Ticketing for apron parking in Westwood officially in effect
Beginning today, cars parked outside of the entrances to garages and jutting into the street will be cited by the Los Angeles Department of Transportation.
By Paul Stremple
June 27, 2011 6:18 a.m.
Parking enforcement officials begin citing apron-parked cars in Westwood’s North Village today after holding off until the end of the school year to enforce the ban.
The new measures are intended to restrict drivers to parking on the street, which has raised protest among students.
“There isn’t enough parking for students,” said Brian Nguyen, a third-year biology student. “Without apron parking, more people will be competing for street parking, which is hard to find.”
Apron parking refers to the practice of parking on the driveway entrances to garages, which either leaves cars blocking the sidewalk or jutting into the street. Starting today, these cars will be subject to citation.
Ticketing was planned to begin at the end of spring quarter. After protest by students and community members on the timing and intervention from councilmember Paul Koretz’s office, the Los Angeles Department of Transportation delayed its enforcement of the ban to later in the summer.
The Westwood Neighborhood Council, which opposes the citation enforcement, passed a resolution in May calling on Koretz and City Attorney Carmen A. Trutanich to protect resident parking rights in the Village.
Enforcing the ban is part of an effort to keep sidewalks accessible to all people.
The issue was raised to the city by disabled citizens who found the sidewalks of Westwood too impacted to navigate.
Apron parking has always been illegal in Westwood, but ticketing was previously enforced on a complaint basis, which was ineffectual, as cars often moved before they could be cited, said Bruce Gillman, LADOT spokesperson.
Many apartments that relied on apron parking for their residents will now have fewer parking spaces to offer their tenants for the upcoming school year.
“I originally planned to bring my car to school next year, but now I don’t think it’ll be possible,” said Kate Adler, a second-year psychology student living in Westwood.
Tickets for apron parking will be $58, and if a resident receives more than five citations, the vehicle will be towed, according to Gillman.
Last week, the LADOT placed yellow warning notices on cars parked in apron spots throughout Westwood informing the vehicles’ owners of the upcoming enforcement and reminding them to move their cars.
