Campus Safety - Parking and Permits | Pierce College District

Parking and Permits

Parking is available on both campuses. Special areas are reserved for employees, disabled, carpool, visitor and Disability Support Services parking. Parking in unauthorized areas may result in a fine.

The fee for general student parking is included in the comprehensive fee paid at the time of registration. Parking permits are required for general parking and may be obtained at the Campus Safety office on either campus.

A state vehicle registration is required to pick up a permit.

Persons with valid state disable vehicle licenses or placards may use the Washington State Disabled parking spaces. Persons with temporary disabilities who have obtained a permit from Disability Support Services may park in those parking spaces reserved for Disability Support Services.

Objectives of Traffic/Parking Rules

To protect and control pedestrian and vehicular traffic.
To assure access at all times of emergency equipment.
To minimize traffic disturbances during class hours.
To facilitate the work of the College by assuring access to it's vehicles and by assigning the limited parking space for the most efficient use.

Applicable Traffic Rules

The motor vehicle and other traffic laws of the state of Washington are applicable on all lands devoted to educational, research, recreational, or parking activities of the Pierce College District.
The traffic codes of Pierce County are applicable upon all lands located within Pierce County.

Permits and Passes Required for Vehicles on Campus

Display of a Pierce College parking permit is mandatory. Proof of state vehicle registration is required in order to apply for a parking permit.
All Pierce College employees are required to display a parking permit designating them as an employee in the bottom left corner of the rear window of the vehicle. Convertibles and trucks may display the parking permit on the left side of the rear bumper.
Disabled persons must display a valid state disability parking placard or have state disabled license plates on the vehicle in order to park in Washington State disabled designated parking spaces. Note: Washington State disabled veteran license plates do not qualify individuals to park in Washington State disabled designated parking spaces.
Dental patients must have a appointment pass from the Dental Clinic displayed on the dash of their vehicle in order to park in dental patient reserved parking spaces.
Carpool participants must have two carpool passes displayed on the dashboard when parking in Carpool designated spaces. One carpool pass number must match the vehicle sticker number. The person to whom a permit is issued to, is responsible for all violations of the rules and regulations involving the vehicle for which the permit was issued. This does not relieve from responsibility other persons who violate the parking rules.

Parking Areas Permit Required

No vehicle is to be parked on District 11 properties, except in those areas set aside and designated as parking areas.
No vehicle is to be parked in any paved parking area without a permit for that area, except for State owned vehicles used by the College.

Regulatory Signs and Directions

Drivers of vehicles are to obey all regulatory signs posted on the lands controlled by Pierce College.
Drivers must also comply with directions given them by Campus Safety Office personnel with regards to the control and regulation of traffic and parking.
The Campus Safety Department is authorized to erect signs, barricades, other structures and to paint markings and other directions upon the streets and roadways of the grounds controlled by Pierce College.
No person without authorization from the District Director of Campus Safety shall move, deface, or in any way change a sign, barricade, structure, marking or direction so placed for the purpose of regulating traffic or parking.

Traffic Rules

No vehicle shall be operated on campus grounds at a speed greater than 10 miles per hour unless otherwise posted.
Drivers of motor vehicles shall yield right of way to any pedestrian crossing any street or roadway within a crosswalk.
Pedestrians crossing a roadway at any point other than within a marked or otherwise indicated crosswalk shall yield to all vehicles upon the street or roadway.

Parking Rules

Parking permits are to be affixed on the bottom left hand corner of the rear window.
Back in parking is prohibited.
Motorcycles shall park in areas designated for motorcycles.
Bicycles are to be parked outside of all buildings in provided racks in such a manner that does not block, obstruct or in any way impede pedestrian traffic.
No vehicle shall be parked to occupy more than one parking space.
No vehicle may be left unattended for a period more than 72 hours without written permission from the Campus Safety Department.
Directional arrows and signs within parking and driving areas shall determine allowable travel for motor vehicles.
No vehicle shall be parked against the flow of traffic.

State Disabled Parking

No vehicle shall be parked in a disabled parking space unless one of the following criteria is met:

The vehicle displays a valid State disabled parking placard or license plate.
Only those persons who have received a parking permit from Access and Disability Services (ADS) department shall park in ADS designated parking spaces.

Carpool Parking Rules

All violations will result in a $25 fine.
At least two passes must be displayed while parking in designated carpool spaces.
One carpool pass must have the same number as the vehicle's Pierce College parking permit.
At least two students must be in the vehicle when parking in a carpool space upon arrival and departure.
Individual passes are not transferable from one student to another.
The vehicle used by the carpool must also have a current Pierce College parking permit.
Carpool passes are valid in spaces designated for carpool parking only.

Issuance of Traffic/Parking Tickets

Upon violation(s) of any of the rules and regulations traffic and parking on lands controlled by Pierce College, Campus Safety personnel are empowered to issue citations. Such citations may be served by attaching a copy thereof to the vehicle in a prominent place or by personally serving the citation to the operator or by mail. Violation(s) of the campus traffic code refers to:

No parking permit displayed.
Failure to stop at stop signs. The failure to bring a vehicle to a complete stop at a properly erected and identified stop sign.
Failure to yield right of way. The act of depriving another vehicle or pedestrian of the right of way at an intersection or crosswalk.
Improper parking. Parking a vehicle in an area that is intended for purposes other than parking, i.e.; fire lanes, driveways, sidewalks, lawns, or taking up more than one space.
Parking in an unauthorized area. Parking in designated Employee, Dental Patient, Motor Pool, Visitor, Disability Support Services, Guest or Carpool spaces without the proper permit(s).
Negligent/reckless driving. The operation of motor vehicle in such a manner as to place persons or property in danger of injury or grievous harm.
Speeding. Operating a vehicle in a manner that causes the vehicle to exceed to posted speed limit.
Parking in a State Disabled designated parking space without a valid placard or license plate.
Parking in a carpool space without having a minimum of two passes displayed. One pass must match the vehicle sticker number.
Parking and/or driving against the flow of traffic.

Fines and Penalties

Fines will be levied for all violations of the rules and regulations contained in this chapter.
In addition to fines imposed under these regulations, illegally parked vehicles may be subject to impoundment.

Traffic and parking fines will be assessed at the following rate, subject to change at the College's discretion.

Infraction	Fine
SPEEDING	not less than $5.00 nor more than $25.00 and/or loss of parking privileges on campus for a period of time up to one year
FAILURE TO YIELD THE RIGHT OF WAY	$10.00 each infraction
FAILURE TO STOP AT A STOP SIGN	$10.00 each infraction
RECKLESS/NEGLIGENT OPERATION OF A VEHICLE	$10.00 for first infraction and $20.00 for the second infraction mandatory appearance before the College Parking Appeals Committee
DRIVING ACROSS OR PARKED ON THE LAWN	not less than the $10.00 nor more than the amount of property damage each infraction and may impound/tow without notice if threat to campus safety
PARKING IN OR BLOCKING A FIRELANE	$10.00 each infraction and may impound/tow without notice if threat to campus safety
PARKING IN A DISABLED SPACE OR BLOCKING ACCESS RAMPS OR SPACES FOR THE DISABLED	$15.00 for first infraction and a warning notice of impound if infraction is repeated. $25.00 for second infraction and a final warning of impound/tow and a mandatory appearance before College Parking Appeals Committee
PARKING IN OR BLOCKING DRIVEWAYS OR SIDEWALKS	$10.00 each infraction and may impound/tow without notice if threat to campus safety
CARPOOL VIOLATION:	$25.00

GENERAL PARKING INFRACTIONS	$5.00 each
	NO PARKING PERMIT DISPLAYED
	IMPROPERLY DISPLAYED PERMIT
	BACK IN PARKING
	PARKED SO AS TO OCCUPY MORE THAT ONE SPACE
	PARKED IN AN UNAUTHORIZED AREA
	PARKED IN A LOADING OR UNLOADING ZONE FOR A PERIOD MORE THAN 15 MINUTE OR POSTED TIME LIMIT

Mitigation and Suspension of Penalties

Upon showing of good cause or mitigating circumstances, the College Parking Appeals Committee may impose a lesser fine, void the ticket or it may grant extension of time within which to comply with its determination and findings.

Procedure to Appeal a Ticket

You may appeal any ticket within five working days of receipt by taking the ticket to:
Fort Steilacoom Campus Safety
Cascade Building, Room 304
Office: (253) 964-6751

Puyallup Campus Safety
Gaspard Building, Room A163B
Office: (253) 840-8481

Your appeal must be submitted in writing and addressed to the District Director of Safety and Security. You will then be given an appeal date and time with the College Parking Committee. If due to unavoidable circumstances, you are not able to attend the scheduled appeal session, you must contact the Campus Safety Department, prior to the time and date of the hearing to be eligible to be rescheduled.

If you elect to waive your right to appeal or fail to appeal within five working days of receipt, take this ticket to the cashiers office at either college to pay the fine.

Enforcement of Determination of the Parking Committee

In the event a student fails or refuses to comply with the determination of the College's Parking Committee, such alleged violator shall not be eligible to register for additional courses, or obtain a transcript of their grades or credits, receive a degree, or to receive financial aid disbursement, until compliance has been made.
Failure by employees to pay citations shall result in the forwarding of all outstanding tickets to their immediate supervisor and Vice President of Human Resources for disciplinary review.

Impound Procedure

Violation such as parking in fire lanes or creating a threat to public safety will result in citations or the towing and impoundment of the vehicle.

Disabled, Inoperative or Abandoned Vehicles Impounding

No disabled, inoperative, or abandoned vehicle shall be parked on Pierce College grounds without written permission of the Campus Safety Department. Vehicles that have been disabled, inoperative, or abandoned may be impounded and stored at the expense of the owner and/or the operator thereof after 72 hours. Neither the Pierce College or its employees shall be liable for loss or damage of any kind resulting from such impoundment and storage.

Impoundment Without Notice

A vehicle may be impounded without notice to the owner or operator in the following circumstances:

When in the judgment of the Chancellor or President or Vice President or District Director of Safety and Security the vehicle is obstructing or may impede the flow of traffic.
The vehicle poses an immediate threat to public safety.