[Ord. 1325, 4/19/1991, Section 1]
The use of streets within the residential neighborhoods for
the parking of vehicles by persons using adjacent governmental, commercial,
educational, industrial and transit areas results in hazardous traffic
conditions, the over-burdening of parking on certain neighborhood
streets and the inability of residents in many neighborhoods to obtain
adequate parking adjacent to or close by their places of residence.
Recognizing these detriments, the Council, by this Ordinance,
hereby announces its intent to systematically reduce and eventually
eliminate vehicles parked for business purposes on certain residential
neighborhood streets. The Council further recognizes that the public
purpose will be best served if a systematic approach is used that
will incrementally reduce the number of vehicles parked during business
hours for business purposes in residential neighborhoods. Reduction
must be accomplished in a manageable way so that displaced business
parkers, hereafter referred to as commuter parkers, may find reasonable
alternative parking or transportation options and that the impact
on the overall balance of parking in the Borough will be minimal to
those affected with time afforded for adjustment.{70}
Additionally, Council recognizes that given the present parking
demand within the Borough, which includes the central campus area
of the Pennsylvania State University, free parking close in to the
downtown and central campus is no longer feasible. Providing and maintaining
public parking is an expensive enterprise that in the most equitable
circumstance should be substantially paid for by those who benefit
most from it rather than by the public in general. Residents of neighborhoods
pay taxes and other assessments needed by the Borough to maintain
and police residential streets.
Yet, because of the extensive commuter parking, neighborhood
residents are frequently unable to reasonably enjoy the benefit of
parking on the street themselves while they nevertheless pay the cost
of maintaining this form of public parking reserve. Alternatively,
commuter parkers are generally nonresidents of the Borough and are
not subject to Borough taxes and assessments.
Thus, commuter parkers contribute little toward the cost of
maintaining this public parking reserve, while they are the most frequent
users. To mitigate this inequity, the Council herein establishes a
permit parking fee differential between residents and nonresidents
of the parking districts.
[Ord. 1325, 4/19/1991, Section 1]
A person residing permanently or continuously for a period
exceeding 60 consecutive days within the residential or commuter parking
districts, as established herein.
[Ord. 1325, 4/19/1991, Section 1; amended by Ord. 1339, 7/9/1991,
Section 5; Ord. 1353, 10/28/1991, Section 3]
Council is hereby authorized to designate the residential parking
districts and to establish the parking restrictions (i.e. days, hours,
exemptions, as well as applicable permit fees therein). In residential
parking districts, parking without a permit in excess of two hours
between 6:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m., prevailing time, Monday through Friday,
except on enumerated holidays, is expressly prohibited.
Pursuant to this ordinance, a resident of a residential district
may purchase a residential parking permit, which, when appropriately
displayed on a vehicle in accordance with regulations established
by the Borough, will exempt the vehicle from all two-hour parking
restrictions in the residential district for which the permit is designated.
The permit shall not exempt vehicles parked in deference to any other
parking restrictions posted on streets within the designated district.
Only a resident may purchase a permit for that district. The "R" residential
district is designated as those properties shaded and shown on Exhibits
A{55} and C{56} [included as an addendum to this chapter] and the
"R1" residential district is designated as those properties shaded
and shown on Exhibit D{57} [included as an addition to this chapter],
all being maps of those portions of the Borough of State College and
herein made a part of this legislation.
[Ord. 1325, 4/19/1991, Section 1; amended by Ord. 1368, 4/23/1992,
Section 4; Ord. 1641, 11/28/2000]
Council is hereby authorized to designate the Commuter Parking
District and to establish the parking restrictions (e.g. days, hours
and exemptions, as well as the applicable fees therein). In the Commuter
Parking District, parking without a permit in excess of one hour,
between 5:15 a.m. and 6:00 p.m., prevailing time, Monday through Friday,
except on enumerated holidays, is expressly prohibited.
Pursuant to this ordinance, a person who is a nonresident of
the Commuter District may purchase a permit (designated as a Commuter
Parking Permit) which, when appropriately displayed on a vehicle in
accordance with regulations established by the Borough, will permit
the vehicle to be parked beyond the one-hour parking time limit on
any street within the Commuter District where parking is not otherwise
restricted. A person who is a resident of the Commuter District may
purchase a permit (designated as a Residential/Commuter Parking Permit)
when, when appropriately displayed on a vehicle in accordance with
regulations established by the Borough, will permit the vehicle to
be parked beyond the one-hour parking time limit on any street within
the Commuter District where parking is not otherwise restricted.
The Commuter District is designated as those properties shaded
and shown on Exhibit B{60}, a map of that portion of the Borough of
State College and herein made a part of this ordinance.
[Ord. 1325, 4/19/1991, Section 1]
Application for residential, commuter and residential/commuter
parking permits shall be made on forms provided by the Borough and
shall include proof of identity, proof of residency and such other
reasonable information that is deemed necessary by the Borough to
issue and control such permits. Permits shall be displayed or affixed
to vehicles in a fashion deemed appropriate by the Borough as administratively
determined by the Borough Manager or designee.
[Ord. 1325, 4/19/1991, Section 1; amended by Ord. 1613, 1/18/2000;
Ord. 1807, 12/22/2004, Section 4; Ord. 1914, 12/15/2008, Section 25]
The fees for permits in the residential and commuter parking
districts shall be set by resolution of Council from time to time.
[Ord. 1325, 4/19/1991, Section 1]
All money received from the purchase of parking permit fees
shall be allocated to appropriate funds established by the Borough
to manage, administer and enforce the parking program or to create
additional facilities, as needed, in response to the objective of
removing commuter parking during business hours from residential streets.
[Ord. 1325, 4/19/1991, Section 1]
Whereas the expressed purpose of this ordinance is to incrementally
reduce and eliminate commuter parking during business hours on residential
streets, Council recognizes the need to periodically review those
factors that will affect reducing the size of the district. These
include factors such as the parking demand in the commuter parking
district; availability of alternative parking, both private and public,
outside of residential areas; as well as the advent or further development
of transportation alternatives. Accordingly, Council hereby charges
the Borough Manager (or designee) to prepare a staff report assessing
parking conditions within the Borough along with appropriate recommendations
for further reducing commuter parking on residential streets. Such
report and recommendation shall be made to Council not less than semi-annually.
Thereafter, Council shall review such recommendation in a public hearing
and may modify this ordinance and other ordinances appropriately to
further implement reduction of commuter parking in residential areas.
