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WilliamT1 (Maryland)
Posts: 12
Posted:
We're talking about beginning a reserved parking policy in our HOA, and have been talking about two different approaches. I'd like to know how others manage and enforce their reserved parking policies, how well it works, and what other advice you all may have. Parking is beginning to flare up again after a few years of being a minor issue. At our meeting last night, one gentleman asked how we plan to enforce reserved parking. We're part-time volunteer, and do not have a managment company. We check our phone voicemail (do not have an office or a phone, we do callbacks on our personal phones) twice a week typically, so we may be far behind a neighbor's guest leaving before we could get a violation notice on the car, or the car towed, etc. Identifying car owners to send fines to sounds like it may be difficult as well.

Our neighborhood was built in the early 1970s. Planning at the time allowed for one parking space for each address plus some extras for guests. Ther eare some "piggyback" units which has an "inlaw suite" efficiency apartment on one level, which is kindof a duplex sort of thing with its own address, and each of these efficiencies had a space available as well as the main address of the property, so those houses had two spaces accounted for. IN all, I don't think it adds up to two spaces per address or even two full spaces per lot, but I don't remember the numbers exactly from our last reserved parking initiative some years ago. Pont is, there simply are not enough spaces in existence for everyone to have 2 or 3 or 5 cars parked right in front of their house.

Out current regulations are rather vague, referring to parkign as first cme firt served, but also mention that each resident should have one front space. The only defined "ownership" of a space is during winter conditions where someone shovels snow to clear a space, that's "their space" for the duration of the snow, which around here is not long and not frequent.

First method is a set of resident-only reserved spaces. This does not assign a particular space to a particular house. We would have say green marked spaces, enough for one to each address, and try to locate them to maximize convenience to residents. Each address gets one green tag to hang from their rearview mirror. Any car in a green marked space is in violation, whether it belongs to a resident/owner or not, in an effort to avoid a single resident parking numerous cars in front and preventing their neighbors from parking near their own place.

Pros:
Saves the cost of painting individual space numbers.
Guarantees each house gets one parking space near their house.
A space is not specifically tied to a certain house, which may be somewhat beneficial to resident security.

Cons:
People with numerous cars will complain.
Costs include purchasing tags for cars.
Effort to manage of who has what tag
Cost and managment of replacing lost tags
resident gets different space different times, may not like it when it's slightly further away

Second method is all-out assigning this space to that house, with one space assigned per address.

Pros:
May not require purchasing tags to display in cars
May not require costs/effort of managing/replacing car tags
resident gets same space every time

Cons:
Cost of painting individual space numbers
MikeS1
Posts: 668
Posted:
Wiliam, with all due respect, I think that you're trying to make this more difficult that what it should be. For a plan to work, it must be simple for everyone to understand, simple to implement, and simple to adminstrate. Just label the curbs with Lot #'s (no addresses) (IE Curb Stencil would read "RSVD 44"), try to assign two spaces per residence, one should be close to the home and the other should be reasonably close to the home. Let this be self policing. Let owners police their own spaces. Sign an agreement with a local towing/impound company and have owners use this tow company for impounds. Several of the communities in this area all have 2.3 spaces per household and they all started out with 1 reserved space and the rest were open. Almost all of the HOAs have now gone to 2 Reserved spaces per home and the balance are quests. Theres some great documentation in the attached link as well as a warning notice that the homeowner may use whenever someoner parks in their space. We suggest that they try the friendly direct approach if they know the offender, then try the warning found in this link and tow the vehicle if they wish. It's completely at their descretion. It works great. Residents understand that whenever they have guest, they need to ask their guest where they parked unless it's obvious. It's a great plain and it's worked well for years.
http://www.unionmills.com/resolutions/ReservedParking.pdf

Trust me hang tags and stickers are a pain in the royal kuzoo. Much to Much trouble. Been there, did that, too. Not going back.
MikeS1
Posts: 668
Posted:
Wiliam, with all due respect, I think that you're trying to make this more difficult that what it should be. For a plan to work, it must be simple for everyone to understand, simple to implement, and simple to adminstrate. Just label the curbs with Lot #'s (no addresses) (IE Curb Stencil would read "RSVD 44"), try to assign two spaces per residence, one should be close to the home and the other should be reasonably close to the home. Let this be self policing. Let owners police their own spaces. Sign an agreement with a local towing/impound company and have owners use this tow company for impounds. Several of the communities in this area all have 2.3 spaces per household and they all started out with 1 reserved space and the rest were open. Almost all of the HOAs have now gone to 2 Reserved spaces per home and the balance are quests. Theres some great documentation in the attached link as well as a warning notice that the homeowner may use whenever someoner parks in their space. We suggest that they try the friendly direct approach if they know the offender, then try the warning found in this link and tow the vehicle if they wish. It's completely at their descretion. It works great. Residents understand that whenever they have guest, they need to ask their guest where they parked unless it's obvious. It's a great plain and it's worked well for years.
http://www.unionmills.com/resolutions/ReservedParking.pdf

Trust me hang tags and stickers are a pain in the royal kuzoo. Much to Much trouble. Been there, did that, too. Not going back.

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