BYU students rip parking plan

PROVO — On Monday, Brigham Young University students railed at Provo City Council members for more than two hours about a proposal to restrict parking on the public streets south of campus.

On Tuesday, the council made major changes to the plan and encouraged students, landlords and neighborhood homeowners to provide new feedback quickly. The council might vote on the proposal at its next meeting, which is scheduled Tuesday.

"For BYU students to say we haven't listened now is not valid," council chairman George Stewart said. "We made many changes to the program based on the feedback we got (Monday) night."

Two proposals would restrict parking along the streets directly south of BYU in the Joaquin neighborhood. Students have derided the proposal for the North Joaquin area, dominated by student rentals. The area stretches from the south end of campus at 800 North to 500 North, and from University Avenue to 900 East.

Under the plan, homeowners living in their homes and landlords without enough parking on their property could buy permits. Only those who live in the neighborhood, mostly BYU students, would be able to use the permits to park on the streets in the permit district. The permit program would not go into effect before September 2008.

The biggest change to the proposal addressed visitor parking, literally a passionate point for students. They didn't like the idea of having to buy a $2 visitor parking permit for each visit by a friend or relative — or soon-to-be relative.

"Think back to when you were dating your wife," one student said to Stewart Monday night. "Imagine if you had to pay $2 every time you wanted to see her."

Another envisioned having to say, "Sorry, mom, I can't afford to have you come and visit."

"By golly," homeowner John Smith added, "I'm not going to pay Provo a nickel to have my children come home to show us our grandkids."

The solution proposed Tuesday is to enforce the parking permits only between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m.

Projections by city staff show the city would lose $115,000 the first year, in part because of the high cost of signs, but make $148,000 the second year. Council members, clearly stung by accusations the city would profit on student backs, said they would manage the program so revenues only covered expenses.

Once proposed to be a year-round program, the council also altered it to match BYU's fall and winter semesters, running from Sept. 1 to May 1.