.($5.00)
   13. No vehicle shall be parked or driven on sidewalks or grass areas except for authorized service vehicles. ($25.00)
   14. No vehicle shall be parked overnight in designated areas or in a loading zone over the posted time limit. ($15.00)
   15. No vehicle shall be parked by a yellow painted curb, except for authorized service vehicles, for a period longer than 15 minutes. Vehicles must also display the emergency flashers. ($10.00)
   16. No vehicle shall be parked over a crosswalk which interferes with pedestrian movement. ($10.00)
2. Any vehicle displaying a current permit which has accumulated more than five (5) citations in Semester I or more than (5) citations during Interim and Semester II combined, will be booted or towed. The permit will be revoked for the remainder of the year, the vehicle must be removed from campus and the fines must still be paid. Any subsequent parking violations will result in the vehicle being booted and a $75.00 fine imposed to remove the boot. Students involved will be referred to the Dean of Students Office. Faculty and staff will be referred to their respective Vice President.
3. Any vehicle that does not display a current permit and has accumulated more than three (3) parking citations, will be booted. The owner forfeits the opportunity to receive a permit for the remainder of the year. The vehicle must be removed from campus immediately and all fines must be paid. Any subsequent parking violations will result in the vehicle being booted and a $75.00 fine imposed to remove the boot. Students involved will be referred to the Dean of Students Office. Faculty and staff so involved will be referred to their respective Vice President.
4. All parking fines shall be paid at the Parking Office during normal business hours within thirty (30) days. If a student citation is not paid within thirty (30) days of issuance, the citation will be sent to the Business Office and added to the student’s comprehensive fee statement. All citations over thirty (30) days old must then be paid at the Business Office. Faculty and staff who fail to pay the citation within thirty (30) days, will be referred to their respective Vice President.
5. Failure to clear outstanding parking fines shall be grounds to deny future parking permits and withhold official academic transcripts and/or diploma.
6. The registered permit holder shall be held responsible for all citations written on his/her vehicle regardless of who parked or was operating the vehicle at the time the citation was issued. A vehicle registered in the Parking Office cannot be considered a visitor.
7. If it becomes necessary to change vehicles, the Parking Office must be advised in advance of the change and a permit must be secured for the new vehicle prior to its arrival on campus. The Parking Office must also be advised if license plates change.

NO OVERNIGHT PARKING AREAS

Four (4) sections of the campus are now designated as “No Overnight Parking/Tow Away Zones” to improve vehicular safety and to assist in snow removal emergencies.  Parking is prohibited from Midnight to 6:00 a.m. each day in the following areas:

a. Larson/Science Center Road                 c. Ytterboe Drive

b. Hoyme Circle                                       d. Thorson Road

IMMOBILIZED (BOOTED) VEHICLES

There is a $10.00 charge to remove the boot the first time the boot is placed on the vehicle. After the first time the vehicle is booted and removed, a $75.00 fine will be imposed to remove the boot and the boot will not be removed until the $75.00 fine is paid. Attempts to remove the boot by anyone other than a Public Safety officer will result in a $100.00 fine to the owner of the vehicle or the individual responsible for such action. Damage to or theft of the boot will result in a fine assessed to the owner of the vehicle equal to the full replacement value of the device. If a vehicle is booted and the operator does not contact the Parking Office or Public Safety within 48 hours, the vehicle will be towed at the owner’s expense.

TOWING AND IMPOUNDMENT

Vehicles may be towed at the owner’s expense if any of the following conditions exist:

1. Any vehicle that is found parked on St. Olaf property without a current parking permit and without current license plates.

2. Any vehicle that is improperly or illegally parked that poses a traffic hazard or an obstruction to         the normal movement of traffic.

3. The vehicle is parked in an area designated “No Parking”, “Reserved”, “No Overnight Parking Area” or “Fire Lane”.

4. The vehicle has been immobilized (booted) for more than 48 hours.

RIGHT TO APPEAL

An appeal of a citation issued under these regulations must be filed at the Parking Office within seven days from the date the citation was issued on a Parking Office Appeal Form or the right to appeal will be forfeited and the amount of the fine billed. Appeal forms are available at the Parking Office during normal business hours. The original citation (or a copy) must be attached to the appeal form. All student and faculty/staff appeals shall be reviewed by the respective appeals committee. The decision of the appeals committees are final and there are no further appeal options.  Public Safety officers cannot void a citation once it has been written.

To facilitate end of the fiscal year bookkeeping, all appeals must be filed by 3:00 pm Monday, May 11, 2009. After that time, all fines will be sent to the Business Office and will be applied directly to the appropriate student’s account. Payments after that date must be made at the Business Office. Failure to clear such accounts will result in denying future parking permits and withholding official academic transcripts and/or diploma.

VISITOR POLICY

All visitors to St. Olaf should park only in areas designated “Faculty/Staff/Visitor” or “Visitor Only”. All visitors to St. Olaf should obtain a visitor parking permit. Visitor permits may be obtained in person in the Parking Office, located in the lower level of the Administration Building, 7:30 am to 3:00 pm Monday through Friday or by contacting the Public Safety officer on duty at extension 3666 at all other hours.  Any campus visitor who receives a parking citation should immediately present the citation to the Parking Office or to the faculty or staff member they were visiting. The faculty or staff member will forward the citation, along with an explanation, to the Parking Office. A vehicle registered in the Parking Office cannot be considered a visitor. Visitor permits will not be issued or given to St. Olaf students.

CITY OF NORTHFIELD PARKING REGULATIONS
Overtime parking-Unmetered (Section 720.65)

No person shall leave a vehicle in one space upon a street of municipally-owned parking area for a period exceeding forty-eight (48) hours).

Winter Parking (Section 720.71-Subd. 1.)

            It shall be illegal for any person to park a motor vehicle on any public street in the City of             Northfield from 2 AM to 6 AM from November 15 to March 15 in any year.

STUDENT POLICY

Students shall be aware of and adhere to the entire St. Olaf Motor Vehicle Policy. The St. Olaf campus is a residential campus and as such, the number of student parking permits issued must be regulated. Subject to the availability of parking spaces, students with documented and verifiable commuter, academic, medical or work-related needs will be allowed to maintain a car on campus. In most cases, First-Year students will be expected to work on campus and will not qualify for a work-related permit. Due to space limitations, only one student permit can be issued per family.  Only two (2) permits per Honor/Language house will be issued for purposes of Honor or Language house projects. Student vehicles parked in a reserved, no parking, fire lane or faculty & staff lot/space may be cited a second time if parked overnight.  Students are considered to be St. Olaf College students whether they are registered for on-campus course work or off-campus programs through St. Olaf College. If you are participating in an off-campus program but plan to spend a short time on campus, a temporary permit must be obtained for that period of time. Registered students are not considered visitors to St. Olaf College.

1. Move-In Process (Sat. Aug. 30 – Wed. Sept. 3, 2008)

To facilitate the move-in process, students will be allowed to park next to their residence hall (i.e. fire lanes) for a period not to exceed one (1) hour. Immediately after unloading the vehicle, students must park in their assigned area designated by the parking permit. All Semester I student vehicles without a current parking permit must be parked in the Skoglund lot, Lot I or Lot J and a parking permit must be applied for immediately. Non-permit vehicles parked anywhere other than the Skoglund lot, Lot I or Lot J, will be ticketed. All student vehicles must display a current parking permit by Thursday, September 4, 2008 for Semester I and be parked in their assigned area. At all other times, permits must be obtained prior to bringing a vehicle to campus. Throughout the year, short-term parking (less than 15 minutes) will be permitted near the residence halls only if the emergency flashers are displayed.

2. Permit Application Information

Students requiring a parking permit must submit the following information to the Parking Office for a student parking permit to be considered by the Parking Office:

a. Complete written application

b. Photocopy of the current annual motor vehicle registration (Note: In order for a student                             permit to be issued, the vehicle must be registered to the student or his/her                                                  parents/guardian)

c. Other required documentation depending on the category (see section 3. Qualification                                         Categories for other required documentation)

Applications are available at the Parking Office located in the lower level of the Administration Building. Permit application and issuance dates for 2006-2007 and 2007-2008 are as follows:

For 2008 – 2009 permits:

Application Dates: Tues. Sept. 2 through Thur. Sept. 4, 2008

Applications Due: 3:00 pm on Thur. Sept. 4, 2008

Permit Issuance: Fri. Sept.5, 2008

* Note: Students who applied during April 2008 for 2008-2009 may pick up their permits during               the week of Sept. 2 – 5.
           
Early Bird Applications for 2009 – 2010:

Applications Available: Wednesday April 15

Students who find it necessary to apply for a parking permit subsequent to the general application period, must submit their completed application information a minimum of 24 hours prior to issuance of a parking permit and prior to bringing a vehicle to St. Olaf. Falsifying information on the permit application will automatically result in denial or revocation of the permit. Students should apply for permits needed for either or all of Semester I, Interim and Semester II at the same time. Student parking permits will only be issued within specialized categories based on qualifications.  To accommodate extraordinary circumstances when a student must unexpectedly bring a permit eligible vehicle to campus or change vehicles during hours when the Parking Office is closed, the student must park the vehicle in the Skoglund Lot and contact the Public Safety Officer on duty at extension 3666 to obtain a temporary parking permit. Failure to follow this procedure could result in the vehicle being ticketed. A student vehicle found parked on campus without a current permit will face disciplinary action.

3. Qualification Categories

1. Academic – Nursing Practicums, Student Teaching, Ed. 290 & 330, or an off-campus senior project. Applications will require a letter on official department stationery signed by the student’s professor or advisor stating the reason and length of time the permit will be needed. Qualifications will be determined with specific departments.
2. Commuter  – Students living off-campus.
3. Medical– Medical permits will be issued on a short term, as needed only basis. Medical permits require a letter on official stationery signed by the attending physician, explaining the disability and length of time a permit will be needed.
4. Work – Students must be employed off-campus, earning more than $70.00 or working more than 12 hours per week. A copy of your latest pay check stub must accompany your application to verify employment. Work permits will be valid only as long as the employment continues and pay check stubs may be periodically requested. Resident Assistants do not qualify for work permits. The Parking Office reserves the right to contact employers to verify continued employment.
5. Service – Service permits require the student to volunteer at least 6 hours per week at a location in downtown Northfield or beyondand will be issued on a space available basis. Service permits will also require a letter on official stationery signed by the project supervisor, stating the reason and length of time the permit will be needed. Service permits will be issued on a space available basis.
6. Storage – Subject to space availability, students living beyond a two hundred mile radius from campus may apply for a storage permit. Any student car displaying a storage permit found parked in an area other than their assigned lot on any day, will be ticketed. A third violation of this nature in a semester will cause the student to lose his/her parking privileges for the remainder of the year.  Interim and Semester II are combined and considered one semester.
7. Temporary – Subject to space availability, temporary permits may be issued for a maximum of fourteen (14) days. Temporary permits can be obtained at the Parking Office during business hours. There is a charge for temporary permits which will be applied toward the cost of a semester long permit, if desired and approved. Normally, temporary permits will not be granted more than twice each semester, but exceptions may be granted by the Parking Office Coordinator.

4. Senior Permits

Parking permit consideration will be extended to senior students after Fall Break for Semester I, during Interim and after Spring Break for Semester II as space allows for purposes of graduate school and/or employment interviews on a first-come, first served basis. Interested seniors should contact the Parking Office and have their name placed on the waiting list prior to the respective term. Application should be made under the “Academic” category. When spaces are exhausted, no additional permits will be issued.

5. Student Parking Areas

Student parking assignments are designated by the type of permit issued to the student. The Parking Office may modify the lot assignments each term as space availability dictates. The types of parking permits available and the corresponding parking areas are as follows:

Commuter Permit – Lot H (West of the Thompson House), across from Hilleboe/Kittlesby and in Lot C (formerly the Mohn Hall basketball courts)
Honor/Language Houses – Honor or Language house driveway designated on the permit.
Lincoln Lot Permit – Lincoln Lot only (East of Manitou Field).
Skoglund Permit – Skoglund Lot only.
Storage Permit –  Lot J or Lot I only.
Temporary Permit – Northern row in the Skoglund Lot (as indicated by signage).
Motorcycle Permit – Permitted areas on campus.

Note: All student vehicles displaying a current honor house or Lincoln Lot permit will be permitted to park in Lot B (except spaces marked “reserved”) and the Old Main/Holland Hall lots from 6:00 PM to 6:00 AM during the academic year only.

6. Permit Costs

Permits are purchased at the Parking Office at the time the permit is issued. Revocation of a parking permit for violations of the Motor Vehicle Policy will not entitle the student to a refund of the permit cost. A $10.00 fee will be charged to replace any permit reported lost.  Parking fees for student permits, including Minnesota sales tax, are as follows: