@GA77tweets tweets us:
“@PoPville: can you help me understand the meaning of these signs? i am confused! K street NE between 3rd and 4th”
parking
Thanks to a reader for sending:
“Someone left these all over the cars in Capitol Hill. I guess they’re not familiar with the concept of cars coming and going throughout the day, causing irregular gaps which may not have been there when the person pulled in.”
From DDOT:
“The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) today announced the publication of proposed rules that will modify the annual Visitor Parking Pass (VPP) program, and clarify the process for eligible households to receive, and use a 2015 visitor parking pass. The rules are open for a 30-day comment period, and DDOT welcomes comments on the proposed regulations.
The VPP program allows guests of District residents to park for more than two hours on residential blocks. The current 2014 passes, which would have expired on September 30, 2014, have been extended, and are valid until the end of the year. Starting January 1, 2015, DDOT proposes that the annual VPP be effective for a calendar year.
These proposed rules will require eligible households (within Wards 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and Advisory Neighborhood Commission (ANC) 2F) to register either online at http://vpp.ddot.dc.gov, or by phone at (202) 671-2700 to receive an annual VPP. The revision to the program will help DDOT better manage the demands, and evaluate program needs going forward. Depending on the outcome of the comment period, DDOT anticipates opening up registration in late October 2014.
Additionally, the proposed rules clarify the privileges and restrictions of a VPP, that it provides temporary residential permit parking privileges to a vehicle, as long as that vehicle displays a valid pass on the driver’s side of the vehicle’s dashboard, and is used only within the ANC boundaries indicated on the pass.
“We appreciate that this has been a popular program in areas that use the passes,” said DDOT Acting Director Matthew Brown. “These regulations will enable us to streamline the program, expand the eligible recipients and improve the management of the program. We encourage the public to weigh in on the rules.”
To view or to comment on the proposed rules, please visit the following website: http://www.dcregs.dc.gov/
Written comments may be sent to Samuel D. Zimbabwe, Associate Director, District Department of Transportation, 55 M Street, S.E., 5th Floor, Washington, D.C. 20003. However, comments sent to DDOT’s Public Space Policy Office, are encouraged.”
“Dear PoPville,
Thought I would send this in for your terrible/interesting parking job series. This person parks his/her bike like this every single day. Taking up a lot of the limited bike rack space near the office. Near Fed.Center SW Metro. I’d politely say something to her/him if we were there at the same time, but we’ve yet to cross paths! “
Photo by PoPville flickr user ep_jhu
“Dear PoPville,
We park in a public garage in Penn Quarter that used to be fine but once the commercial building was fully occupied we noticed a regular (several times a month) overwhelming and disgusting sewage smell. Complaints to the building owner have not resulted in any action. Is there a city agency that looks into these things?”
North Twin Oaks Plot at 14th and Taylor St, NW
From an email:
“As many of you know, the north side of Twin Oaks Community Garden—which is located on either side of Taylor St NW at 14th St–has been slated for demolition to make way for a parking lot as part of the renovation of the neighboring Powell Elementary School.
We are writing to inform you that, after receiving suggestions on alternative parking options from Twin Oaks as well as comments from the community, the D.C. Department of General Services (DGS) has decided to proceed with the destruction of the north side of the garden. There will be a community meeting this Tuesday to announce the decision as well as plans to build a new garden in Upshur park, and we invite all community members to attend to weigh in.
Where: Petworth Library, 4200 Kansas Ave NW
When: Tuesday, August 5th, 6:30pm
Thank you for your support,
Twin Oaks Community Garden”
A reader writes:
“I saw this DC parking enforcement car in Logan Circle (12th & Q). The parking people really ought to practice what they preach…”
Photo by PoPville flickr user Wayan Vota
“Dear PoPville,
I have had Zone 1 parking for the past 6 years. A year ago I won an ADU (affordable dwelling unit) lottery. For those of you who are unfamiliar with ADU, your rent is based off your income. This provided us a home that we could afford that wasn’t “managed” by a slumlord. I waited until my car registration expired before changing my address at the DMV. Just this was more financially feasible for us at the moment then to pay multiple fees at multiple times. The DMV told me that even though the surrounding streets are zone 1, that my block in particular is not allowed to have the RPP permit. Just my block. The apartment building had made a deal with the ANC that they wouldn’t allow residents to have RPPs and that they would keep the block strictly commercial.
I completely understand where the ANC is coming from, but now I have a major problem. Parking used to be about 165$ for the entire year to have zoned parking, and I was able to park in multiple locations in the zone. Now I am being forced to either park illegally on the street or pay $200 per month to park only in a garage (which I cannot afford). Neither one of these are options for us at the moment. Neither is getting rid of my car. My apartment building never mentioned in the lease or verbally that we would be forced to have garage parking.
Has anyone been able to work themselves around this type of problem? Or have any ideas of who I can talk to that can help us with at least finding affordable parking if we can’t have RPP? (Does ADU parking exist?) Or just any advice in general about this?”
@MrsARodriguez tweets us the photo above:
“Parked a few spots down, didn’t see vendor sign. Happened 2 another guy 2. Lesson learned I guess! $30 ticket on top of having to pay $120 to get his car from the towing company.”
“Dear PoPville,
I did not realize until Sunday morning that drivers wanting to park along streets that have Sunday-only back-in parking near churches in Shaw were required to park that way during those times. I just figured it was permissible but not required. I was wrong. In other words, residents must move or adjust how their cars are parked by 7am on Sundays along many streets in Shaw. When I walked by 7th St NW Sunday morning two MPD officers were ticketing cars that were not properly parked (backed in, protruding into one lane of traffic).
What’s more, I understand that MPD will not ticket vehicles that remain backed in and blocking one lane of roadway after 3pm unless a complaint is called in.
By the way, the churches have petitioned the city to extend back-in parking on 6th St NW until 9pm Sundays. The city extended the hours while doing a study earlier this year. The study found that extended hours parking was unsafe but the Universal House of Prayer has hired an attorney to petition the city to allow the extended parking to remain. This extended parking makes it more challenging to find a place to park for residents as, even if they find a spot along that road, they need to move their car/adjust how its parked at 9pm…”
“Dear PoPville,
Have you seen parking ticket traps like this where paint says its parking zone but sign says no parking? There is one in front of target Columbia heights too.”