Biola will require all students who drive to campus to purchase a Biola parking permit as of the fall 2014 semester in an effort to address parking congestion spilling into neighborhood streets. The funds from permits will be used to pay off bonds taken out to build the parking structures.

“We can’t not have a parking charge because the income loss will have to be added to tuition, and we don’t want students who don’t have cars to have to pay for those that do. The money is supposed to go to pay for the parking structure … think of it as a house loan,” Greg Balsano said, vice president of university services.

Everybody who comes to Biola with a vehicle will fall under the requirement, including students living in the Rosecrans apartments who choose not to take the shuttle bus, bike or walk, Balsano said.

However, students will be able to apply for a waiver if they live locally and never drive to campus, Balsano said.

NEW STRUTURE TO MAKE PARKING EASIER

The idea behind the parking pass requirement is to preserve parking on the the side of Biola Avenue across from the school by having as many students as possible park on campus, Balsano said. The new parking structure opening in April will make parking on campus easier.

“The street is still available if students want to park there, but maybe not as many will, and it won’t be quite as congested. That’s the theory anyway,” Balsano said.

Biola recently informed the city about the university’s upcoming permit requirement. La Mirada residents who compete with Biola students for parking prompted the changes, said Jeff Boynton, City of La Mirada city manager.

“We encouraged Biola to look at ways to reduce the on-street parking as much as possible, so that’s kind of what they’ve done. Biola’s being proactive and being a good neighbor,” Boynton said.

PERMITS TO MINIMIZE STREET PARKING

Street congestion and parking overflow into residential areas causes safety concerns for people crossing Biola Avenue, Balsano said. The problem has caused a parking version of tug-of-war between residents and students.

“The communities get mad and put parking zones in, and then students have to park farther out,” Balsano said.

Some residents have already requested permit parking on neighborhood streets, Boynton said.

In recent years, more students have chosen to live off campus and go without a permit, Balsano said. Most of the cars on the street are commuter’s cars. A few employees park there, but not many.
 
“Instead of aggravating all the neighbors and having an unsafe condition, I’m hoping that by having everyone get permits, enough of them will choose — with the opening of the new parking structure — to park on campus because now they have a place,” Balsano said.