Parking Regulations, Permits and Enforcement (G/P)

Guideline/Procedure
3.0803.01.1
Effective date: 09/08/15

I.  General Provisions

  1. In accordance with the authority granted by the Texas Education Code, Subchapter E, Section 51.202, ACC has developed regulations to control parking, traffic and use of parking facilities; to provide for the purchase and issuance of parking permits; and to provide for jurisdiction over violations. Applicable laws of the State of Texas governing and regulating traffic are incorporated herein by reference. The operation of a motor vehicle on ACC property is a privilege, rather than a right granted by the College to use parking facilities, secure a parking permit, or drive on ACC property. ACC reserves the right to suspend or revoke this privilege. All vehicles operated on ACC property must meet legal requirements for operation on any street or roadway in the State of Texas.
  2. Regulation and enforcement of parking will be consistent college-wide as set forth by ACC Parking Rules and Regulations. These regulations will set forth specific rules governing student and employee parking privileges and specific sanctions and fines for violation of those rules by employees, students or the public.
  3. The ACC District Police Department shall enforce these regulations.
  4. All parking on ACC campuses/facilities is by permit only, unless otherwise noted in the Parking Rules and Regulations. All individuals enrolled in classes, workshops, and/or training at ACC (including credit, non-credit, continuing education, adult education, staff development, etc.) must display a valid parking permit. Permanent contract employees (ex. food services and bookstore staff) must have a valid parking permit.
  5. Visitors must sign a visitors’ log in at the District Police Office. Faculty, staff, students, and permanent contract employees are prohibited from parking in spaces reserved for visitors.
  6. Each driver on ACC property is responsible for knowing and following the laws and College regulations. The fact that a violation notice is not issued when a violation occurs does not imply that the regulation or law is not in effect. Enforcement of ACC Parking Rules and Regulations is based on the premise that any parking or traffic control device, sign, signal or marking that was in place at any location on the campus at the time a citation is issued, is official and has been installed by proper College authority and thereby constitutes direct evidence.
  7. The College assumes no responsibility for any vehicle or its content while the vehicle is parked or operated on College property.
  8. Suggestions for improvement to these regulations should be forwarded, in writing, to the ACC District Police Department. All suggestions will be considered and, if approved by the Environmental Health and Safety Committee, submitted to the Administrative Services Council for approval.

II.  Definitions

For the purposes of these parking and traffic regulations, the below listed terms shall mean:

  1. Abandoned Vehicle – is a motor vehicle, bicycle, or other conveyance parked on ACC property for more than five (5) days without being moved.
  2. ACC – Austin Community College.
  3. Campus – all property owned or controlled by Austin Community College.
  4. College – Austin Community College.
  5. Parking for Disabled Persons – spaces or areas reserved for any disabled individual who has obtained the appropriate (Placard) hang tag or license plate from the County Tax Assessor’s Office.
  6. Habitual Violator – any person receiving three (3) or more citations, one of which may be a warning notice, within one (1) academic year.
  7. Impound – towing, storage, and/or holding of a vehicle.
  8. Marked Parking Space – space defined by two (2) parallel lines or where otherwise designated.
  9. Motor Vehicles – all automobiles, buses, trucks, tractors, motorcycles, motor-scooters, motorbikes, and mopeds.
  10. Moving Violations – moving traffic law violations as defined by the State of Texas.
  11. No Parking Zones – all areas not specifically designated for parking, to include yellow curbs, fire lanes, construction or loading zones, service delivery, and bus zones.
  12. Parking Permit – A hang tag or self-adhering decal issued by ACC authorizing the motor vehicle properly displaying the permit to be lawfully parked within designated areas. The purchase and display of the permit serves as proper registration.
  13. Reserved Parking – spaces or areas identified by signs and/or pavement markings that are enforced during campus operating hours, unless otherwise noted.
  14. Restricted Parking – areas reserved for use by holders of designated permits.
  15. Revoke – removing an individual’s privilege to drive or park on ACC property.
  16. Suspend/Suspension – temporarily interrupting an individual’s privilege to drive or park on ACC property for up to one (1) year.
  17. Visitors – are persons other than students, faculty members, staff members, approved permanent contract employees, or employees of ACC.
  18. Violation Notice – a form giving a warning, and giving notice to a person, that an administrative or criminal charge has been filed, requiring payment of a fine, or summoning the individual to court.
  19. Warning Notice – a citation giving notice to a person that a parking or traffic regulation has been violated. A warning notice does not result in a fine.

III. Parking Permit Rules and Regulations

A.  Types of Parking Permits

    1. Student Permits – Any student registered at ACC (for credit, non-credit, continuing education, adult education, staff development, etc.) is eligible to purchase a student parking permit. Hourly employees, permanent contract employees, and work-study students are eligible for student parking permits only.
    2. Faculty/Staff Permits – All faculty (full-time and adjunct) and staffing-table employees are eligible for faculty/staff parking permits.
    3. Green Car Permits – Information concerning permits and parking may be found at: http://www.austincc.edu/offices/environmental-stewardship/go-green/transportation/greencar.
    4. Carpool Permits – Information concerning permits, eligibility, guidelines, and application may be found at:
      http://www.austincc.edu/offices/environmental-stewardship/go-green/transportation/carpool.

 B.  Registration of Vehicles for Permits

    1. All vehicles parked in an ACC campus/facility parking lot at any time must properly display a valid parking permit, except in the case of special events approved in advance by the ACC District Police Department.
    2. Parking permits are purchased online at:
      http://www.austincc.edu/locations/transportation-and-parking/obtain-a-parking-permit.
    3. Parking permits are valid for one academic year, September 1 – August 31. Employees or students may purchase a maximum of two (2) permits per academic year. Parking permits are valid at all ACC campus/facilities locations.
    4. A parking permit hang tag may be used in multiple vehicles if all vehicles have been registered online to the same individual.
    5. Parking rules and regulations can be obtained at any ACC District Police Office or on the web at: http://www.austincc.edu/police/.

C.  Permit Regulations

    1. A parking permit is no guarantee of a parking space. Each driver is responsible for finding a legal parking space. Lack of space is no excuse for violating any parking regulation.
    2. A parking permit may not be purchased for or displayed by an individual ineligible to receive the permit. The College will suspend the parking privileges for a period of one year of individuals who violate this regulation.

D.  Parking for Persons with a Disability

All operators with a disability must obtain and properly display a valid ACC parking permit in addition to their valid disabled placard. ACC will follow the State law regarding parking for persons with a disability. . Operators with a disability may park in any non-reserved space provided their vehicle displays a valid disabled license plate issued by the State of Texas or their disabled placard is properly displayed in their vehicle and clearly visible from the outside.

E.  Parking for Veterans

Veterans who park on ACC campus/facilities and have been awarded one of the following awards are exempt from paying for a parking permit; however, they are required to obtain a permit. The following awards are accepted: Disabled Veteran, Medal of Honor, Purple Heart, Distinguished Service Cross, Navy Cross, Pearl Harbor Survivor, and Former Prisoner of War.

Examples of proof of awards are: a current Texas Department of Motor Vehicle’s receipt showing license plate type issued or other supporting documentation such as a DD-214 that shows the medal was awarded to the student or employee requesting the waiver. Proof of awards must be provided when picking up the permit(s).

F.  Permit Fee

Fees for parking permits are located at: http://www.austincc.edu/locations/transportation-and-parking/parking-regulations-permits-and-enforcement. The fee for an employee’s parking permit is based on their status listed in the employment classification in Human Resource records. There are no refunds for parking permits, except as noted in Section G below.

G.  Student Parking Permit Fee Refund

To request a refund, a student must complete a parking refund request form at: http://www3.austincc.edu/it/eforms/forms_int/CAPO.001.pdf. The Student Accounting office may remove parking permit fee charges under the following situations:

    1. The student had all classes canceled.
    2. The student was dropped for non-payment.
    3. The student dropped classes prior to the start of the term.

IV.  Enforcement

 A.  Policy and Procedures

    1. All laws of the State of Texas, ordinances of the applicable municipality, and rules and regulations of ACC, are in effect on the campuses 24 hours a day and will be enforced by the ACC District Police Department
    2. Campus speed limits are ten (10) miles per hour unless otherwise posted.

B.  Types of Citations

    1. The ACC District Police Department may issue three types of citations for violations of parking and traffic regulations:
      1. ACC Citation – a violation notice subject to a fine in accordance with the fine schedule noted in Section IV.B.4 below.
      2. ACC Warning – a citation giving notice to a person that a parking or traffic regulation has been violated. A warning notice does not result in a fine. An ACC warning contains the following language:
        “This warning is being issued because you are in violation of one or more of ACC’s parking regulations. Any subsequent violation will result in a citation and fine.”
      3. Court Appearance Citation – a summons to appear in either Municipal Court or a Justice of the Peace Court.
    2. ACC District Police Warning Statement – ACC District Police Officers have the discretion to issue warning notices.
    3. Any Police Officer may, within their appropriate jurisdiction, issue a citation for any violation of State law or City ordinance.
    4. Citation fines are listed at: http://www.austincc.edu/locations/transportation-andparking/parking-regulations-permits-and-enforcement.
    5. Citations issued for Municipal Court or Justice of the Peace Courts will result in fines as decreed by the courts.
    6. Fines will be assessed for each violation.
    7. College Administrative Violation Notice Payments
      1. Payments must be made within twelve (12) days of the date the Notice was issued.
      2. Online payments may be made by credit card, debit card, or personal electronic check. Cash payments may be made at the cashier’s office.
      3. Payments not made within twelve (12) days will result in a hold being placed against registration, transcript requests, or refunds. Lack of payment also may result in suspension of parking privileges.
    8. When a person is charged with a violation of any provision of these regulations, proof that the vehicle was, on the date of the offense, bearing a valid college parking permit is direct evidence that the holder of the permit or owner received the Violation Notice and committed the violation.
    9. If the student has the same family name or home address as the registered owner of a vehicle for which a Violation Notice has been issued, the Violation Notice and accompanying violation charges will be recorded in the student’s name.
    10. Unpaid charges for parking violations are recorded in either:
      1. The name of the person who previously purchased a parking permit,
      2. name of the purchaser of the permit displayed,
      3. The name of the person who has previously paid violation charges on the vehicle, or
      4. The name of the owner or driver.

C.  Parking Violations

    1. No parking permit displayed or improper display of a parking permit.
    2. Parking in a No-Parking Zone
      1. Parked where prohibited by signs, painted curbs, or lines.
      2. Parked where there exists no marked space except for temporary area(s) created by the ACC District Police for emergencies or exigent circumstances.
      3. Parked on grass, grounds, lawn, turf, or any unapproved ground which has not been specifically designated for parking.
      4. Parked in a fire zone.
      5. Parked in a bus zone.
    3. Parking in a Reserved Space or Area
      1. Parked illegally within a designated reserved space and/or area.
      2. Parked illegally within any barricaded or controlled space and/or area.
      3. Parked illegally in a reserved space and/or area not authorized by the type of permit displayed.
      4. Parked in a designated time space or loading zone beyond allotted time or without proper permit.
      5. Parked in Spaces Reserved for Persons with Disabilities.
      6. Parked in a marked Disabled Person space without properly displaying a disabled license plate or placard (hang tag) issued by the County Tax Assessor.
      7. Violation Notices will be dismissed when operator produces valid disabled placard or license plate receipts reflecting disabled status.
    4. Blocking Drive, Sidewalk, or Exit
      1. Parked in a manner that obstructs or impairs proper usage of sidewalks, driveways, streets, ramps, loading docks, marked crosswalks, or disabled access.
      2. Parked in a manner as to prevent, impair, or obstruct other vehicles from entering or exiting parking lots, parking spaces, or access streets entering and exiting the campus.
    5. Parallel Parking on Two-Way Streets and Roadways
      1. Parked in a manner that obstructs two-way flow of traffic on any street or roadway.
      2. Failure to park with right-hand wheels within 18 inches of the curb.
    6. Failure to Park within the Boundaries of a Marked Space
      1. Failure of one (1) vehicle to park within the marked boundaries is not implied consent for others to park with any part of the vehicle over the line or outside the marked boundary.
    7. Double Parked
      1. Stopping, standing, or parking a vehicle on the roadway side of any vehicle parked at the edge or curb of a street or parking lot.

V.  Penalties and Sanctions

  1. In addition to fees for parking or traffic violations, parking privileges may be suspended for a period up to one (1) year for habitual violators. Suspension of parking privileges may also occur for any violation carrying suspension as a specific penalty. Appeals of suspensions of parking privileges will be decided by the Parking Appeals Committee after reviewing recommendations from the ACC District Police Department.
  2. An individual who has unpaid violation charges shall be denied enrollment to ACC courses until charges are paid. Official transcripts and refunds also shall be withheld for any individual who has unpaid violation charges.
  3. Appeals of Violation Notices
    1. The ACC District Police Department will appoint a Parking Appeals Committee, consisting of representatives from faculty, staff, and students. This committee is charged with the responsibility to determine if the violation was issued or performed in accordance with the established parking and traffic rules and regulations. The findings of this committee are final.
    2. A person who receives a Violation Notice may request an appeal. The appeal form can be obtained from and filed with any ACC District Police Office.
    3. All requests for appeals must be written on the prescribed form and filed no later than ten (10) days from the issuance date of the Violation Notice. The Violation Notice or a copy of the notice must be attached to the appeal form. A person who fails to file the request within this time period waives the right to appeal.
    4. The Parking Appeals Committee may summon the officer who issued the Violation Notice if he/she is available to assist the committee.
    5. All appeals will be heard within 30 days.

VI.  Bicycle, Motorcycle, Motor Scooter, and Moped Parking Regulations

In accordance with Texas State law, operators of bicycles, motorcycles, motor scooters, and mopeds shall be subject to all the laws and duties applicable to the driver of a motor vehicle while on any ACC campus/facilities.

  1. Parking of bicycles is restricted to designated areas or bicycle racks.
  2. Parking of motorcycles, motor scooters, or mopeds is restricted to areas or spaces marked or designated for these type vehicles.
  3. Any of these vehicles found parked illegally and creating a potential safety hazard may be impounded or cited.

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