Parking

Campus Parking and Traffic Plan

The University of Maine at Presque Isle is a permit-parking campus. Permits may be obtained at the Safety and Security Office in the Campus Center.

Purpose: The purpose of this plan is to allow the University to systematically and fairly provide for the use and parking of vehicles on campus by staff, faculty, students and visitors in such a way that business can be conducted, safety is assured, and hazards are minimized. The Safety and Security Office is charged by the Vice President for Administration and Finance to administer the program in accordance with these guidelines.

General Information and Definitions:

• Motor Vehicle: “Motor Vehicle” shall mean any self propelled vehicle not operated exclusively on tracks, including motorcycles, but not including snowmobiles, as defined in M.R.S.A., Title 12, Section 1971.
• Registration: “Registration” shall mean the form on which the following information must be provided for each motor vehicle: driver’s name, address and social security number and other information as required by the Safety and Security Office.
• Decal: “Decal” is the means of identifying each registered motor vehicle by the use of pre numbered, color coded sticker properly affixed to the motor vehicle. One decal shall be issued for each motor vehicle registered for parking.
• Parking Lots: “Parking Lots” are those areas on the University of Maine at Presque Isle campus, or UMPI owned or controlled property, which have been designated as parking lots and have been posted at the entrance or plainly within view on the boundary of the lot as to the restrictions for parking therein, and which are designated on the parking map as parking areas.
• University Employee: “University Employee” is any person that is currently employed by the University, excluding workstudy, throughout the calendar year.
• Commuting Student: “Commuting Student” is any person that is currently enrolled in classes as a student and does not live in any of the University owned residential halls.
• Resident Student: “Resident Student” is any person that resides in one of the University’s residential halls.
• Visitor: “Visitor” is any person that is not currently enrolled in classes as a student or employed at the University of Maine at Presque Isle.
• Motor vehicles used by faculty, staff, students must have a decal and be registered regardless of where the vehicle is on campus.

Summary: We have developed this plan because of the need to regulate parking on the campus, which in turn is made necessary by the relatively few parking spaces that are located conveniently near the doors of our various office and classroom buildings. At best, the plan is an attempt to reduce the amount of inconvenience caused by this fact, and make all parking available on an equitable basis to students, staff and faculty. This plan will only succeed if there is voluntary compliance and cooperation on the part of the majority of the University community. Penalties have, by necessity, been included in this plan because experience has shown, unfortunately, that there are people in every community who will not comply with the policies and rules unless there is a strong degree of enforcement behind them.

Registration: All privately owned vehicles parked on campus must display a University decal. Proof of state registration is required for each decal purchased. Registration of a vehicle entitles the operator to park that vehicle in the appropriate parking space, i.e. faculty/staff or student. Decals will be displayed on the inside, passenger side, of the front windshield.

Temporary parking permits are recommended for vehicles that will be visiting the campus for longer that a few hours. Parking permits are free and are available from the Director of Safety and Security, Campus Center. Temporary parking permits can be disposed of when expired. Temporary parking permits will be displayed on the front windshield. They can be hung from the rearview mirror. Vehicles with temporary parking permits are allowed in the appropriate parking lot depending on their status, i.e. faculty/staff, students. Persons whose vehicles were or are registered with the University will not be allowed to re-register if they have unpaid fines on their campus record.

Tickets: Parking tickets will be issued only by authorized parking program personnel. Tickets will identify the vehicle, the date, the issuing officers, the decal number, the state registration (license plate) number, the violation(s), amount of fine for each violation, where to pay the fine, and other comments as necessary. Tickets will contain instructions on assessment, payment and penalties for non-payment of fines; procedures for appeal will be found on the reverse side of each citation.

Fines: The standard fine for violating a parking regulation will be $25.00 except for violations of handicapped parking which are assessed $100.00. A citation written and placed on the windshield of a parked vehicle on campus will result in a fine being assessed against the person whose name appears on the campus registration record for that vehicle. When a fine is paid, whether late or on time, the record of that violation is eliminated. In other words, payment of a fine erases the record of the corresponding violation. There is no accumulation of violations when the fines have been paid. All unpaid tickets will be transferred to that student’s business account.

Notification: After a vehicle has accumulated three unpaid fines, a letter will be sent to the campus registered owner by the Director of Safety and Security. This letter will state the citation numbers, amount of fines due and give a deadline when the fines must be paid and the penalties for non-payment of fines.

Payments: All fines are to be paid either in the Business Office located in Preble Hall or in the Safety and Security Office in the Campus Center. The fines will be credited to the Miscellaneous Income Account. When a citation is issued, it will be applied immediately to the student’s account until it is paid. A list of persons who owe fines will be maintained and updated by the Director of Safety and Security weekly.

Towing: A vehicle will be towed as a last resort when there has been history of overdue fines. An owner/operator may have his/her vehicle towed if he/she continues to accumulate tickets without paying the fines. Towing may also be used to move vehicles obstructing snow removal, or parked in fire lanes, faculty-staff area, and handicapped spaces. The Director of Safety and Security will make the determination on towing.

Liability: The University of Maine at Presque Isle is not liable for any damages to vehicles operated in violation of University policies. This includes towing of vehicles. All costs of towing will be the responsibility of the vehicle owner/operator.

Violations: The ticket will list the following violations for any registered or unregistered vehicles: parked on yellow curb, blocking an entrance, parking in F/S parking, parked in right of way, parked as to cause a safety hazard or obstruction, driving on pathway/walkway, reckless, dangerous, negligent operation, handicapped parking violation, unregistered vehicle illegally parked outside designated visitor parking zone, Emerson Circle violation for fire lane and 15 minute parking, and all other violations not listed.

Handicapped: Handicapped parking spaces will have a special status: Unauthorized vehicles that are found parked in these spaces will be ticketed and could be towed. Forms for applying for handicapped parking can be located at the Safety and Security Office. This form must be signed by a doctor and then taken to any Motor Vehicle Registration Office to apply for. All violations for handicapped parking will be $100.00.

Visitor Parking: Visitor parking in Preble Circle is restricted to visitors only. However, there are three fifteen-minute parking spaces in Preble Circle which can be used by students, faculty, and staff that have business in the surrounding buildings. These fifteen-minute spaces will be strictly enforced. Any vehicle with a valid University of Maine at Presque Isle decal is prohibited from utilizing other parking spaces in Preble Circle. This parking area is designated for visitors to this campus only. Other visitor parking lots are located in the Upper Merriman parking lot ,the Tennis Court parking lot and the Gentile Hall parking lot.

South Hall/Preble Hall Parking Policy: In general, individuals with offices in South Hall should park in the South Hall Parking Lot (located directly behind South); individuals with offices in Preble should park in the Preble Hall Parking Lot (located between Preble and Normal). Those who, for physical reasons, should have convenient access to the south entrance of Preble (and its elevator) should feel free to use the South Hall Parking Lot; those doing business in either building for a short time period should similarly feel free to use either lot.

Appeals: Any ticket may be appealed by filling out the reverse side and filing the appeal within seven business days of issuance of the ticket with the Director of Safety and Security. If the problem is not resolved, it will be forwarded to the Appeals Committee. The Appeals Committee will be notified of the appeal and will make a decision regarding the disposition. All decisions by the committee will be final. The appellant will be notified of the committee’s decision. If the decision is not in the appellant’s favor, the time allotted for the paying the fine will include the amount of time taken in the appeals process. If the appeals process was longer than the 7 day period for paying fines, the fine will become due 48 hours after the appellant is notified, in accordance with procedures above.

There will be a four person appeals committee composed of one faculty member (recommended by the Faculty Council), two administrative staff, and one student (recommended by the University Student Senate). The Vice President for Administration and Finance shall appoint the members. The Director of Safety and Security shall be a non-voting advisor and executive secretary to the committee. The committee shall convene when called by the executive secretary to consider an appeal. The committee shall convene at the beginning of each academic year to develop procedures and organization.

Training: Student staff will patrol the parking lots, all buildings other than residential hall, and issue parking citations for violations of the University of Maine at Presque Isle parking and traffic policies. They will be aware of all facets of security and safety problems that may arise. Training will be conducted for all participants by the Director of Safety and Security at the beginning of each semester.