Avoiding parking violations

For students who brought a car with them to college, the parking situation can be confusing and expensive; however, if students understand the different violations, parking at UNC can be hassle-free.

An annual parking permit, which is valid for the school year, costs $230.

This allows for parking in any student lot around campus. Student lots are marked with a blue sign at the entrance, and faculty lots have a gold sign at the entrance.

Students parking in a faculty lot may find themselves with a ticket on their windshield when they return. The price of a parking ticket for a majority of infractions is $30.

This includes parking in the wrong lot, parking without a permit, parking in a slot with an expired meter and improper parking. If a ticket is paid within 20 days, the fine will be reduced to $20. A visitor who receives a ticket will be charged $10.

Student lots are enforced from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Parking permits, both daily and annual, have systems in place to make them nearly impossible to forge.

Stealing or attempting to forge a permit carries a $200-ticket fine, plus a possible $75-boot fee and possible criminal charges.

Parking in a fire lane or handicapped slot is a $150 fee, and parking in a service vehicle spot is $50. If a ticket is not paid, the bill will be sent to the student bill and a hold will be placed on his or her account, preventing them for registering for classes the following semester.

Steve Dowdy, a security II state employee and lot superintendent, said the most commonly ticketed spot on campus is the service ramp near Turner and Harrison halls.

Dowdy said sometimes, students will park there to pick someone up or make a delivery and will return to find a ticket. He also said everyone who conducts business on campus must buy a permit, from students to faculty to the president of the university.

"Parking services does not receive money from the state or from the university to operate," said Ron Eberhard, the manager of Parking Services. "So the purchase covers the maintenance, the upkeep; everything that goes into having parking lots across campus is what those permits and citation money goes for."

Eberhard said the recently completed projects included the paving of the Jackson Field parking lot and additional construction of lights, as well as work on the T lot, north of the University Center.

Upcoming projects include the improvement of upper M lot by the football stadium, which has been damaged due to recent construction on other facilities. For more information, visit www.unco.edu/parking.