Wednesday, November 19, 1997
Students complain as outside groups use parking spots
TRANSPORTATION:
UCLA says added structures will address need for spaces amidst
shortageBy Scot Sargeant
Daily Bruin Contributor
Affiliates of UCLA are not the only ones parking in UCLA
spaces.
UCLA allows guests of the Bel Air Hotel, across from campus, to
park in UCLA lots in off-peak hours, according to Mark Stocki,
director of Transportation Services. Off-peak hours, as defined by
Stocki, are between 3 p.m. and 9 a.m.
During this time period, spaces sold to UCLA affiliates normally
remain unused, so "30 to 40 spaces are provided to the Bel Air
Hotel," Stocki said.
Guests of the Bel Air Hotel who park in UCLA lots have to pay
the same daily fees as students and faculty: $5 per day.
The recent release of this information prompted complaints from
students who felt that their interests were being overlooked.
"I feel that the students’ needs should be emphasized over the
needs of the Bel Air Hotel," said Zhanna Liushits, a first-year
biology student. "UCLA is worrying about their own needs over those
of the students."
Complaints instigated by Alvin Milder, chairman of homeowner
group UCLA Watch, accused UCLA of allowing employees of the Bel Air
Hotel to park in UCLA lots. He complains that because UCLA already
has a shortage of parking spots, it should not be allowing other
organizations to use campus lots.
Milder points out evidence of a sign at the Sunset/Westwood
entrance directing hotel employees to park in Lot 3.
Stocki regarded Milder’s complaints as erroneous.
"We gauge the size of inventory available, the demand for
parking, and make decisions based on the needs of UCLA staff,
faculty, students and visitors," he said.
"We would never build parking that would have to be subsidized
by UCLA permit holders," he continued.
In addition to allowing parking for the Bel Air Hotel, UCLA
allows visitors of Saint Alban’s Church and the Catholic Student
Center to park on campus. Saint Alban’s Church allows UCLA to
borrow 15 to 20 of its spots during the week, in exchange for the
use of 30 to 40 spots for Sunday services.
The Catholic Student Center also borrows about 30 to 50 spaces
for Sunday services. Both organizations are required to pay normal
parking rates.
The use of spaces by other organizations draws disapproval from
some students.
"It’s on UCLA property, and therefore only UCLA students should
be allowed to park there," said Brooke Overholt, a first-year
business economics student.
"We have held arrangements with these organizations for 10 to 15
years now," Stocki said. "To the degree we can offer services to
our community, without impacting on-campus needs, we are willing to
entertain that," he said.
An increase in the waiting list for parking permits, from 1,500
last year to 3,500 this year, signals that demand for parking has
risen sharply.
To mitigate the inevitable complaints, UCLA plans to expand
parking in several areas. The first project will be the expansion
of Lot 4 to provide 750 additional spots, which is projected to
open for the fall quarter in 1998.
"The impetus behind this is to add convenient core campus
parking spaces to serve the academic needs of the campus, and to
reduce the student fall quarter waiting list for parking," Stocki
said.
The next step will be the construction of the Janss Plaza
parking structure, scheduled to begin in January 1998. This parking
structure will be where Towell once stood and will support 530
spots.
The benefits of these new structures will be lost temporarily,
however, with the demolition of Lot 14 Â resulting in a loss
of 1,400 spaces. The removal of Lot 14 will occur in mid 1999,
paralleling the construction of the Gonda (Goldschmied)
Neuroscience and Genetics Center.
To compensate for this loss, 500 spaces will be built under the
hospital, and 400 additional spaces will be built on the east side
of Westwood Plaza between 1999 and 2004.
These 900 spaces, in conjunction with the 530 spaces provided by
the Janss Plaza, will serve to counterbalance the loss of Lot 14.
However, all these new spaces may not be available until 2004.
The hospital has agreed to reimburse UCLA for any loss of
revenue that occurs because of the removal of Lot 14 and to cover
the costs of replacing the parking spaces. Permit holders will not
have to cover the expenses with higher parking costs, according to
Stocki.