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Page 6

Published in the December 2010 Political Observer

Movies 12, Lowe’s Join List of Parking
Spaces Not Striped to Code in Lancaster

Part IV

LANCASTER – Wisdom and prudence dictate drivers carry in their trunk various items that may prove to be of assistance in the event of an emergency. A spare tire, tire iron and jack, a flashlight and a first aid kit are just a few examples. When parking in Lancaster, drivers may wish to add to this list a tape measure.

In July, The Political Observer began reporting that although standard 90 degree parking spaces in Lancaster are required by municipal code to be a minimum of nine feet wide, often times around town, they are not. This government oversight has resulted in an untold number of parking citations being issued by Parking Enforcement – and corresponding revenue collected by municipal government - for not parking within a single space.

This was discovered to be the case at Antonovich Courthouse on Avenue M and at COSTCO on Avenue L, where parking spaces are two feet too narrow at the former location, and one foot too narrow at the latter. As the result of our investigation, Lancaster City Hall instituted a halt on City issued citations for not parking within a single space at these two locations.

As part of our continuing investigation, The Political Observer has discovered and can report two new locations where parking spaces are not to code – too narrow – and where citations have been issued for not parking within a single space. The first of the two locations is Lowe’s on Avenue K and 10th St. West. Here, spaces measure eight feet, eight inches wide, falling short of the minimum width by four inches.

The second location is the Movies 12, located on Valley Central Way between Lancaster Blvd and Avenue J, across from Wal-Mart. EDITOR’S NOTE: Parking spaces at the Valley Central Way Wal-Mart comfortably exceed the nine foot minimum width.

Monique Edwards at Lancaster’s finance department confirmed the prohibition on City issued citations remained in effect at the Antonovich Courthouse and COSTCO, as of press time. However, drivers be warned, citations have not been suspended for violations relating to public safety at these two locations. Examples being parking in a fire lane, and unauthorized parking in a disabled space.

Edwards said a City investigation into parking space sizes at the courthouse and COSTCO had been conducted and that the moratorium on specific citations at the courthouse and COSTCO will remain in effect indefinitely. Edwards explained she had recently been assigned new duties and informed The Political Observer that oversight and responsibility for the issue fell under Public Safety Manager Lee D’Errico and it is to D’Errico we should direct our questions.

The Political Observer spoke with D’Errico by telephone the morning of Thursday, December 9 – 24 hours prior to press – and the public safety manager explained he was pressed for time and could not address our questions at that moment. A specific time was mutually agreed upon for a phone appointment later in the afternoon. All calls to D’Errico’s office went unanswered and no return call was made by D’Errico.

editor@tavpo.com

Published in February 2011 Political Observer

Parking Space Dimensions Across Lancaster

Fraught with Inconsistency

Disabled Parking at COSTCO Falls Short
of Minimum State Requirements

Citation-Specific Moratorium at
AV Courthouse Remains in Effect

The Political Observer’s Investigation into Lancaster
Parking Enforcement’s Ignominious Modus Operandi

Part V

LANCASTER – First, it was the AV Courthouse on Avenue M. Then COSTCO. Next was Movies 12 on Valley Central Way, to be followed by Lowe’s on Avenue K and 10th West.

This month it’s the Los Angeles County Department of Social Services building on Avenue K-10 joining the infamous list of facilities with parking space dimensions not only not striped to code, but also patrolled by a City of Lancaster Parking Enforcement cadre citing vehicles not parked within a single space.

Municipal code sets the minimum width of a standard 90 degree parking space at nine feet wide. At the courthouse - the most egregious example of non-conforming parking spaces to date - spaces measure seven feet. Compact spaces are to be no smaller than eight feet wide according to code, but at the courthouse they measure six feet and five inches.

Lancaster Public Safety Manager Lee D’Errico confirmed that the moratorium on issuing citations to vehicles not parked within a single space at the Antonovich Courthouse remains in effect. However, parking enforcement continues to cite there for other infractions.

The moratorium was put in place last summer after staff at City Hall read our first report in the July Political Observer about courthouse parking spaces not meeting the minimum width requirement as mandated by code.

In this, Part V, The Political Observer can report two new discoveries on non-code compliant parking spaces in Lancaster. Acting on a tip from a new reader who received a citation in the distant past for parking with her tires over the parking space limit line, The Political Observer verified that there are parking spaces at the Los Angeles County Department of Social Services on Avenue K-10 measuring as narrow as seven feet and seven inches; one foot and five inches too narrow.

After responding to a separate tip from a regular reader who suggested The Political Observer amble over to COSTCO and take a measurement of Disabled Parking spaces, we can report there are Disabled Parking spaces at COSTCO measuring eight feet even, and others as narrow as seven feet and eleven inches.

The problem? In a telephone interview with a spokesperson at the Division of the State Architect, The Political Observer learned, according to California Building Code, Disabled Parking spaces must measure, at a minimum, nine feet wide and 18 feet deep. This regulation governs both standard and van accessible spaces.

The accompanying loading spaces, marked with blue diagonal stripes, must be a minimum of five feet wide for standard access, and eight feet for van accessible. Disabled Parking space regulations are governed under Section 1129b.3 of the California Building Code.

In a telephone interview, Lancaster Public Safety Manager Lee D’errico said the property owner is responsible for painting parking spaces and acknowledged the City is “having issues” with striping around town not being to code. “Parking spaces need to conform to what is required,” said D’Errico.

D’Errico confirmed City Hall did conduct an investigation into parking space sizes at COSTCO and the AV Courthouse last summer but was unable to elaborate on any findings. He did insist the purpose of parking citations was not to collect revenue, but for public safety; a contention D’Errico was able to support with some evidence.

Although the moratorium on issuing parking citations for parking with a tire on or over a separator line at the AV Courthouse on Avenue M remains in effect, citations related to public safety – double parking, blocking emergency vehicle access, parking in a Disabled Space absent the display of proper credentials – continue to be issued by parking enforcement, explained D’Errico.

When The Political Observer informed D’Errico that parking space sizes at Movies 12 on Valley Central Way and Lowe’s at Avenue K & 10th St. West are both striped at less than the minimum width as required by municipal code, and that, most important, that City of Lancaster Parking Enforcement have a habit of patrolling these two lots issuing citations to vehicles not parked between the white delineation lines code - findings published in the December Political Observer – D’errico said he was unaware of the situation because he does not read The Political Observer, then added, “I’ll look into it.”

After sharing with D’Errico the data collected on Disabled Spaces at COSTCO, as reported this month for the first time, D’Errico said Disabled Parking spaces at COSTCO will also be taken under review.

D’Errico explained his philosophy on parking citations as one where enforcement personnel “not write citations that are challengeable.”

Readers may be interested to learn that Lancaster Municipal Code 10.40.130 - Compliance with parking space markings - states, no vehicle shall be stopped or left standing other than within a single space “unless the size or shape of the vehicle makes compliance impossible.”

The Political Observer will continue our investigation and reporting on locations across Lancaster where parking spaces do not conform to code and where, in conjunction, Lancaster Parking Enforcement is issuing citations for not parking within a single space.

Readers who recently received a parking citation for such an infraction, and who believe the parking space size in question does not conform to minimum code requirements may contact The Political Observer at: editor@tavpo.com. Write Lancaster Parking Enforcement in the subject line. No attachments. All e-mails with an attachment will be deleted, unopened.

editor@tavpo.com