Security & Parking

1600.510 SECURITY AND PARKING PROCEDURE

A. PURPOSE

Parking and traffic rules and regulations provide a fair and uniform method of regulating college vehicular, non-vehicular, and pedestrian traffic and are based on the following objectives:

1. To protect and control vehicular, non-vehicular, and pedestrian traffic.
2. To assure access for emergency equipment at all times.
3. To minimize traffic disturbances during class hours.
4. To facilitate the work of the college by ensuring access for college vehicles and by assigning the limited parking spaces to the most efficient use.
5. To protect college facilities.

Permission to park or operate a vehicle on college property is governed by these procedures and applicable state laws, rules and regulations. The purchase of a permit for designated parking does not ensure the regular availability of a parking space.

B. AUTHORITY

Pursuant to RCW 28B.50.140(10), the board of trustees is granted authority to establish rules and regulations for pedestrians and vehicular and non-vehicular traffic over property owned, operated and/or maintained by the college.

The enforcement of these rules and regulations shall be the responsibility of the security officer designated by the president through the facilities and operations office.

The security officer and designees are authorized to issue parking and traffic citations, impound and/or immobilize vehicles, and control and regulate facilities use, traffic, and parking as prescribed in these rules and regulations.

Any person interfering with a college security officer or designee in the discharge of the provisions of these rules and regulations shall be in violation of the law as defined in RCW 9A.76.020, Obstructing Governmental Operation, and may be subject to arrest by a peace officer.

Failure by students to abide by these rules and regulations may be considered to be a violation of the code of student conduct.

C. DEFINITIONS

College: Wenatchee Valley College, Community College District 15.

College Property: Campus property, parking lots, or land owned, leased, controlled or maintained by Wenatchee Valley College.

Immobilization: Rendering a vehicle inoperable by use of a wheel-lock device.

Impound: Removal of a vehicle to a storage facility.

Non-vehicular Modes of Transportation: Non-vehicular transportation devices shall include, but not be limited to, skateboards, snowmobiles, roller skates, roller blades, snow sleds, and scooters.

Pedestrian: Any person afoot or who is using a wheelchair or a means of conveyance propelled by human power, other than a bicycle.

Security Officer: The college administrator designated as responsible for managing college security, parking and traffic control.

Student: Any individual currently registered for classes located on college property.

Vehicular Traffic or Vehicles: Those devices defined as "vehicles" in RCW 46.04.670.

D. APPLICABLE TRAFFIC RULES AND REGULATIONS

The traffic regulations which are applicable upon state lands, including Wenatchee Valley College, are as follows:

1. The motor vehicle and other traffic laws of the state of Washington shall be applicable upon all lands located within the state of Washington.
2. The traffic code of the city of Wenatchee, Washington, shall be applicable upon all lands located within the city of Wenatchee, Washington. The traffic code for the city of Omak shall be applicable upon all lands located within the city of Omak.

E. SPEED

No vehicle shall be operated on the campus at a speed in excess of 10 miles per hour unless otherwise posted or such lower speed as is reasonable and prudent in the circumstances.

F. REGULATORY SIGNS AND DIRECTIONS

Drivers of vehicles shall obey regulatory signs posted by the college. Drivers of vehicles shall also comply with directions given them by officers of the college in the control and regulation of traffic.

G. PEDESTRIAN RIGHT OF WAY

1. The operator of a vehicle shall yield right of way, slowing down or stopping to yield to any pedestrian, but no pedestrian shall suddenly leave a curb or other place of safety and walk or run into the path of a vehicle which is so close that it is impossible or unsafe for the driver to yield.
2. Whenever any vehicle slows or stops so as to yield to pedestrian traffic, the operator of any other vehicle approaching from the rear shall not overtake and pass such vehicle.
3. Where a sidewalk is provided, pedestrians shall use the sidewalk.

H. IMPOUNDING, ILLEGAL PARKING, DISABLED OR INOPERATIVE OR ABANDONED VEHICLES

1. Vehicles which have been disabled, inoperative or abandoned may be impounded and stored following 24 hours’ notice posted at a conspicuous place on the vehicle.
2. Impound without notice: A vehicle may be impounded without notice to the owner or operator in the following circumstances:
   
   1. When in the judgment of the security officer the vehicle is obstructing or may impede the flow of traffic; or
   2. When in the judgment of the security officer the vehicle poses an immediate threat to public safety; or
   3. When a -person without a disability parks the vehicle in a designated area reserved for persons with a disability; or
   4. When three unpaid parking violations are on record for any one vehicle.
3. Impounding may be implemented by mechanical restraints to vehicles or by towing to an approved impounding agency or to another designated area of the college's parking lot.
4. Towing companies and/or impounding agencies will be selected on the basis of criteria developed by the college.
5. Any vehicle impounded shall be at the owner's and/or the operator's risk and expense.
6. Neither the college nor its employees shall be liable for loss or damage of any kind resulting from vehicle impounding and storage.

I. BICYCLES AND NON-VEHICULAR TRANSPORTATION USAGE

Bicycles may be ridden any place where vehicles are permitted. They may also be ridden on campus sidewalks or pathways, though pedestrians always have the right of way. An audible signal shall be used by bicyclists to warn pedestrians of oncoming bicycles. Bicyclists shall not ride in a reckless manner or engage in stunts or dangerous acts, or operate at speeds greater than five miles per hour or such speed as is reasonable and prudent under the circumstances. With the exception of wheelchair conveyances and certain college service vehicles, no other non-vehicular modes of transportation as specified in the preceding "definitions" will be allowed on college property.

Bicycles may be parked in bicycle racks or other facilities provided for the purpose. Where such facilities are provided, at no time shall a bicycle be parked in a building, against a building, near a building exit, on a path or sidewalk, or chained or otherwise secured to trees, lamp standards, utilities, stairway railings or sign posts. Any bicycle found in violation of this section may be cited for illegal parking and impounded by the security officer without warning.

J. REPORT OF ACCIDENTS

The operator of any vehicle involved in an accident on campus where injury or death of any person results, or where either or both vehicles is damaged in any amount, shall within 24 hours make a written report of the accident to WVC administration. This report does not relieve any person so involved in an accident from his or her responsibility to file a state of Washington motor vehicle accident report.

K. ENFORCEMENT

1. Enforcement of the parking rules and regulations will begin the first week of classes of fall quarter and will continue until the end of summer quarter. These rules and regulations will not be enforced Saturdays, Sundays and official college holidays.
2. The security officer or designee shall be responsible for the enforcement of the rules and regulations contained in this chapter.

L. PERMITS REQUIRED FOR MOTOR VEHICLES ON THE WENATCHEE CAMPUS

Students, employees, guests and visitors shall not stop, park or leave a vehicle whether attended or unattended upon the Wenatchee campus without a parking permit issued pursuant to this chapter, except visitors who park in specifically marked visitor areas and the other exemptions from traffic and parking restrictions set forth in this procedure.

Vehicles owned by a governmental agency, as evidenced by its license plate, are allowed to park on campus without a parking permit. Such vehicles are subject to all other parking and traffic regulations.

M. AUTHORIZATION FOR ISSUANCE OF PERMITS

Parking permits may be issued to students, employees, guests and visitors of the college as follows:

1. The chief administrative services officer is authorized to issue parking permits to students upon payment of the approved fee each academic period.
2. Employees may be issued parking permits upon payment of the approved fee quarterly or annually.
3. Daily parking permits may be purchased by any campus visitor from the parking permit machines in the parking lots. Daily permits are valid in all parking lots except visitor or reserved parking areas.
4. Temporary visitor parking permits or special parking permits may be issued by the chief administrative services officer or designee if issuance enhances the business or operation of the college.

N. PARKING FEES

Fees for parking in designated areas will be established by the board of trustees

O. VALID PERMITS

The following are valid parking permits, provided they are properly displayed and unexpired:

1. Student—purchased quarterly by a currently registered student.
2. Employee—purchased quarterly or annually by a current employee.
3. Special—issued at the discretion of the chief administrative services officer or designee.
4. Night student—purchased quarterly by a currently registered student and valid only after 5 p.m.
5. Motorcycle decal is available to currently registered students and employees with a valid current parking permit.
6. Residence Hall—available only to current residents of the residence hall.
7. Visitor—permit is issued at the discretion of the chief administrative services officer or designee.
8. Daily permit is purchased at a parking permit machine in the parking lots.
9. Reserved—purchased quarterly or annually by a current employee as space is available.
10. Handicapped—a special placard or license plate that identifies a person with a disability. RCW 46.19.10 and RCW 46.19.030

Any person who meets the criteria for special parking privileges under RCW 46.19.010 may park on campus free of charge for unlimited periods of time. RCW 46.61.582

P. DISPLAY OF PERMIT

1. Permits must be displayed hanging from the interior rear view mirror facing out of the vehicle. If the vehicle has no interior mirror, the permit shall be affixed to the driver side lower corner of the windshield.
2. Permits for motorcycles must be affixed to the motorcycle in a visible location.
3. A visitor parking permit or placard issued to a person with a disability that has no rearview mirror must be placed on the dashboard of the vehicle where it can be plainly observed.

Q. TRANSFER OF PERMITS

1. Parking permits are not transferable from one person to another.

R. PERMIT REVOCATION

College issued parking permits are the property of the college and may be recalled by the chief administrative services officer or designee for any of the following reasons:

1. When the purpose for which the permit was issued changes or no longer exists.
2. When a permit is used by an unauthorized individual.
3. Continued violations of parking regulations.
4. Counterfeiting or altering a parking permit.

S. RIGHT TO APPEAL PERMIT REVOCATION

When a parking permit has been recalled as provided by this chapter, such action may be appealed pursuant WAC 132W-109-050

T. RESPONSIBILITY OF PERMIT HOLDER

The permit holder is responsible for the vehicle to which the permit is affixed and will be held responsible for any violations charged to that vehicle. An operator of a vehicle will not be relieved of responsibility for violating any rule of this procedure simply because he or she is not also the permit holder.

U. RIGHT TO REFUSE PERMIT

The chief administrative services officer or designee may refuse to issue a parking permit when it is deemed in the best interests of the college to do so.

V. ALLOCATION OF PARKING SPACES

The parking space available on campus shall be allocated by the chief administrative services officer or designee in such a manner as will best effectuate the objectives of the security and parking policy.

1. Employee reserved spaces will be so designated for their use.
2. Student and employee spaces will be so designated for their use. Students and employees with disabilities may be granted special permits to park in closer proximity to their classrooms and/or worksite.
3. Parking spaces will be designated for use by visitors on campus.

W. PARKING WITHIN DESIGNATED SPACES

1. No vehicle shall be parked on the campus except in those areas set aside and designated.
2. Parking in designated areas will be strictly enforced between the hours of 7 a.m. and 8 p.m., Monday through Friday.
   
   1. Visitor parking is limited to 30 minute visitors only unless a courtesy day pass has been obtained. After 5 p.m. any vehicle with a valid parking permit is allowed to park in visitor parking. This does not include reserved parking which requires a reserved permit at all times.
   2. Vehicles displaying a valid state handicapped placard or license plate can park in all campus lots, including visitor. Reserved parking requires a reserved permit at all times. (RCW 46.61.582)
   3. Designated reserved parking spaces require a reserved permit at all times.
   4. Vehicles with reserved permits may park in any student/employee parking space during summer quarter and quarter breaks.
   5. Vehicle plug in spaces in Visitor Lot A may be used by an electric vehicle that is charging or is intending to charge. Electric vehicles are allowed to park in these spaces for the time necessary to reasonably obtain a charge. These spaces are available for students, employees and the public.
3. All vehicles shall follow traffic arrows and other markings established for the purpose of directing traffic on campus.
4. In areas marked for diagonal parking, vehicles will park with no part of the vehicle extending more than two feet beyond the painted line or barrier.
5. No vehicle shall be parked so as to occupy any portion of more than one space or stall as designated within the parking area. The fact that other vehicles may have been so parked as to require the vehicle parked to occupy a portion of more than one space or stall will not constitute an excuse for a violation of this section.
6. Vehicles authorized by a college officer to be on campus for official college business, will not be required to obey parking regulations when being used for a college purpose which requires nonconforming parking.

X. SPECIAL TRAFFIC AND PARKING REGULATIONS AUTHORIZED

In case of extraordinary events that create additional and/or heavy traffic and during emergencies, the chief administrative services officer or designee is authorized to impose additional traffic and parking regulations to achieve the objectives of the security and parking policy.

Y. ISSUANCE OF TRAFFIC CITATIONS

The security officer or designee may issue citations for any violations of these rules and regulations. Such citations shall include the date, approximate time, vehicle identification number, infraction, identification of the issuing officer and schedule of fines. The traffic citations may be served in person, by mail or by attaching a copy to a prominent place on the outside of the vehicle.

Z. FINES AND PENALTIES

The chief administrative services officer or designee is authorized to impose fines and penalties for the violation of rules and regulations contained in this procedure.

1. Citations may be issued for any of the following violations of the campus parking regulations:
   
   1. No valid parking permit displayed.
   2. Parking out of designated parking space.
   3. Parking in visitor spaces over 30 minutes.
   4. Occupying more than one parking space.
   5. Blocking traffic.
   6. Parking in a reserved or restricted area.
   7. Parking in a driveway or walkway.
   8. Parking on grass or landscaped area.
   9. Parking in a handicapped space without a valid handicapped placard or license plate.
   10. Use of forged, stolen, or transferred parking permits.
   11. Parking in a loading zone.
   12. Parked at an area designated as a fire lane.
   13. Parking with a reserved permit in a non-reserved parking space except during summer quarter and quarter breaks.
2. The chief administrative services officer or designee shall be authorized to impound vehicles parked on college property.
   
   1. Vehicles left abandoned on college property for an unreasonable duration are subject to impound by the college, pursuant to state law. An unreasonable duration is a period greater than five working days.
   2. Vehicles involved in more than two violations of these regulations within a 12-month period are subject to impound.
   3. Impound and storage expenses shall be borne by the owner of the impounded vehicle.
   4. The college shall not be liable for loss or damage of any kind resulting from such impound and storage.
   5. Impound of a vehicle does not remove the obligation for any fines associated with the citation.
3. An accumulation of traffic violations by a student will be cause for disciplinary action, and the chief administrative services officer or designee shall initiate disciplinary proceedings against such student pursuant to WAC 132W-109-050.
4. Fines will be paid at the cashier’s office.
5. Unpaid fines will be referred to the registration office for notation. When fines are unpaid, transcripts, quarterly grade reports or permission to reregister may be withheld.

AA. APPEAL OF FINES, PENALTIES OR PERMIT REVOCATION

Any fines and penalties levied against a violator of the rules and regulations in this procedure may be appealed pursuant to the provisions of WAC 132W-109-050.

AB. LIABILITY OF COLLEGE

Except for the college owned and/or operated vehicles, the college assumes no liability under any circumstances for vehicles on campus.

Approved by the president’s cabinet: 3/28/01, 3/19/13, 7/1/14, 11/1/16, 10/3/17
Name change approved by the president’s cabinet: 8/1/07
Presented to the board of trustees: 10/17/07, 5/15/13, 9/11/14, 11/30/16, 11/29/17
Last reviewed: __/__/__
Procedure contact: Administrative Services

Related policies and procedures
600.510 Security and Parking Policy