Reinhardt University Parking Regulations

Reinhardt Public Safety welcomes students, employees, and visitors to our Waleska campus. Our goal is to serve the Reinhardt motoring community with courtesy, fairness, and consistency. We strive to protect the parking privileges of permit holders and believe the community will be best served if all users of campus parking will follow the regulations and guidelines outlined here. We encourage your comments, questions, and suggestions in keeping with our commitment to maintaining a safe and secure educational environment.

These regulations apply to all persons operating motor vehicles at Reinhardt University and become part of the terms and conditions accepted by all persons permitted to operate motor vehicles on campus. Students, faculty and staff shall not operate or park any motor vehicle on campus unless qualified to do so under applicable State law and RU regulations. For the purpose of these regulations, a “motor vehicle” is a conveyance with two or more wheels propelled by an electric or fuel-burning motor.

In order to facilitate a safe and orderly flow of traffic on campus, Reinhardt University adopts in full all the statutes and provisions of OCGA, Title 40, Article 10, regarding “Stopping, Standing and Parking.” When appropriate, curbs may be painted yellow to designate restricted parking as set forth by Georgia law; however, the lack of yellow curbing or restricted parking signs is not a defense for those charged with violations of State or campus parking regulations. Parking or driving is not permitted on the grass, on sidewalks, in driveways or any other area not designated for parking or driving.

Parking on the Reinhardt Waleska Campus is either designated for visitors or requires the display of a valid permit. The responsibility for finding a legal space rests with the motor vehicle operator. Inability to locate a convenient parking space is not a valid reason for violating parking rules and regulations. Please refer to the campus parking map for exact locations of specific parking permit designations.

General Guidelines

All University faculty, staff, dining facility employees, students, part-time employees, contractors, vendors or others who regularly park vehicles on Reinhardt property must register their vehicles with Public Safety and display a valid parking permit when parked on campus. Faculty, staff, and commuters who use more than one vehicle may register all vehicles with Public Safety and they will be issued a valid permit for these registered vehicles. Registration can be accomplished through orientation or online with the decals then obtained at the Public Safety office.

Employees and students must provide current vehicle registration with their permit application. Vehicle registration information includes: make, model, year, license plate number, state of issue, vehicle identification number (vin). Permit holders are responsible for maintaining current vehicle information with Public Safety.
All parking permits are the property of Reinhardt University and nontransferable. Permits are to be returned immediately upon termination of or retirement from employment, or at the request of the University.
All parking permits must be obtained and used according to Reinhardt DPS rules and regulations. Acceptance of a permit indicates acknowledgement and agreement to abide by the parking rules and regulations.
The parking decals are to be affixed to the inside of the vehicle on the driver’s side lower rear window. The parking hang tags are to be displayed on the rear view mirror with the verbiage facing the windshield.
Occasionally, Public Safety will reserve spaces for special events, which will make them temporarily unavailable to permit holders. We will make every effort to minimize this inconvenience whenever possible.
Parking privileges may be revoked or suspended for multiple violations of parking regulations.
The person to whom a vehicle is registered or assigned will be held fully responsible for all violations assigned to that vehicle. When a registrant disposes of or sells a vehicle, the permit should be removed and Public Safety notified so the registrant will no longer be held responsible for citations the vehicle might receive.
All vehicles that belong to the immediate family of an employee or student, whether registered with Reinhardt or not, will be considered the responsibility of that employee or student. Any parking violations charged against that vehicle will be the responsibility of the employee or student.
Permit holders are responsible for maintaining current vehicle information with Parking Services.
There is no authorization for “temporary” parking in unauthorized zones or parking spaces. If you park in these areas, even momentarily, you are subject to receiving a citation.

Rules

1. Reserved parking areas include but are not limited to “faculty and staff reserved” lots, loading zones, visitor spaces and other areas marked reserved for specific persons or functions. Depending on campus activities, Faculty and Staff parking lots will revert to open parking after 5 PM on weekdays and all day on weekends and holidays until 6 AM in the morning, when Reserved Status will re-apply and be monitored for violations. This open parking status will not apply to designated spaces, handicap spaces, fire lanes, loading/unloading, and service vehicles. Generally, loading zones are reserved for University vehicles and other authorized vehicles on official business. Drivers of private vehicles may use loading zones during actual loading and unloading of heavy or bulky material (30 minutes or less) with four-way flashers activated. After the car has been unloaded or loaded, the individual needs to move the vehicle to a legal parking space. Faculty, staff, and students may not park in parking areas reserved for visitors.

2. Public Safety will vigorously enforce Georgia’s “Parking Law for Persons with Disabilities” in accordance with OCGA 40-6-226. Drivers of vehicles parked in spaces designated for persons with disabilities must have a valid license plate or display, on their dashboard (in full view) or hung from their rear view mirror, the official permit issued by the Department of Motor Vehicles for persons with disabilities.

3. Students with unpaid fines will be subject to the following sanctions: holds on release of records and degree conferral, and/or referral to outside collection agencies. Please note that if you have a HOLD on your records you must contact the Business office to get a list of all outstanding fees and fines. Payments are to be made in the Business Office located on the main floor of the Administration Building. Your hold will only be released by the Business office once a payment is made. A HOLD will NOT be released unless the above procedure is followed.

4. Parking at the Waleska Post Office by students, faculty or staff for the purposes of conducting business with Reinhardt University or attending class is prohibited.

5. The parking areas behind the Paul Jones/Smith Johnston Halls, the Administration Building, the Hasty Student Center, around the Dobbs Building, and in front of the Lawson-Tarpley Center are reserved for Faculty and Staff only. All others who park in these reserved areas are subject to receiving a citation.

6. Visitors and guests must register their vehicles and receive a Temporary Parking Permit which will be valid for a set period of time. Decal holders who drive on campus in a vehicle without a decal (rental car, leased vehicle, borrowed) must apply for a Temporary Parking Permit at the Public Safety office. Visitors dining at the Gordy Center are exempt from this requirement. Driver is to provide a vehicle description, location where the vehicle will be parked, and expected time frame the vehicle will be on campus. The Temporary Parking Permit will be hung from the rear view mirror with the verbiage facing the front windshield.

NOTE: Occasionally, a driver will park illegally and then put an old or misappropriated citation on his or her windshield in an attempt to beguile officers into believing s/he has already received a ticket. In an effort to discourage such behavior, owner/operators of such vehicles are subject to judicial disciplinary action and revocation of parking privileges.

Impound/Towing Policy

The decision to impound a vehicle will not be undertaken lightly; however, an illegally parked vehicle may be impounded without notice, and at the owner's expense, if it presents a hazard to motorists or is obstructing traffic. Other vehicles subject to immediate impoundment include, but are not limited to, those parked in marked "Tow Away Zones," those parked in spots reserved for specific persons, vehicles that are abandoned or obviously inoperable, and those receiving three or more parking citations (paid or unpaid). In other words, the vehicle is subject to impoundment immediately upon receiving the third citation. If a vehicle remains in the same space without being moved or is obviously disabled for a period of seven consecutive days without the owner/operator contacting Public Safety with a date the vehicle will be moved; Public Safety will attempt to contact the owner and the vehicle is subject to impoundment.

Although the University assumes no liability for damage or losses incurred as a result of such impoundment, Reinhardt Public Safety officers shall attempt to inventory the contents of impounded vehicle(s) in order to account for any and all valuables contained therein. No officer shall attempt to gain entry for inventory purposes; however, when said vehicle(s) are locked with all windows secured. The legal owner of the vehicle is responsible for all towing and storage charges pertaining to the impoundment.

Reinhardt utilizes R & R Towing of Canton for impoundment services. Their address is: 130 Longview Dr., Canton, GA, their phone number is 770-720-6200, and their website is: www.rrtowing.net. They maintain 7-day a week business hours of 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; however, impounded vehicles may be retrieved 24 hours a day, 7 days a week by calling their number.

The impoundment fee charged by R & R is within the limits set by the GA Public Service Commission 515-16-15-.03(2) in accordance with GA law, OCGA Sec 44-1-13 which is currently a minimum $125. If the owner of a vehicle arrives before R & R Towing has left the premises with the vehicle, R & R will release the vehicle to the owner once the owner produces the ignition key; however, the owner will be required to pay an operator fee of $50. If the owner/operator is unable to produce the ignition key or the operator fee, the vehicle will be impounded to the tow lot.

Violation Fees

No Decal or Expired Permit $10
Permit Improperly Displayed $10
Improper Parking $15
Parking on Yellow Curb or No Park Zone $15
Obstructing Traffic $20
Parking/Driving on Sidewalk or Grass $25
Parking in Visitor Space / Zone $25
Unauthorized Parking $50
Parking in a Fire Lane $150
Parking in a Handicap/Disabled Space $150

Citation Appeal Process

In the event a driver who receives a parking citation wishes to appeal the citation based on valid exigent circumstances, he or she may do so by following these procedures:

The back of the violator’s copy of the citation contains the appeal form. The violator has 7 (seven) calendar days from the date of the citation to bring the appeal form to the Public Safety Office in order for the appeal to be considered by the Appeals Board. The citation fine is automatically sent to the Business Office for accrual to your account. The Appeals Board regularly reviews appealed citations to determine whether to grant or deny the appeal. The Appeals Board’s decision is final and binding. If the Board elects to reduce or dismiss your citation, your account will be credited for that amount. This Board is composed of faculty, staff, and students who may decide to void, reduce, increase, or allow your original citation to stand as written.

For more information

Office of Public Safety
(770) 720-5789