by Deanna Reyes
Staff Writer
New developments have taken shape between the city and the University of La Verne regarding the Wilson parking lot.
Last month, a meeting between city and ULV officials took place to determine how many spaces each owned in the lot. Described as a “misunderstanding,” the city painted 34 spaces when ULV officials thought it agreed to paint 27 spaces.
According to John Lentz, director of Campus Safety and Transportation, the city and the University have come to the decision to leave the orange spaces as they are. Lentz said no documentation has been uncovered to prove exactly how many spaces ULV or the city owns, therefore, the spaces will remain orange.
Martin Lomeli, city manager for La Verne and also a ULV alumnus, said the University has made no request for alteration of the lot, and thus it has stayed the same.
These orange spaces continue to allow student parking, but are also available for public use. There is no time limit on the orange spaces; however, the city does prohibit overnight parking in the delegated orange spaces.
Lentz said the entrance signs to the parking lot will be removed or altered to deter confusion as to who can park there and for what length of time.
“[The spaces] do not hurt the University or the students,” said Lentz. “The upside is that it opens [the lot] up for unlimited parking and takes away the two-hour zones.”
Lomeli said he feels the lot has “strongly benefited both ULV students and merchants.”
Lomeli also said he notices that during the day, most of the spaces are occupied by University students, and at night, merchants utilize those spaces.
Although the orange spaces allow general public use, Lentz said he feels ULV staff, faculty and students utilize the majority of the spaces.
The removal of a city dumpster, which is currently occupying approximately three of the orange spaces, is out of the University’s control since the spaces are city owned.
The seemingly sudden declaration of city-owned spaces is not a new issue according to Lentz.
Last year the city restricted ULV parking on the north side of Bonita, B Street, C Street and a section of Third Street.
Once ULV implemented the permit parking system this fall, Lentz said a businessman notified city officials about the spaces they owned in the Wilson lot.
Lomeli said a Downtown Parking Committee, comprised of various city officials, University and merchant representatives, met to discuss the parking issue and all agreed to the change in the Wilson lot.
Then city officials began recognizing it owned more spaces in various lots, and began declaring them for public use.
Lentz said approximately half of the spaces in the Stu-Han parking lot are owned by the city and will most likely be painted orange this summer.
Lomeli, who confirmed Lentz’s assumption for painting of the lot over the summer, said the process is already in the planning stages.
Like the Wilson lot, the orange spaces will prohibit overnight parking and open those spaces up to the community.
Lentz said he feels there has been some tension between the city and the University since this misunderstanding has occurred.
“It might have strained relationships a little bit,” said Lentz, “but I think that something good will come out of it. I think there’s a greater awareness.”
Lentz continues to hold firm on his belief that the University should hold greater leverage with the city.
He also said that the University brings in over 1,000 people everyday who contribute to the success of local businesses.
“They [ULV] bring a significant amount of money into this community everyday. I would guess they bring in more people than any other business in the community,” said Lentz.
“I think a business that brings in that many people and that much money everyday should have more clout than I feel we do,” he said.
Lomeli said since he has served as city manager this is the first instance of misunderstanding between the University and the city.
To avoid future misunderstandings between University and city relations, a written minute system will take place at every meeting so there is no question as to what transpired.
Lomeli said he feels this issue is “water under the bridge.”
