Nothing draws a crowd like parking

For five years straight I attended every meeting of out local district council.  The Fort Road Federation, District Council 9. I wrote a story for our very local newspaper, The Community Reporter.  The districts councils work as liaison’s between St. Paul residents and local government.  For handling problems in your neighborhood your district council office is a good first step. [see district councils]

I still attend these meetings as issues come up or if asked by my neighbors to give support on important issues.  I attended Monday nights meeting to support neighbors who live on the blocks just outside our permit parking district.

There are 27 permit parking districts in St. Paul.  They are area’s near large businesses, schools, hospitals, or in the case of district 7 near downtown and event parking.  They were created so that theoretically area residents who wish to park on the street can park near their home. 

Every year we purchase parking permits so that we can park in front of our homes.  They cost $10.00 each and we are entitled to 4 regular permits and 2 guest permits.  Rules on the number of permits home owners can purchase vary from district to district as do the hours of parking enforcement.  Guest permits good for one day are also available for $1.00 apiece, they are dated but I understand the quantity that can be purchased exceeds the number of parking spaces available.

On our street we can park for up to two hours without a permit and from 7:00 PM  until 7:00 AM. In the adjacent permit parking area no parking is allowed 24 hours a day without a permit.  The two hour parking rule has not worked out very well.  Our  local enforcement officers simply don’t have the time to chalk tires, and come by two hours later to check.  In general people do avoid parking on our block because they are afraid of getting a ticket.  They should not be afraid of getting a ticket. When there is an event they simply start parking at 5:00 PM and take up every available inch of street parking. 

We have off street parking.  I may have scandalized my neighbors by admitting that my car is the only one in our household without a parking permit.  I use the guest permit when I feel like finding it.
For the most part I don’t bother to grab the permit and  in 15 years I have never gotten a ticket. Sometimes my car is in front of our home all day long.  Two hour permit parking really doesn’t work because it is so hard to enforce.

The blocks just outside of our permit parking district are packed full of cars everyday.  Some of our neighbors have to walk a block with their groceries and dodge the cars that turn around in the middle of the street as they frantically search for a parking space so they can walk the half mile to the Xcel center.

I think we made a strong case for having a couple more blocks included our permit parking district and for requiring a permit 24 hours a day.  The city will do a traffic study and let us know.  People were passionate when they spoke about parking.  Over the years as a group we have fought for many things.  As I looked around the room at the familiar faces it made me smile to think of what we have accomplished in the last 25 years.   Neighbors working together can accomplish amazing things.

St. Paul does not have on-line maps of parking districts or the rules and boundaries for each posted on the internet.  To get this information call the city at:  651 266-6200.  For home buyers each district has a number and each street that requires a permit has plenty of sign-age, you might want to check the parking regulations before buying or moving into a home.   When you do buy a home get involved in the neighborhood, you will be happy that you did.

New resident?  Are not sure how to get a parking permit?

The first time a new resident of a permit parking district applies for a parking permit he or she must do so in person.  There are tow locations:

Traffic Operations Building
899 North Dale Street
St. Paul, MN
Phone: 651-487-7200
or
Traffic Engineering Office
25 W. Fourth Street – room 800
St. Paul, MN
Phone: 651-266-2600

All new applicants must have proof of residency in the form of a photo ID, or a utilitie bill with the address on it.   Applicants must also provide proof that the own the vehicle by producing a title, registration or insurance card.

Current permit holders recieve a form in the mail each year for parking permit renewal and do not have to appear in person.