Restricted Residential Parking Policy

Lewis & Clark wants students to become a vital and enthusiastic part of the College community and to enjoy and benefit from all that Lewis & Clark has to offer. National research indicates that residential first-year students who have cars on campus earn lower GPAs in their first year than those who do not have cars. They are also less involved than students without cars, as indicated by the number of clubs and organizations they join.

To maintain the pedestrian-orientation of our campus, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and address City regulations, Lewis & Clark offers a variety of transportation options with the goal of minimizing single occupancy travel and reducing the need for parking lots. Due to the limited parking availability at Lewis & Clark, residential parking permits are limited.  

As such, undergraduate students completing their first or second semesters of enrollment are not permitted to buy parking permits.   To assist students and the L&C community in traveling to and from campus, several alternative transportation options are available:

• Pioneer Express Shuttle – free shuttle service operates seven days a week during Fall and Spring semester between downtown Portland and Lewis & Clark

• Discount TriMet bus passes – Lewis & Clark subsidizes monthly bus passes and ticket books by 75%

• ZipCars – Lewis & Clark partners with Zipcar, Inc., a low cost car sharing program providing 24 hour access to a number of vehicles located on campus (open to students 18 years of age).

On rare occasions, students who are not eligible for a parking permit may petition for an exception from this limitation if they successfully satisfy all the criteria for at least one of the categories below, and must demonstrate that campus shuttle, Trimet, and Zipcar are not viable options, in that Trimet and/or campus shuttle do not collectively travel to the location, or a one-way ride is longer than one hour time during peak travel times.

To receive a decision in advance of the beginning of a term, exception requests must be received no less than 30 days prior to the first day of the academic term. Potential exceptions are described below including the required documentation and stipulations.

Medical need - student must attend frequent medical appointments

◦ Frequent is defined as six or more appointments each month, including medical, psychological, or support group appointments

◦ Condition and frequency of appointments must be documented on a form completed and signed by the treating health care provider. To protect their privacy, students may choose to submit this documentation to the Office of Student Accessibility for review.

Employment need – student must rely on off-campus employment

◦ Local employment must be established prior to beginning the academic year

◦ On campus employment must be unavailable to the student (e.g. work study)

◦ Student must be working 15 or more hours per week

◦ Exception requests should include a signed letter from employer stating days and hours of employment. Letter shall include employer’s telephone number and a copy of a current payroll stub

Academic need – frequent off campus classes, research, or field study required by program

◦ Coursework requirement must be documented with a letter from the instructor or other documentation of enrollment and need

◦ Frequent is defined as two or more times weekly

Family need– extenuating family circumstances such as care for ill or disabled family member

◦ Condition and frequency of need must be outlined in a signed letter from a physician including their contact information

◦ The student must provide documentation or letter defining the nature of the situation including why they are the only proximal and capable person to provide the support

◦ Frequent is defined as two or more times weekly

Commuting students

◦ Student must provide a home address

◦ Residential status will be verified with the Office of Campus Living prior to application review

 

To apply for an exception, please submit your request through this form:

Restricted Residential Parking Exception Request

Students submitting a request will be notified of the committee decision two weeks prior to the first day of classes. After reviewing documentation, the committee may grant an exception based on space availability and level of hardship. All materials including exception request and supporting documents must be submitted by the designated date to be considered. Students who obtain a parking permit by providing falsified information, as well as others who attempt to purchase a permit for an ineligible student, may have future parking privileges revoked and may face disciplinary action.

Applications received after the deadline will be considered only in emergency situations.

Last updated: March 15, 2019