TPAC Seeks New Ideas For Funds

Officials at Wednesday's Transportation and Parking Advisory Committee meeting delayed the elimination of resident student parking, deciding instead to focus on revenue generation, including a proposed $363 permit for night parking.

In October, committee members began discussing the option of eliminating on-campus parking permits for students living in residence halls.

But committee members said they will not institute the policy next year so they can focus on the Department of Public Safety's budgetary concerns.

Department officials have said they need $2 million to balance their budget and might have to pay another $700,000 if a ruling in a pending court case goes against UNC.

Projected debt has prompted committee members to seek additional revenue options, including a proposal to begin issuing night parking permits.

Cheryl Stout, assistant director of parking services, drew up the proposal that details DPS's night parking scenario, which she presented Wednesday. "This is only a model, and the committee can make recommendations," she said.

Under this plan, anyone with a daytime parking permit would be permitted to park on campus at night in any lot, except in those designated for resident student parking. "It doesn't guarantee you a spot in the same lot, but you should be able to find one in another," Stout said.

Those without daytime passes would not be able to park in permit-required lots on campus at night but could purchase a permit for $363 per year.

Four lots -- S10, S11, T and the Bell Tower lot -- would remain free at night.

Economics Professor Boone Turchi and a group of students on the committee met informally last week to develop a proposal to set priorities for parking-related issues, including night parking.

Emily Williamson, a member of Turchi's group, said the main difference between their outline and Stout's was the price of a night parking permit. "I am very concerned about price," she said. "If the fee were lower, people would be more willing to pay that."

Group members said they were thinking of $50 to $100 for a night parking permit because most people interested in the permit would be students. "I don't know any student who could afford ($363)," said Residence Hall Association President David Cooper, a member of TPAC.

Another revenue option the committee discussed was implementing an employee transit fee. The department borrowed the concept of an employee transit fee from the University of Georgia, which charges each employee $2 per week.

This program would be much like the transit fee students pay, which Associate Vice Chancellor Carolyn Elfland said is about $40 per semester.

The committee also discussed the option of increasing parking permit costs, ranging from about an 11 percent increase to about a 41 percent increase.

But some committee members said the University should absorb some transportation and parking costs. "I will never vote for a parking plan that will fund 100 percent of parking," Turchi said. "The University needs to start thinking very seriously about generating these funds."

The proposal developed by Turchi's group will be discussed at the next TPAC meeting, scheduled for Jan. 23. The committee also will set a concrete date -- tentatively Feb. 5 -- for open forums to discuss changes in parking policies.

The University Editor can be reached at udesk@unc.edu.