Parking has always been problematic for students at American River College, but now with adjacent communities cracking down on parking enforcement, it could become a nightmare.
Any American River College student would agree that the parking lots on campus are one of the most painful parts of the day-to-day routine. Even if a student has a parking permit, they are not guaranteed a parking space on ARC’s campus. In a dire attempt to get to class on time, some students have parked off campus along residential streets.
Something residents of the River Oak Square community have refused to put up with any longer.
As the new semester began, signs were posted to inform students that they can no longer park their cars in the River Oak Square community located off of Orange Grove Avenue. Fines for parking in this community are $59, but towing cars is not expected according to River Oak Square committee members Constance Phibbs and Norm Boudreau. The River Oak Square Park parking lot is a no parking zone as well.
Sacramento County sheriffs and parking enforcement officers will be patrolling the area daily to hand out tickets to those parked illegally.
“I know you guys are parking back here because there’s no parking on campus, but it became a problem,” Phibbs said. “I just don’t understand why the college would build a new music department before a parking structure.”
Parking was not the only issue the residents faced. Students left trash to pile up in front of residents’ homes, which was a major component in finding a solution to the problem. After months of meetings with the county of Sacramento, which eventually got more than 50 percent of the residents to support the implementation of new parking rules, the signs were posted.
ARC parking permits for automobiles are $30, a price that drops to $20 if you have the BOG fee waiver. The cost of the permit is $15 for students who ride a motorcycle. Parking permits are available in the Business Administration building. Even though parking is hard to find on campus, ARC students should be aware of the new designated no-parking zones.
