Archival News Release
This is an outdated document posted here for archival purposes. Click "News Releases" at left for current releases.
Download a PDF of this document
February 4, 2011
Valencia Campus Parking Situation for Spring 2011
The Library construction project has resulted in the loss of nearly 400 student and staff spaces in parking lot #15 on the College of the Canyons Valencia campus. The loss of parking spaces on a busy campus like ours is always of concern to faculty, staff and students -- but particularly during the first few weeks of spring and fall semesters. We want everyone to be informed about the situation and some of the steps we have taken -- and we hope YOU will take -- to help us get through this period.
Q. When will the biggest impact on parking occur?
A. The Library construction project is expected to be completed by Fall 2012, so the reduced number of parking spaces will remain over that period. Even on completion, about 120 of those spaces will be permanently lost since the new building will occupy that area. On a practical level, however, the first three weeks of any semester is the time of greatest impact since students come to the campus at times other than their planned class times to conduct other business such as: add/drop; bookstore purchases; financial aid transactions; counseling sessions; and the like.
Q. What are you doing to compensate for this?
A. We have taken a number of steps to alleviate the parking situation:
- We have communicated in advance to students via email and other means that parking, during construction of the Library will be impacted.
- We have asked students to consider:
- carpools
- public transit
- ride bikes
- work out some other creative plans to get to campus in order to reduce the number of cars on campus.
- We have also contracted for additional off-campus parking for the first three weeks of the semester (when traditionally demand for parking is heaviest) at 26877 Tourney Road across Valencia Boulevard from the campus in the Borax Building parking structure. Shuttle vans will circulate between this location and the campus between 8:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. each day. The final day of this service is Thursday, Feb. 24.
- We have replaced nearly 200 staff-only parking spaces in lot #2 off Rockwell Canyon Road with parking for students who have jobs as “college assistants” -- relieving some pressure on other student lots.
- We have created some new, temporary, staff-only parking spaces near the Student Support Center and the old Academy of the Canyons.
- We are adding some additional, temporary spaces by re-striping some areas where parking was previously not permitted.
- For the long term we will schedule more classes at the Canyon Country campus, spread classes evenly throughout the day, and offer more online courses.
Q. Will I need a parking permit for the off-campus lot?
A. No
Q. If the college knew this situation was coming, why hasn’t it built a parking structure?
A. While a parking structure has been discussed by the administration on and off over the past few years, we have not been able to overcome some obstacles such as funding (the state won’t fund parking structures) and with the economy the way it is now, we can’t responsibly incur the debt required to take out a loan to build such a structure.
Q. What do I do if I can’t find parking and an instructor drops me because I missed the first session?
A. Hopefully, forewarned is forearmed and students will do everything they can to be on time for the first meetings of their classes. We have asked instructors to be “understanding” for special circumstances, and to wait until at least half way through the class before taking role. However, many will expect students to take their responsibilities seriously and do whatever is necessary to get to campus early so they can avoid unnecessary complications.
Q. What about tickets? Will there be ticketing?
A. Yes, Campus Safety will continue to cite cars that are parked :
- outside of a marked space
- in a staff lot without a permit
- alongside red curbs
- in spaces reserved for staff
- and in disabled spaces without a permit.
Campus Safety is generally lenient during the first week of instruction, particularly for those who may not have had time to purchase their student permit.
|
