2023 Residential Parking Permit Pilot Program Update
April 2023 Board Decision - ECCO Board remain neutral on the Pilot Parking Program project.
2019 Proposed Residential Parking Permit Pilot Program
The ECCO Neighborhood Association had petitioned the City of Lincoln for the creation of a Parking Permit District. A pilot permit parking program can only be implemented with the support of a majority of neighborhood residents. If you support the proposed residential parking permit pilot program, please sign the petition to indicate your support. If sufficient support can be verified, the petition will be forwarded.
Boundaries of the Proposed Parking District:
• North – Holdrege Street
• South – MoPac Trail
• East – 43rd Street
• West – 33rd Street
Hours -- Restricted parking days/hours are proposed for Monday – Friday – 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM – permits would be required to park in the Parking District during these days/times.
Cost of Program -- Residents of the district will have to purchase a parking permit for each vehicle which they park on the street in the district. They would also be able to purchase temporary visitor permits.
Download additional information:
residential_parking_permit_pilot_program_-_faq_updated_1-2020.pdf
residential_parking_permit_program_-_2019_pilot_frequently_asked_questions.pdf
residential_parking_permit_program_-_2019_pilot_application_document.pdf
The ECCO Neighborhood Association had petitioned the City of Lincoln for the creation of a Parking Permit District. A pilot permit parking program can only be implemented with the support of a majority of neighborhood residents. If you support the proposed residential parking permit pilot program, please sign the petition to indicate your support. If sufficient support can be verified, the petition will be forwarded.
Boundaries of the Proposed Parking District:
• North – Holdrege Street
• South – MoPac Trail
• East – 43rd Street
• West – 33rd Street
Hours -- Restricted parking days/hours are proposed for Monday – Friday – 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM – permits would be required to park in the Parking District during these days/times.
Cost of Program -- Residents of the district will have to purchase a parking permit for each vehicle which they park on the street in the district. They would also be able to purchase temporary visitor permits.
Download additional information:
residential_parking_permit_pilot_program_-_faq_updated_1-2020.pdf
residential_parking_permit_program_-_2019_pilot_frequently_asked_questions.pdf
residential_parking_permit_program_-_2019_pilot_application_document.pdf
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Regarding
Request for Creation of a Pilot Residential Parking Permit Program
within the ECCO Neighborhood
Note: Includes those questions brought up during the December 2019 Informational meeting below.
General Questions
Q During the Pilot Program period, are registered permit vehicles allowed to park anywhere other than where parking is not completely restricted (“No Parking Anytime” zones) during the permit days/hours?
A No. All current restrictions per current signs, would remain in place during the Pilot period. The difference would be that only registered, permitted vehicles would be allowed to park in those areas Monday – Friday from 8AM – 6PM, subject to the current restricted times, per current signage restrictions.
Q What is the proposed signage during the Pilot Program period, with the current signage remaining in place? How will the Pilot Program be apparent to those who are not permitted to park?
A Additional, temporary signage informing the public about the residential pilot permit zone will be installed by the City, notifying non-residents that parking is restricted to residents (registered vehicles) only.
Q Once the Pilot Program has been completed, and if it becomes permanent, will the current signage come down, and be replaced by the permit parking signage within the proposed boundaries?
A In general, yes. A sign review will be conducted to determine if an of the restriction signs need to remain, within the restricted residential zone, based on what is learned during the pilot period.
Q If the Pilot Program becomes permanent, will the 60% (boundary area) support criteria for submitting the Pilot Program for approval, ultimately override the previous 67% (per 300 feet on each street) that created the existing, varied restrictions/signage?
A Yes. The City has confirmed that the 60% support criteria of property owners signing the pilot program petition is proper for the pilot program. This will be double-checked with the City if/when the permanent program process is undertaken following the pilot program.
Q Would the Resident parking permit be for a person to park anywhere on the block of the home in which they are a resident, or only in front of their home?
A The Resident parking permit allows for parking anywhere within the Parking District boundaries.
Q Would a visitor be able to park anywhere with a Visitor permit, or would he/she be limited to the address associated with the resident providing the Visitor permit?
2
A The Visitor parking permit allows for parking anywhere within the Parking District boundaries.
Q How will the City verify that someone really lives at a particular address, and is a resident of the Parking District?
A The applicant must supply proof of residency. A driver’s license or utility bill, for example. [See expanded answer below, from December meeting.]
Q How will individuals be kept from selling or “lending” Visitor permits – particularly fraternity residents?
A All permits are handled digitally, and are issued for specific time frames, not to exceed two weeks. Eligible individuals can also register in person – but for specific time frames only as indicated. Fraternity residents will not be eligible for Visitor permits. Fraternity house parents would be eligible to register for Visitor permits.
Residents violating Permit Parking District rules could be subject to the loss of the right to receive a parking permit.
Q What is the cost of permits to the residents?
A At this point, the estimated potential cost indicated by the City is as follows – the final decision will be up to the City of Lincoln Parking Services Division. The goal is to keep the cost manageable for all residents. [See expanded answer below from December meeting.]
Q How many residences will it take for the City to move forward?
A The Potential Residential Parking Permit Program as proposed by the City reads, “Support for a parking district from 60% of the residences [within the parking district – not the entire neighborhood] is necessary for the City to consider the establishment of a parking district.”
Q How will multiple occupancy properties be counted in the 60% number? For instance, fraternities and apartments? Will this be property owners or “residences”?
A Each single-family home residence will be counted as “one”, whether owner or tenant-occupied.
Each multiple-unit home or apartment will count as “one” – the property owner will be counted as “one”.
Each fraternity building will count as “one” residence. The fraternity property owner will be counted as “one”.
Questions & Answers from December 2019 Informational Meeting
Visitor Permits
Q Could physical, paper visitor passes be printed out by residents & placed on dash of visitor vehicles?
3
A The City has responded that they believe a system can be developed that allows temporary (24-hour) visitor permits to be printed out by the resident. The dashboard permit is desirable for enforcement by LPD, as it would be simple for the parking enforcement officer to bypass those vehicles with valid dashboard printed visitor passes.
Q Will a visitor’s license plate that is entered into the system by instantly accessible to Parking Enforcement?
A Yes. As soon as the information is entered into the system and the permit is downloaded. This would allow someone to add a visitor relatively quickly, as needed.
Q How would regular visitors such as home health care providers be handled? Would they have to be constantly re-registered?
A Temporary (24-hour) visitor passes should be able to accommodate this need. Regular visitors of this type may need to have a different type of permit. Specifically what type of permit this ends up being, will need to be explored during the pilot permit period.
Q What about frequent visitors, for example, family or friends?
A Temporary visitor permits (24-hour) would apply. Potentially, a longer-term visitor permit could be developed, but would probably come with an associated cost to purchase.
Residents could also park in the street, as their vehicles are presumably registered, making room in their driveways for visitors who are not.
Similarly, fraternity members could also park in the street, as their vehicles are presumably registered, making room in their parking lots for visitors who are not.
Q How would patrons of neighborhood Garage Sales be handled?
A The City would request 72-hour advance notification of a large event of this type, to allow for a modification in enforcement. Registration of the event would mean that the individuals attending would not need to have individual passes. This would hold true for Garage Sales, but not for cookouts or parties. Those events would require visitor passes.
Other than Visitor Permits
Q Idylwild Park is in the proposed pilot permit parking district. How would parking for weekday park users be handled?
A Parking Services will coordinate with the Parks Department to ensure community access is not impeded.
Q Will the program be enforced on legal holidays that fall during the week? For example, Fourth of July with the ECCO neighborhood Parade; parking for residents’ guests attending during Thanksgiving and/or Christmas, etc.
A Legal Holidays currently listed in the Lincoln Municipal Code are exempt. These include: New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, July 4th, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas. It is important
4
to note that this does not include the day after Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, MLK Holiday, President’s Day, or any week day associated with Easter. Easter Sunday is, of course, exempt.
Q Will households with more vehicles than registered drivers be able to obtain additional permits? For example – 2-person household with 3 vehicles – so that any combination of the vehicles might be able to be parked in the street at various times as needed.
A The residents would be able to acquire the permits but it is yet to be determined if there will be a cost for any permits beyond the base number established.
Q How will residents of rental property be able to obtain proper registration? How would they prove that they live there? For example – one person is on the lease & utilities, but has 1-2 housemates who are not.
A Proof of residency is required. Acceptable forms of proof include utility bill, phone bill, cable bill, bank statement, or insurance statement which shows the resident’s name and address. A driver’s license is acceptable as well. In this case, a landlord’s declaration will be acceptable only as a last option. This option will be used for fraternities – the owner of the property will supply a list of vehicles three times per year (Spring, Summer, Fall semesters).
Cost
Q Is any definitive information yet known about the anticipated cost to residents other than that already contained in the FAQ document?
A During the pilot period, Parking Services will assume the cost of the permits; however, if/when a permanent program is created, the cost of the program, determined during the pilot, will be borne by the residents of the district who access the program. Even digital permit programs have a cost, however low it might be. It is anticipated that there will be increased administrative costs to monitor and enforce the program.
While there will be a lower number of vehicles parked in the proposed district, and enforcement may be simpler, it is doubtful that there will be a decrease in cost to the City. This is another reason for the pilot – to help determine the actual costs of administering the program.
Parking Services will work with the community to ensure that the cost of a permanent program will be held to the absolute minimum, but it will not be completely free. All residents will qualify for a yet-to-be-determined number of permits, but the costs associated with permits for visitors and large events will be passed on to the individuals hosting the events. Again, the cost should be minimal, but it will not be free.
General
Q If the pilot program is put into place, and the decision is made to move forward to create a permanent pilot parking district, will a second petition effort need to be completed?
A Yes. Any updates based upon feedback during the pilot program would be incorporated into the final application, and a second petition would need to be signed and submitted for consideration and approval by the City, and ultimately, the City Council.
5
Q What about 44th Street? Can the pilot parking district be expanded to include this street – parking is a problem for these ECCO residents as well.
A Yes. The intention is not to exclude any streets where residents feel they are also affected by the commuter parking issue. Following the completion of the pilot program, it is possible to incorporate 44th Street or any additional streets in the permanent district (as long as they are contiguous with the current proposed pilot district, per City requirements), that are experiencing issues. For the pilot program, the City already feels that we have a big task ahead due to the size of the proposed area of approximately 500 residents/property owners in order to complete the petition process, so we had to limit the initial boundaries in the hopes of increasing the probability of being able to complete the pilot program successfully.
Regarding
Request for Creation of a Pilot Residential Parking Permit Program
within the ECCO Neighborhood
Note: Includes those questions brought up during the December 2019 Informational meeting below.
General Questions
Q During the Pilot Program period, are registered permit vehicles allowed to park anywhere other than where parking is not completely restricted (“No Parking Anytime” zones) during the permit days/hours?
A No. All current restrictions per current signs, would remain in place during the Pilot period. The difference would be that only registered, permitted vehicles would be allowed to park in those areas Monday – Friday from 8AM – 6PM, subject to the current restricted times, per current signage restrictions.
Q What is the proposed signage during the Pilot Program period, with the current signage remaining in place? How will the Pilot Program be apparent to those who are not permitted to park?
A Additional, temporary signage informing the public about the residential pilot permit zone will be installed by the City, notifying non-residents that parking is restricted to residents (registered vehicles) only.
Q Once the Pilot Program has been completed, and if it becomes permanent, will the current signage come down, and be replaced by the permit parking signage within the proposed boundaries?
A In general, yes. A sign review will be conducted to determine if an of the restriction signs need to remain, within the restricted residential zone, based on what is learned during the pilot period.
Q If the Pilot Program becomes permanent, will the 60% (boundary area) support criteria for submitting the Pilot Program for approval, ultimately override the previous 67% (per 300 feet on each street) that created the existing, varied restrictions/signage?
A Yes. The City has confirmed that the 60% support criteria of property owners signing the pilot program petition is proper for the pilot program. This will be double-checked with the City if/when the permanent program process is undertaken following the pilot program.
Q Would the Resident parking permit be for a person to park anywhere on the block of the home in which they are a resident, or only in front of their home?
A The Resident parking permit allows for parking anywhere within the Parking District boundaries.
Q Would a visitor be able to park anywhere with a Visitor permit, or would he/she be limited to the address associated with the resident providing the Visitor permit?
2
A The Visitor parking permit allows for parking anywhere within the Parking District boundaries.
Q How will the City verify that someone really lives at a particular address, and is a resident of the Parking District?
A The applicant must supply proof of residency. A driver’s license or utility bill, for example. [See expanded answer below, from December meeting.]
Q How will individuals be kept from selling or “lending” Visitor permits – particularly fraternity residents?
A All permits are handled digitally, and are issued for specific time frames, not to exceed two weeks. Eligible individuals can also register in person – but for specific time frames only as indicated. Fraternity residents will not be eligible for Visitor permits. Fraternity house parents would be eligible to register for Visitor permits.
Residents violating Permit Parking District rules could be subject to the loss of the right to receive a parking permit.
Q What is the cost of permits to the residents?
A At this point, the estimated potential cost indicated by the City is as follows – the final decision will be up to the City of Lincoln Parking Services Division. The goal is to keep the cost manageable for all residents. [See expanded answer below from December meeting.]
Q How many residences will it take for the City to move forward?
A The Potential Residential Parking Permit Program as proposed by the City reads, “Support for a parking district from 60% of the residences [within the parking district – not the entire neighborhood] is necessary for the City to consider the establishment of a parking district.”
Q How will multiple occupancy properties be counted in the 60% number? For instance, fraternities and apartments? Will this be property owners or “residences”?
A Each single-family home residence will be counted as “one”, whether owner or tenant-occupied.
Each multiple-unit home or apartment will count as “one” – the property owner will be counted as “one”.
Each fraternity building will count as “one” residence. The fraternity property owner will be counted as “one”.
Questions & Answers from December 2019 Informational Meeting
Visitor Permits
Q Could physical, paper visitor passes be printed out by residents & placed on dash of visitor vehicles?
3
A The City has responded that they believe a system can be developed that allows temporary (24-hour) visitor permits to be printed out by the resident. The dashboard permit is desirable for enforcement by LPD, as it would be simple for the parking enforcement officer to bypass those vehicles with valid dashboard printed visitor passes.
Q Will a visitor’s license plate that is entered into the system by instantly accessible to Parking Enforcement?
A Yes. As soon as the information is entered into the system and the permit is downloaded. This would allow someone to add a visitor relatively quickly, as needed.
Q How would regular visitors such as home health care providers be handled? Would they have to be constantly re-registered?
A Temporary (24-hour) visitor passes should be able to accommodate this need. Regular visitors of this type may need to have a different type of permit. Specifically what type of permit this ends up being, will need to be explored during the pilot permit period.
Q What about frequent visitors, for example, family or friends?
A Temporary visitor permits (24-hour) would apply. Potentially, a longer-term visitor permit could be developed, but would probably come with an associated cost to purchase.
Residents could also park in the street, as their vehicles are presumably registered, making room in their driveways for visitors who are not.
Similarly, fraternity members could also park in the street, as their vehicles are presumably registered, making room in their parking lots for visitors who are not.
Q How would patrons of neighborhood Garage Sales be handled?
A The City would request 72-hour advance notification of a large event of this type, to allow for a modification in enforcement. Registration of the event would mean that the individuals attending would not need to have individual passes. This would hold true for Garage Sales, but not for cookouts or parties. Those events would require visitor passes.
Other than Visitor Permits
Q Idylwild Park is in the proposed pilot permit parking district. How would parking for weekday park users be handled?
A Parking Services will coordinate with the Parks Department to ensure community access is not impeded.
Q Will the program be enforced on legal holidays that fall during the week? For example, Fourth of July with the ECCO neighborhood Parade; parking for residents’ guests attending during Thanksgiving and/or Christmas, etc.
A Legal Holidays currently listed in the Lincoln Municipal Code are exempt. These include: New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, July 4th, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas. It is important
4
to note that this does not include the day after Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, MLK Holiday, President’s Day, or any week day associated with Easter. Easter Sunday is, of course, exempt.
Q Will households with more vehicles than registered drivers be able to obtain additional permits? For example – 2-person household with 3 vehicles – so that any combination of the vehicles might be able to be parked in the street at various times as needed.
A The residents would be able to acquire the permits but it is yet to be determined if there will be a cost for any permits beyond the base number established.
Q How will residents of rental property be able to obtain proper registration? How would they prove that they live there? For example – one person is on the lease & utilities, but has 1-2 housemates who are not.
A Proof of residency is required. Acceptable forms of proof include utility bill, phone bill, cable bill, bank statement, or insurance statement which shows the resident’s name and address. A driver’s license is acceptable as well. In this case, a landlord’s declaration will be acceptable only as a last option. This option will be used for fraternities – the owner of the property will supply a list of vehicles three times per year (Spring, Summer, Fall semesters).
Cost
Q Is any definitive information yet known about the anticipated cost to residents other than that already contained in the FAQ document?
A During the pilot period, Parking Services will assume the cost of the permits; however, if/when a permanent program is created, the cost of the program, determined during the pilot, will be borne by the residents of the district who access the program. Even digital permit programs have a cost, however low it might be. It is anticipated that there will be increased administrative costs to monitor and enforce the program.
While there will be a lower number of vehicles parked in the proposed district, and enforcement may be simpler, it is doubtful that there will be a decrease in cost to the City. This is another reason for the pilot – to help determine the actual costs of administering the program.
Parking Services will work with the community to ensure that the cost of a permanent program will be held to the absolute minimum, but it will not be completely free. All residents will qualify for a yet-to-be-determined number of permits, but the costs associated with permits for visitors and large events will be passed on to the individuals hosting the events. Again, the cost should be minimal, but it will not be free.
General
Q If the pilot program is put into place, and the decision is made to move forward to create a permanent pilot parking district, will a second petition effort need to be completed?
A Yes. Any updates based upon feedback during the pilot program would be incorporated into the final application, and a second petition would need to be signed and submitted for consideration and approval by the City, and ultimately, the City Council.
5
Q What about 44th Street? Can the pilot parking district be expanded to include this street – parking is a problem for these ECCO residents as well.
A Yes. The intention is not to exclude any streets where residents feel they are also affected by the commuter parking issue. Following the completion of the pilot program, it is possible to incorporate 44th Street or any additional streets in the permanent district (as long as they are contiguous with the current proposed pilot district, per City requirements), that are experiencing issues. For the pilot program, the City already feels that we have a big task ahead due to the size of the proposed area of approximately 500 residents/property owners in order to complete the petition process, so we had to limit the initial boundaries in the hopes of increasing the probability of being able to complete the pilot program successfully.