Chula Vista’s new College Estates parking district is in full effect and Southwestern College students who try to leave their cars in the neighborhood face a $47.50 fine.
Some SWC students said they did not know it is now illegal to park in College Estates, the 50-year-old subdivision across Otay Lakes Road.
Gloria Jimenez said on her first day of school she was told by a College Estates resident that she would be fined if she parked in front of the resident’s home.
“I had heard from my friends that the only way to park for free was to park across the street and just walk to my classes,” said Jimenez. “It seemed cheap and easy, so I parked there. When I got out my car this lady ran across her lawn and yelled at me that she was going to call the cops on me if I didn’t move my car. I parked on campus after and thank God it was free. It was all really crazy for a first day.”
Chula Vista city officials established the parking district in February after years of complaints from College Estates homeowners about congestion, noise, profanity and public urination by SWC students.
It is now illegal to park without a special permit among the 250 houses running through the 1600 block of Columbia, Gotham, Yale and Elmhurst Street to the eastern boundary of Vassar Avenue. Forham, Xavier and Wayne along with the 1600 block of Harvard Street and Ithaca Street are included. Permitted times run Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Owners of cars without the sticker permits on their dashboards will be cited and fined.
Bill Valle, Chula Vista Assistant Director of Engineering, said the first week of school would be rowdier and would need a “greater presence” from both the campus and city police departments. Citations were not issued until August 23. August 22, the first day pf fall classes, was a grace period, said Valle.
College Estates homeowner Bob Muff said he was happy with the support of SWC’s campus police for bringing “peace on the streets.”
“There wasn’t any enforcement on Monday, the first day, it was like nothing had ever been posted,” he said. “I made a few phone calls to the city and they started enforcing on Tuesday and gave out 60 to 75 citations. A lot were written the rest of that week.
It’s been pretty good there are a couple of renegades around here every day, but for the most part it’s clear. There is not as much trash and it’s quieter. We finally have our streets back.”
SWCPD Sergeant Jorge Sanchez said campus police sent emails to students about the parking district prior to fall classes. He said SWCPD extended a two-week grace period that allowed free parking on campus to give students time to purchase a school permit.
Sanchez said the campus police would help out with enforcement in College Estates, but primary responsibility rests with the city of Chula Vista.
“We will assist in citing folks if the time permits us to go across the street,” he said, “but our primary responsibility is to the college before anything else.”
Sanchez said money from fines for citations issued by SWC campus police comes back to the college, not the city of Chula Vista.
SWC administration allows students receiving the Board of Governors Fee Waiver to buy the $40 permits for $20.
Sanchez said that may be temporary.
“There is some discussion going on that we are limited with parking,” he said. “We are trying to accommodate folks, but people have to understand that times are changing and and they may have to pay a little bit more than what they normally do, but they are not going to pay anymore than they would have if they would go to another institution.”
Sanchez said the construction of the new Wellness and Aquatics Complex may force the college to build a parking garage on campus.
“I think the governing board, the faculty and the ASO really need to prioritize what we need to accommodate the amount of students that are coming here,” he said. “Otherwise we are going to have problems. You don’t want to drive around 20 or 30 minutes looking for a spot just because of all this construction going on. Now you’re late for class and you got to deal with your instructor. You know it’s not a good way to start a semester. People need to get serious about how we are going to fund this parkade, if in fact that’s the route we want to go. I truly believe we need one.”