Only residents may park in Carver in 2008
DANIELLE WILSON- Contributing Writer
Issue date: 9/27/07 Section: News
Richmond officials plan to implement a parking
permit system to ensure that only Carver residents
– not VCU commuters – park for more than an hour
on the streets of the neighborhood just north of the
Monroe Park Campus.
The plan, which was unanimously adopted this
week by the Richmond City Council, states Carver
residents will receive car decals allowing them to
park on Carver streets during the day. Non-residents
will not be eligible for the permits and thus will not
be able to park in the neighborhood for more than
an hour.
City Council President William J. Pantele said the
permit system probably will take effect at the start of
the spring semester.
“Commencing with the beginning of second semester
… (I) expect there will be restricted permit parking
in many ways similar … to what the Fan has,” said
Pantele, who represents the 2nd District on the City
Council. His district contains the Carver neighborhood
and most of Jackson Ward.
Parking in Richmond has been a challenge for both
residents and students for years. As VCU’s enrollment
has risen, residents in nearby neighborhoods, such as
Carver, often find themselves competing for parking
spaces with students.
Both the city and VCU have built parking decks to
try to ease the situation. The school-owned decks cost
$118 to $283 per semester.
For about three years, the city has discussed
implementing decal-restricted parking in Carver. The
parking system will cover the area approximately from
the 1400 block of West Clay Street between Bowe and
Kinney streets to the 1000 block of West Catherine
Street between Hancock and Goshen streets.
Pantele introduced legislation for a decal system
at a City Council meeting on Sept. 10. The council
adopted it Monday. Pantele expects it to take effect
by January.
The proposal has gone through a long process. The
city studied the parking situation for residents and
“concluded there was a severe problem at Carver,”
Pantele said.
City officials and community
residents then met
to discuss how parking
restrictions might address
the problem. More than 50
percent of Carver residents
signed petitions supporting
the decal plan.
The plan only allows
vehicles with residential
decals to park on Carver’s
streets for more than an
hour between 7 a.m. and
10 p.m. Monday through
Saturday.
Permits will be given
to single-family homes in
the Carver neighborhood.
Large multifamily buildings,
such as the Biggs and
Eagle Mills apartments, will
not be eligible for parking
permits. That’s because they
provide private parking for
their tenants.
Cars without decals can
park on Carver streets
during the day for up to
an hour, after which they
could get ticketed.
Pantele said he hopes
the decals will help Carver
residents.
“It’s a trade-off,” he said.
“The primary benefit is
that this is one of the few
legal means that we have to
restrict parking on public
streets. This is primarily a
protection device for the
residents of Carver.”
Parking permits will
cost around $25 for an
annual pass. Residents will
be able to purchase an
annual visitor’s pass for a
higher price. There will be
a limit on the number each
residence can receive.
Pantele said that for
the first three years, VCU
has agreed to pick up the
cost of the parking permits
for Carver residents. That
arrangement stems from
a longtime agreement between
Carver and the VCU
administration.
Pantele said the parking-
decal system will help
Carver “preserve its residential
character and elevate the
quality of life for the persons
that live there.”
permit system to ensure that only Carver residents
– not VCU commuters – park for more than an hour
on the streets of the neighborhood just north of the
Monroe Park Campus.
The plan, which was unanimously adopted this
week by the Richmond City Council, states Carver
residents will receive car decals allowing them to
park on Carver streets during the day. Non-residents
will not be eligible for the permits and thus will not
be able to park in the neighborhood for more than
an hour.
City Council President William J. Pantele said the
permit system probably will take effect at the start of
the spring semester.
“Commencing with the beginning of second semester
… (I) expect there will be restricted permit parking
in many ways similar … to what the Fan has,” said
Pantele, who represents the 2nd District on the City
Council. His district contains the Carver neighborhood
and most of Jackson Ward.
Parking in Richmond has been a challenge for both
residents and students for years. As VCU’s enrollment
has risen, residents in nearby neighborhoods, such as
Carver, often find themselves competing for parking
spaces with students.
Both the city and VCU have built parking decks to
try to ease the situation. The school-owned decks cost
$118 to $283 per semester.
For about three years, the city has discussed
implementing decal-restricted parking in Carver. The
parking system will cover the area approximately from
the 1400 block of West Clay Street between Bowe and
Kinney streets to the 1000 block of West Catherine
Street between Hancock and Goshen streets.
Pantele introduced legislation for a decal system
at a City Council meeting on Sept. 10. The council
adopted it Monday. Pantele expects it to take effect
by January.
The proposal has gone through a long process. The
city studied the parking situation for residents and
“concluded there was a severe problem at Carver,”
Pantele said.
City officials and community
residents then met
to discuss how parking
restrictions might address
the problem. More than 50
percent of Carver residents
signed petitions supporting
the decal plan.
The plan only allows
vehicles with residential
decals to park on Carver’s
streets for more than an
hour between 7 a.m. and
10 p.m. Monday through
Saturday.
Permits will be given
to single-family homes in
the Carver neighborhood.
Large multifamily buildings,
such as the Biggs and
Eagle Mills apartments, will
not be eligible for parking
permits. That’s because they
provide private parking for
their tenants.
Cars without decals can
park on Carver streets
during the day for up to
an hour, after which they
could get ticketed.
Pantele said he hopes
the decals will help Carver
residents.
“It’s a trade-off,” he said.
“The primary benefit is
that this is one of the few
legal means that we have to
restrict parking on public
streets. This is primarily a
protection device for the
residents of Carver.”
Parking permits will
cost around $25 for an
annual pass. Residents will
be able to purchase an
annual visitor’s pass for a
higher price. There will be
a limit on the number each
residence can receive.
Pantele said that for
the first three years, VCU
has agreed to pick up the
cost of the parking permits
for Carver residents. That
arrangement stems from
a longtime agreement between
Carver and the VCU
administration.
Pantele said the parking-
decal system will help
Carver “preserve its residential
character and elevate the
quality of life for the persons
that live there.”
Be the first to comment on this story