Parking Rules and Regulations Policy

Parking Rules and Regulations Policy

The following approved regulations are applicable to the Muhlenberg College campus and apply to all members of the College community. These regulations have been established and are enforced to provide faculty, staff, students and visitors with a safe campus environment with reasonable access to buildings and other campus locations. Individuals who repeatedly fail to follow the college parking rules and regulations may be denied parking privileges. Effective August 15, 2023, the regulations contained herein replace and supersede all previous regulations with respect to vehicular traffic and parking on campus. Depending on the circumstances, they may be subject to change without formal notice. Questions relating to parking and operation of motor vehicles should be directed to Campus Safety and Police (Campus Safety), located in the front lobby of Prosser Hall at 484-664-3112.

OPERATOR AND COLLEGE RESPONSIBILITIES

It is the responsibility of all individuals who operate or maintain vehicles on campus to be aware of these regulations and to abide by them.

Motor vehicle drivers assume full responsibility for the operation and parking of a motor vehicle on College property.
Campus Safety officers will conduct parking enforcement in a fair, equitable and courteous manner. Construction, City Street cleaning, or inclement weather conditions do not alter the provision made in these regulations.
The fact that a vehicle has not been registered does not permit a member of the Muhlenberg community to park that vehicle in areas designated as visitor parking. Specifically, Front Drive is parking for visitors and guests only. No faculty, staff, or students are permitted between 7 AM and 5 PM, Monday through Friday.
Muhlenberg College is responsible for establishing and maintaining the signs, signals and markings necessary to implement these regulations.
Campus Safety is tasked with enforcement of the parking rules and regulations, and as such may issue violation notices to alleged violators of any provision of these regulations.

Prerequisites

REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS

Vehicle registration can be made by visiting the College Parking Portal

The applicant and the vehicle to be registered must meet all legal requirements for the operation within the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
The motor vehicle to be registered must be owned, leased or operated by the applicant or a member of his/her immediate family.
Applicants with outstanding violation charges will not be permitted to register their vehicle(s).
Proof of vehicle registration and a valid Muhlenberg College ID card are required when registering the vehicle.

Proper Display of Parking Permits

Parking permits are issued to the individual registering the vehicle and only transferable to other vehicles registered by that same individual.
Transferable permit stickers are pressure-sensitive on one side only. They must be applied to the vehicle and displayed on the front window, immediately above the Pennsylvania state inspection sticker, or the lower front driver’s side window for out of state vehicles.
Outdated Muhlenberg College parking decals should be removed if possible.
The registrant of any vehicle is responsible for any decal registered for his/her vehicle. If a vehicle is sold or removed from campus, the decal must be removed.
All motorcycle, moped, and motor scooter permits must be affixed to the left front shock in a clearly visible manner.
All student temporary vehicle registration forms must be clearly displayed in the rear window or on the front dashboard of the assigned vehicle.

Student Registration

All students who are permitted to own or operate a motor vehicle on campus must register their vehicles at the Campus Safety. Registration is valid for a full academic year or whatever portion of the year the student is officially enrolled. Students shall be responsible for compliance with all College traffic regulations. Changes of vehicles or vehicle registration numbers must be reported to Campus Safety. Any questions regarding registration should be directed to Campus Safety at 484-664-3112.

Every student who owns or operates a motor vehicle in Allentown during the year must pay a vehicle registration fee of $65.00. This fee covers any vehicle per individual student that may require a parking registration throughout the year. Any vehicle that requires a state license must display a valid parking permit for the current academic year.

Those students transferring from another institution or beginning an academic year in the Spring semester should follow the registration for “Transfer or mid-year student” when prompted and must pay a registration fee of $35.00.

LVAIC students may register their vehicle with us if the following is met:

Students must be registered in a Muhlenberg College course
Students must fill out an online registration form.

Once these requirements are met, they will be issued a student parking decal at a cost of $15.00.

Faculty and Staff Registration

Faculty and staff are entitled to a parking permit for the appropriate employee lot to which they are assigned.
Transferable permit stickers are pressure-sensitive on one side only. They must be applied to the vehicle and displayed on the front window, immediately above the Pennsylvania state inspection sticker, or the lower front driver’s side window for out of state vehicles.
The permit is the property of the College and must be returned upon separation from the institution.
Faculty and Staff are responsible for keeping vehicle information current within the parking registration system.

Student Parking Areas

The current academic student permit (permit color will change each year) allows those vehicles properly displaying the parking permit to park in student designated parking lots. The student designated parking lots are as follows:

PARKING PERMITS AND LOT ASSIGNMENTS

26th and Chew Street Parking lot (by Robertson Hall)
Parking lot in front of Benfer Hall
South side of lot to the rear of the Center for the Arts building
Village Upper Parking Lot Village lower parking lot
Sorority parking lot
23rd and Gordon Street Parking lot (white lined spaces only)
Martin Luther Parking lot
All lots and driveways connected to or associated with College MILE residential facilities not designated as “No Parking”, with the exception of the lot at Berks and Liberty Streets which is designated as “Faculty/Staff Parking” (See restrictions below)
Parking permits, numbered and identified by specific color codes, correspond to specific parking areas and are valid only for those locations.

Faculty and Staff parking areas are designated by yellow lined parking spaces, while student parking areas are designated by white lined parking spaces.

While every effort is made to provide sufficient parking spaces, the purchase and display of a parking permit does not guarantee available space in your assigned lot at any given time. Campus Safety Officers conduct frequent patrols of parking areas. However, the College cannot assume any responsibility for vehicle damage, theft or theft from a vehicle while parked on College property or on a city street. In consideration of the College’s neighbors, student, faculty and staff street parking should be confined to the campus side of the street. Parking regulations on the city streets are strictly enforced by Allentown Parking Authority. Parking on city streets adjacent to campus are restricted for street sweeping year-round. It is suggested that you read the specific parking signs in those areas. Also, Chew Street is a “SNOW EMERGENCY STREET;” if a snow emergency is declared ALL vehicles parked on the street must be moved.

There are specific lots designated for Faculty, Staff and visitor parking. Vehicles displaying student decals are permitted to park in these lots between 5 PM and 7 AM, Monday through Friday and at all times on Saturday and Sunday unless otherwise designated. The Faculty/Staff designated parking lots are as follows:

Trexler parking lot (includes Trexler Library, Center for the Arts, and Trexler Pavilion)
Prosser Hall lot (CLOSED FOR THE 2024-2025 ACADEMIC YEAR)
Center for the Arts (CFA) rear lot - north side facing the CFA
Back Drive Parking Lot – rear of academic row
Back Drive Entrance Parking Lot – north side of Brown and Walz Halls
23rd and Gordon Street Parking lot (Yellow lined spaces only)
Leh Street Parking – Includes Leh Street south of Chew St and spaces behind 2242 Chew St
Other parking areas are considered to be overflow lots as designated by yellow lined parking spaces.

Only Visitors (non-students) to the College are permitted to park on the Front Drive in front of the Academic and Administrative buildings. This restriction is in effect Monday through Friday, between 7 AM and 5 PM

Commuting Students and Evening College Permits
Commuting students and Evening College students are required to register their vehicles and display a parking decal. They will be assigned a student parking permit and are eligible to park in the areas as listed in Section III, A - Student Parking Permits.

*Due to the Seegers Union Construction Project the Prosser Hall Lot will be closed until further notice. As a result there will be no assigned parking lots for faculty or staff for the 2024-2025 academic year. Faculty and staff parking will be first come, first served for all faculty staff lots.
Handicapped Spaces and Permits
Designated with the national handicapped parking sign, these spaces are reserved for use by students, faculty, staff and visitors who qualify for state issued license plate/placards which are displayed on the vehicle, and the vehicle is registered with Campus Safety. With the exception of visitors, between the hours of 7 AM and 5 PM, parking in handicapped parking spaces on college property also requires a valid parking permit for the designated parking area.
Temporary Visitor Parking Permits
Any visitor of the College may obtain a temporary vehicle registration. Please email [email protected]well ahead of your visit with your vehicle information and a temporary permit will be emailed back to you. The Office of Admissions will directly issue temporary parking permits to visiting students and their families. The President’s Office will directly issue temporary parking permits to visiting guests of the President.
The use of student parking areas is restricted at ALL times to holders of valid student permits designating such lots.
Students required to enter restricted areas of the campus to make pick-ups or deliveries must secure prior authorization from Campus Safety.
The use of faculty and staff lots is restricted to valid permits holders in designated lots from 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. During hours not specified, these lots are available for use by any vehicle displaying a Muhlenberg College permit.
All "No Parking Zones" are in effect twenty-four hours a day and seven days a week, including holidays.
Student, faculty, and staff parking is not permitted on the front circle during the hours of 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. During this time the Front Circle area is reserved for visitors and guests only.

IV. HOURS OF REGULATIONS

These regulations are in effect continuously throughout the calendar year, including recesses and vacations. The use of other permit lots is restricted to valid permits designating such lots. Specific restrictions regarding parking and vehicular access to campus are as follows:

Emergencies and Special Situations

During emergencies and special situations, it may become necessary for Campus Safety to temporarily suspend or otherwise modify specific regulations found in these Rules and regulations or otherwise posted throughout campus. In such cases those actions will be communicated by signs or other markings, public announcement, or on-site supervision. Temporary regulations and restrictions will be enforced accordingly.

OPERATION OF MOTOR VEHICLES ON CAMPUS

Operation and/or parking of a motor vehicle on College property is restricted to those individuals who have properly registered their vehicles with Campus Safety and who display valid permits for a designated area. All other vehicles will be considered illegally operated and/or parked and will be subject to fines and sanctions specified in these Rules and Regulations
Vehicles may be parked and/or operated on College property only in appropriate areas as marked by signs, street markings, the College map and other designations indicating that parking and/or operating of vehicles is permitted.
Students required to enter restricted areas of the campus to make pickups or deliveries must secure prior authorization and approval from Campus Safety. Restricted areas are defined as fire lanes and faculty/staff/visitor parking areas. When authorized the parking in the restricted area shall be for no more than ten (10) minutes and the vehicle hazard lights must be operating during the time authorized.

Parking Rules

It is the responsibility of the motor vehicle operator to find a legal parking space. Lack of space is not considered a valid excuse for violation of a parking regulation. Individuals attempting to park late at night are encouraged to find a legal space, as established by the parking rules and regulations, and contact Campus Safety for escorts from their car to their residence.

The following practices are specifically prohibited:

Double parking.
Parking on the left side of the street facing traffic.
Parking over a white line or yellow line or across a line indicating a parking space.
Parking on lawns, landscaped areas, sidewalks, or other areas not designated for parking.
Parking in front of a driveway, doorway, or steps, or in any manner such as to block traffic, parked vehicles or roadways or hinder the passage of pedestrians or vehicles.
Parking in an area which does not correspond to the displayed decal.
Parking in a handicapped space without having the right to do so.
Parking an unregistered vehicle on the Muhlenberg College campus.
First year students possessing or operating a vehicle on Muhlenberg College property or in the city of Allentown without permission of the Director of Campus Safety.
Parking a two wheeled vehicle other than a motorcycle, moped, or motor scooter in a parking space designated for motorcycle parking only.
Parking in fire lanes, loading zones, emergency areas, or areas marked as "no parking" zones. Fire lanes include the following: Back drive – behind Taylor Hall (from 26th Street to Commons Building), Martin Luther – north drive (from Life Sports Center to 23rd Street), East Hall – south drive (from Moyer Hall to 23rd Street), drive between Brown and Walz Halls, the walkway through the Village, the entire drive to Benfer Hall including the east side, both drives leading to the Center for the Arts, the entire roadway between Robertson and South Halls, Fraternity drive and all driveways in the sorority areas. PARKING IS PROHIBITED IN THESE AREAS AT ALL TIMES.
Parking in areas not designated as a parking space with white or yellow lines.
Tardiness for classes, appointments, etc., is not a valid excuse for violation of parking regulations.
Students are responsible for informing their visitors of approved parking areas. Students are accountable for parking violations and fines from visiting friends or relatives. If a vehicle is illegally parked, it may be towed at the owner's expense.
Disabled vehicles must be reported to Campus Safety immediately. Such vehicles must be attended to within 24 hours of disablement unless circumstances result in a time extension agreed upon by Campus Safety personnel.
Muhlenberg College has two electric vehicle charging stations located directly behind Brown Hall on back drive and another two charging stations located in front of Fahey Commons. These charging stations are available for use by plug-in electric charging vehicles only (faculty, staff, students and visitors). There is a four-hour maximum time limit when parked in these spaces and instructions for their use can be found on the charging kiosk. NOTE: Vehicles must be moved when charging is complete or when the four-hour maximum time limit is reached. If your vehicle remains in the charging space beyond this allotted time you are subject to receiving a parking violation regardless of permit status.

FINES

Tickets are payable online by clicking HERE or at the cashier window in the basement of the Haas College Center during window hours of operation.

Fees of all violations, regardless of how many tickets have been issued to the same vehicle, are in accordance with the above fine accrual schedule.

Further Sanctions

In addition to the assessed fines, certain parking violations may be forwarded to the Dean of Students Office for appropriate disciplinary action.

Removal of Vehicles or Immobilization of Vehicles at Owners' & Operators' Expense

The below conditions may result in vehicle immobilization or towing. Immobilization usually occurs when encountering unregistered vehicles with multiple violations. When possible, Campus Safety will make every effort to contact the owner of the vehicle prior to towing. Emergency situations may result in swift vehicle removal prior to owner notification.

The vehicle appears to be abandoned.
The vehicle is parked in such a manner as to create a hazard to other traffic, or obstructing a road, service drive, loading zone, hydrant, fire lane, or parking area.
The vehicle is illegally parked in an area designated as a towing zone.
The operator or visitor operator has had repeated traffic violations (2 or more) and ignores warnings not to operate / register a vehicle on College property.
The vehicle is double-parked.
All vehicles issued a parking violation for being unregistered must register said vehicle with the Department of Campus Safety. Failure to do so will result in a boot / immobilization device for second and subsequent violations to the same vehicle.
The vehicle is parked on a lawn, landscaped area, sidewalk, or other area not set aside for parking.
The vehicle is parked in violation of lot signs which limit the parking to specific decals and indicates that violators will be towed.
The operator has removed a decal from another vehicle or is using a decal on the vehicle, which has been removed from another vehicle.
A vehicle not displaying a handicapped parking permit is parked in an area designated "handicapped parking only".
Muhlenberg College is not responsible for theft or damage to a vehicle when removed (towed) from College property. The towing company sets all fees (towing and storage) associated with towing. A towed vehicle will only be released to the registered owner and only after the matter resulting in the vehicle being towed is resolved (i.e. payment of all outstanding fine/fees).
Fees for Related Damages
The College reserves the right to charge the operator additional fees based on the cost of repair to any lawn, landscaped area or sidewalk damage caused by operation of or parking of any motor vehicle in violation of the parking rules and regulations.

OFFENSE	FINE AMOUNT
No permit	$50.00
No permit/Illegally parked	$75.00
Illegal Parking/No Parking Zone	$20.00
Parked in Fire Lane	$100.00
Handicap Space	$100.00
Fraudulent Use of Permit	$50.00
Disregarding Instructions	$20.00
Improper Display of Permit	$15.00
Theft of Services	$75.00
Boot Installation/Removal (2 or more accumulated tickets)	$100.00

Vehicles May Be Towed At Owners Expense – Cost Determined by Towing Service.

All violation charges shall become effective on the day issued and are payable within five days of the date of issuance. Payment may be made via the "Pay Citations" tab on the parking portal HERE, or in person by cash or check at the Controller's Office in the College Center. Checks should be made payable to Muhlenberg College.

Students and employees may be held responsible for any vehicle operated on campus by any member of his/her family or by any other relative, by any guest, as well as any other vehicle operated on the campus with his/her consent. It is the responsibility of all employees and students to inform the members of their families, other relatives, guests and others of existing rules and regulations.

All student violation charges (and/or expenses incurred by the College for towing) will be charged against the respective student's College account at the Controller's Office. Fines not paid within 21 calendar days will be transferred to the student’s account bill and an invoice will be sent to the student's billing address. Failure to pay will constitute grounds for the withholding of transcripts, diplomas and denial of registration.

All administrative costs will be added to the original fine.

Appeals

Any person receiving a notice of a violation has the right to appeal within a 48-hour period from the day of issuance. Appeals should be completed online by going to the Parking Portal found on the Campus Safety website HERE. Parking appeals may also be made in writing to the Department of Campus Safety. Parking Appeal forms are available in the Campus Safety Dispatch area.
The decision of the appeal review is final and is binding upon both the appellant and the College.
First-year students bringing a vehicle to the City of Allentown or to campus without special permission will be fined $150.00 for first offense, $225.00 and loss of housing lottery privileges for second offense, and $300.00 for third and subsequent offenses. These fines are in addition to any other fine that may have been accumulated as indicated above.

FIRST-YEAR STUDENTS SPECIAL PERMISSION FOR VEHICLE

First-year residential students may not have a vehicle on campus unless they have requested and received (in writing) permission from the Dean of Students Office after providing just cause. This permission may be revoked if the student receives three or more tickets (whether paid or unpaid). If permission is revoked the vehicle must be removed from Muhlenberg College property and removed from the City of Allentown. Violations of this type will be documented and reviewed by the Dean of Students office. First year commuter students are permitted to have a vehicle registered to park on college property and must do so by visiting HERE.

Contact: Director of Campus Safety, 484-664-3112