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Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office
Cabrillo College Division

Parking

Student and staff parking is available on the Cabrillo College campuses.

STAFF PERMIT - College Staff are provided a Staff Permit, which allows parking in both staff and student parking lots, they are interchangeable between both campuses.  Staff permits are available from the College Bank.

STUDENT PERMITS - Students wishing to park in student parking lots, must have a valid parking permit. A student may purchase a SEMESTER PERMIT, good for the entire school semester at the Admissions Office, and Student Services; or may purchase a DAILY PERMIT, good only for the date of purchase. There is NO FREE PARKING on the Aptos Campus or on the Watsonville campus. 

Parking at the Scotts Valley Campus is regulated by the property owner.  You do not need to purchase a parking pass for parking on the Scotts Valley Campus.

DAILY PERMITS can be purchased for $2.00 in any of the student parking lots from yellow parking permit dispenser. Yellow permit dispensers accept $1.00 bills, nickels, dimes, quarters and $1.00 coins.  The machines do not give change.

Permits MUST BE CLEARLY DISPLAYED in the bottom corner of the drivers side of the front windshild or Hangtag from rearview mirror.

Possession of a parking permit does NOT guarantee you a parking space. If the lot is full, you must try another student parking lot. Before purchasing a DAILY PERMIT, always find a legal parking space first. REMEMBER, PARKING IS IN MARKED SPACES ONLY!

DISABLED PERSONS VEHICLES displaying proper Disabled Person Placards or license plates may park in any STUDENT/STAFF/ or METERED SPACES without the need of a PARKING PERMIT, however, no parking is allowed in specially marked spaces (ie. loading zones OR dental hygiene patient parking). All Cabrillo campuses have several Disabled Person Parking Areas, which are marked with the traditional blue sign and symbol. Disabled persons are encouraged to use those areas. Persons not displaying the proper permit will be cited. The current fine is $275.00. Specially issued disabled permits from the Disabled Students Office DO NOT qualify for disabled person parking spaces.

PARKING is available for official visitors to both Cabrillo campuses upon request from the Sheriff's Office.

Section 23113A of the California Vehicle Code grants the authority for the Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office to enforce ALL Vehicle Code violations on the parking lots and roadways within Cabrillo College District property. In addition, the District may adopt it's own regulations, to provide adaquate parking, and the safe movement of pedestrians and vehicles.

THE PARKING INFORMATION IS POSTED ON SIGNS AT THE ENTRANCE TO CABRILLO COLLEGE, AND IS POSTED ON SIGNS AT THE ENTRANCE TO EVERY LOT ON CAMPUS!

Parking Regulations

• The California Vehicle Code is enforced on campus.
• Students must have parking permits to park on campus.
• It is recommended that students purchase either a bus pass or a semester parking permit. To purchase a day permit you must pay $2.00 to park in a student lot.
• Students may park in designated student spaces only.

Parking violations will be cited starting the first day of classes.

Parking Citations

• Failure to properly display permit: $13
• Vehicles without a parking permit: $23
• Unauthorized vehicles parked in staff lots: $23
• Unauthorized vehicles parked in loading zones: $24
• Unauthorized vehicles parked in handicapped spaces: $275
• Unauthorized vehicles parked in specially posted areas or not designated for parking: $24

Print out an APPEAL FORM and MAIL or FAX in for further investigation.
Fax - 831-479-0512

NOTE: The form is in .pdf format. You may view or download the form to your computer and print it out. Download Free Adobe Acrobat Reader

Legal Limitations

In 1987, the California Legislature enacted a law (40202c CVC) which made it a misdemeanor for any peace officer, including the issuing officer, to alter, conceal, modify, nullify, or destroy any notice of parking violation once it was issued. The law did provide a means for the issuing officer to recommend dismissal of parking citations under specified circumstances.

DEPARTMENT POLICY
To comply with the provisions of 40202c CVC, the Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office began a policy where requests for citation dismissal would be denied except as provided below:

1. The issuing officer is satisfied that the violation did not occur.
2. In the interest of Justice. Extenuating circumstances.
3. Mistake of Fact - Officer Error

ADMINISTRATIVE REVIEW PROCEDURE
In 1993, new legislation decriminalized parking violations, which are now considered civil penalties.
The system for adjudicating parking violations is now totally civil. The following points of law are important if you choose to contest a parking violation:

1. The actual parking citations or copy thereof is considered prima facie evidence of the facts contained on the citation. Therefore, the issuing official is not required to appear in the case of a hearing.

2. Under criminal law, the burden of proof was beyond a reasonable doubt. That burden no longer exists. The civil burden, a preponderance of evidence, now applies.

Should you choose to contest a parking citation, the following process applies:

1. You must file an Appeal Form [.pdf document] with the Sheriff's Office, Cabrillo College Division, within 21 days after the citation was issued or within 15 days of the date of the notice of delinquent parking violation. Mail appeal to:

2. An administrative review will be conducted and you will be notified by mail of the results of the review.

3. If you are dissatisfied with the results of the review, you have 15 days from the date of the letter regarding your administrative review to request a hearing.

4. In order to schedule a hearing, you must post the full fine amount and request a hearing.

5. You will be notified by mail of the date scheduled for your hearing.

6. If you do not agree with that hearing examiner's decision, you may, within 20 days of the mailing of the hearing examiner's decision, request a civil review with the County Municipal Court, Civil Division. The Court requires a $25.00 filing fee deposit for review of the hearing examiner's decision.

GENERAL REASONS THAT VIOLATIONS WON'T BE DISMISSED
Below are some commonly listed reasons given for violating parking regulations. While these reasons may seem valid to the violator, they do not address the laws of the State and the College. These reasons generally will not result in the violations being dismissed, or the violator being successful in a hearing.

1. Short Errands No errand, no matter how short or how important to the driver short of a bona fide medical emergency, is an acceptable excuse for illegal parking. A short errand is a very common excuse. It is not a valid reason for illegal parking.

2. Late For Business Or Personal Appointment Being late does not permit the driver the privilege of parking illegally.

3. No Place Else To Park - The Lot Was Full Other than being an invalid excuse, this, in fact, confirms the driver's liability. It is every driver's responsibility to locate legal parking.

4. I Didn't See The Sign - I Didn't Understand The Sign Drivers are required to look for signs when parking. This may mean checking an entire lot from corner to corner. Drivers are also required to abide by the directions on the sign. A person indicating that they did not see a sign preventing parking is not an acceptable excuse.

5. Only Part Of My Car Was Illegally Parked A violation is not based on a certain percentage of the vehicle being illegally parked. If part of the vehicle extends into a restricted area, the violation is the same as if the entire vehicle encroached.

6. I Left Someone In The Car; I Left My Parking Lights On Or Blinking; I Left A Note In The Car As To My Whereabouts With The Motor Running Many drivers seem to think that evidence of a short stay mitigates the offense. It does not. The purpose of parking regulations is to restrict from certain places or permitted at times, motor vehicles which are not in motion. The presence of a passenger, a sign or blinking lights does not satisfy this purpose and, therefore, does not constitute a valid reason to dismiss a violation.

7. It Was Only A Few Minutes This explanation is one of the most common claims. Even if true, parking in a prohibited area is illegal.

8. Nobody Else Got A Ticket Sometimes this excuse is raised as discriminatory enforcement. The officer may have had to leave the area before checking all the vehicles, however, a citation stands on its own.

9. Someone Else Had My Car Under the new law, the registered owner (R.O.) has joint responsibility with whoever was driving their car. Unless it can be shown by the R.O. that the car was driven without permission, the R.O., renter or lessee is responsible for a parking citation.

10. An Official Saw Me Park And Didn't Say Anything - Or Said It Was OK For A Few Minutes Generally speaking, employees have no authority to give permission to break the law. Whenever possible, an officer will caution about illegal parking, but silence by an official does not waive parking restrictions.

11. This Violation Has Not Been Enforced In The Past This normally is not the case, however, inadequate staffing or other priorities may give rise to violations not being enforced continually; but, nowhere does apparent failure to enforce parking laws constitute a valid excuse for illegal parking.

12. I've Done It For Years - Everybody Does It This is never a valid excuse for illegally parking. Nobody should be rewarded for getting away with prior violations.
 

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If you have questions regarding your citation, read the back of the citation carefully. If you still have a question, you may call the Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office, Cabrillo College Division at 831-479-6313.

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last updated 08-21-02 RR