In Provo we should all be equal before the laws of the city and before our elected representatives on the City Council.
Sadly, right now we are not always treated equally. Some of the laws are setup with different standards depending on who you are -- whether you're a renter or an owner or related or unrelated to the people you live with.
Right now, the city council is proposing a new law that will stretch further these types of double standards -- this time in parking permits. Previously it has been done in zoning laws to control how many people can live in a home depending on whether they're related or unrelated and whether they're owners or renters.
The council's proposals for parking permits south of campus include double standards. Did you know that owners who reside in their properties (also called "owner-occupants") will be given two free on-street parking permits while owners who do not reside in their properties will be given only one permit? And owner-occupants will be given a two-week window to buy additional permits before any renters are allowed to buy permits.
They city council admirably wants to help long term residents who are tired of not even being able to park on the street directly in front of their own home -- but does such a goal justify the means of a double standard penalizing the renters?
For over 150 years, the United States has allowed non-property-owners to vote. Should not all rights, not just voting rights, be equally given to all citizens? Giving out free parking permits to owners yet requiring renters to purchase permits is a double standard plain and simple. You can call it unintentional discrimination, though I don't think the city council is anti-student.
The issue is parking and traffic and safety -- not whether you own or rent. Let's focus on the behaviors; let's not have double standards based on people's current living situations.
Yes, the problems are real south of campus -- not enough parking spaces provided by owners and too many students wanting to park close to campus.
I think the fairest solution would be to eliminate all long-term on-street parking in front of residences. All owners -- both occupants and landlords -- should have enough parking spaces on their property for all of their residents. On-street parking could be limited to two or three hours for everybody 24 hours a day.
While this solution is not pleasing to many it is the most fair. With the current zoning laws controlling how many unrelated people can live in a home the city is slowly moving toward a police state.
Counting how many unrelated people live in a home is an abuse of government power. It is none of the city's business as to who lives in my home. The Supreme Court has said that police powers should be restricted to purposes of "safety, health, morals and general welfare of the public" (Lochner v. New York, 1905). Controlling the streets for purposes of traffic and safety is such a legitimate interest.
The city laws that limit how much of a property can be paved for parking should be loosened. Right now it is extremely restrictive. What's wrong with paving your driveway one car wider so you can park two extra cars? In many cases, it's currently not allowed. If traffic and safety are true concerns then why don't we get more cars off the street by allowing owners to pave more parking spaces?
If more storm drain capacity is needed to handle the increased run-off then let's talk with the engineers and increase the drain capacity and then the paving limits.
And instead of paying money to hire more traffic officers for this parking permit program, why don't we retrain some of the zoning officers to become traffic officers?
Whatever solutions we decide on, it must treat all people equally. I urge you to contact the city council members right away to share your ideas. Waiting till the public hearing next Tuesday evening is less effective. Calling them is more effective than emailing. You can find their contact info at http://provocitizens.net -- click on "Call the City".
Roger is the chairman of the local city watchdog group, ProvoCitizens.net. They are currently gathering signatures for the Fair Zoning Initiative to go on the ballot at the next city election. Find more info at http://provocitizens.net
Copyright Brigham Young University 16 Nov 2007
