Battle for Parking: UTEP students, area residents cramped space problems

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- The beginning of every semester at the University of Texas at El Paso brings a problem to many neighbors as students fill the streets with their cars in an attempt to get free parking.

ABC-7 spoke to neighbors in the area who say this is a constant issue they face, despite some of their blocks being designated decal parking only.

Neighbors say students park in front of their homes, preventing them from parking in front of their own house. Many houses in the area were built without driveways. To prevent students from taking the parking spots, some neighbors have resorted to placing cones and trash cans on the streets.

Adam Zarowski, who lives on Porfirio Diaz, says his house is a popular destination for student parking.

While Zarowski's house is not a decal only parking zone, Zarowski says he's had people try to confront him after receiving a ticket for parking their car 5 feet into his driveway.

“It absolutely doesn't make a difference to me. But I have seen those cars get tickets because technically they're breaking the law. Right? And so I've actually had someone come and knock on my door and be like, 'Why did I get a ticket?' And I have to explain to them,” said Zarowski.

Despite having to explain to students that he was not the one to call police, Zarowski says he doesn't mind as much as other neighbors to see students park on their streets because he know how expensive UTEP parking permits can be for students.

According to UTEP's website, parking permits currently range between $150 and $400 per year, depending on the desired permit by each student.

ABC-7 also spoke with Gilbert Izquierdo, board member of the Sunrise Civic Organization, who says seeing students park near his neighborhood was a problem they faced often until his block was changed to decal parking.

“They are issuing tickets. So the students are kind of learning where they can park and where they cannot park,” said Izquierdo.

Izquierdo told ABC-7 that at one time the Organization was thinking of making the entire neighborhood on Kansas St. decal parking only, but there were some neighbors who were in favor of allowing students to park.

Despite saying he sympathizes with the students, Izquierdo said he thinks students need to get student parking permits.

With many residents unsure on how they could make their block decal only, ABC-7 reached out to the City of El Paso to learn more on the process.

The City told ABC-7 that for neighbors to apply for decal parking on their street, they must first apply for a Residential Parking District (RPD). Once the City has established an RPD, a petition with signatures of 75% of residents in the block must be completed requesting RPD sign installation.

If an applicant already lives in an established RPD zone, one can apply for a petition to install signage.

Once signs are installed, residents can purchase parking decals from the City's One Stop Shop.

The initial application fee costs $25, and there is a fee of $10 per vehicle per year. Each household can get up to 2 decals and will receive 2 visitor passes at no fee.

RPD applications can be requested by calling 311 or by calling the City's Streets and Maintenance department at (915)-212-0151.