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Motor-Vehicle Policy

Philosophy

Northwest University seeks to provide and maintain a safe campus environment for pedestrian, bicycle and vehicular traffic. It is considered a privilege for students to operate and park a vehicle on the campus. Parking and driving regulations are created and enforced to establish a climate of safety and order. Citations may be issued for failure to observe driving and parking regulations. In some cases the vehicle may be towed from the campus at the owner’s expense. The Northwest University Campus includes the following Kirkland WA properties:

• The main campus located at 5520 108 th. Ave NE
• The Firs apartment complex located on 113 thPL.
• The single student apartments located on 113th and 114 th.
• The 6710 108th Ave. NE.

Regulations

General Regulations

• All motorized vehicles, including motorcycles and scooters, owned or operated on the University campus by students and employees must be registered with Northwest University and display a current parking permit. The permit is to be placed on the inside upper right corner of the rear window. The permit should be located so as to as to be easily read from outside the vehicle. Permits should be obtained and installed no later than one week after the first day of the semester. Student vehicles should be registered with the University at the time of student registration. Vehicles not displaying a current parking permit may be towed from the campus at the owner’s expense and/or may incur a fine.
• All vehicles that operate and park on the campus, must have current registration from the state in which the vehicle is registered, be operable and insured. Failure to comply may result in the vehicle being towed from the campus at the owner’s expense.
• Vehicles driving on campus will be operated in a safe manner. Drivers will observe the campus speed limit of (15 MPH), regulatory signs and yield to pedestrians. Failure to comply may result in a citation. Citations may be issued for failure to stop at campus stop signs including the stop sign located at the exit to the Firs and Student apartment complex; namely at the intersection of 114th and 53 rd streets. As Security is not equipped to pursue & stop vehicles, a citation may be issued by identifying the owner via the license plate number and mailed to the owner/operator. The person listed in the Northwest University vehicle registration data base will be responsible for the fine when the actual driver cannot be identified.
• Drivers will not operate a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol, drugs or any medication, which would impair their driving ability. In such instances the Kirkland Police Department may be called to facilitate the enforcement of said violations.
• Vehicles operated on the Northwest University campus, must be in mechanical compliance and equipped as specified in the Washington State vehicle code.
• Vehicles operated on the campus during the hours of darkness, will do so with the head and tail lamps lighted.
• Vehicle repairs are not allowed on campus
• The Director of Security or the Director of Community Life may suspend one’s campus driving and parking privileges should said person fail to comply with the regulations.

Parking Regulations

• Parking is based on a first come basis.
• Parking is limited to one vehicle per space, motorcycles and scooters excepted.
• Overnight parking for guests should be cleared through Campus Security.
• Disabled parking spaces are limited to those possessing and displaying a valid disabled parking permit. A disabled parking space will not be used as a loading zone or for short time parking. Violations will result in a fine of $100.00 for each occurrence.
• Vehicles must not be parked within 15 feet of a fire hydrant.
• Reserved parking is designated for Faculty, Visitors and Staff use and is not for student use.
• Visitor parking spaces are reserved for those visiting the campus and not for use by students or employees.
• Vehicles parked in a fire lane are subject to being cited or towed at the owner’s expense. A red curb designates a fire lane.
• Loading zones are reserved for loading and unloading and not for general parking. Parking in a loading zone in excess of 30 minutes unless active loading and unloading is occurring, is considered a violation.
• Firs residents, when parking in the Firs parking lot, will park only in spaces assigned to Firs parking. No Firs resident will park more than 2 vehicles in the Firs parking lot at any given time.
• Single student apartment dwellers will park only in the spaces allocated for student apartment occupants. They may not park in spaces assigned to Firs occupants.
• Students will not park on the nearby neighborhood streets. Specifically, 114th south of 53 rd street and 53 rd street west of 114th street. Parking in these areas is a breach of our housing contract and could result in a fine and/or eviction.
• There will be no storage of vehicles, trailers, campers, boats, etc. on the Northwest University campus. Resident student vehicles must be moved from all campus parking lots when the student is not living in residence at the university. Stored vehicles are subject to being towed from the campus at the owner’s expense.

Parking Permits

Student owned or operated vehicles, when parked on the campus, must have a current parking permit displayed inside the upper right corner of the rear window. The permit must be readable from outside the vehicle.   Permits are obtained by registering your vehicle on line and then purchasing your permit from the bookstore.  Should your place of residence change during the academic year, you are required to obtain a new parking permit reflecting your new residence status but you will not be charged again. Should you change vehicles you must obtain a new permit from the bookstore. You may be cited or towed for failing to update your parking permit.

Parking Permit color designations are as follows:

• Red - Residence Hall
• Blue - Commuter student
• Green - Single student apartment resident
• Yellow - Fir’s resident
• Black - Designates staff and faculty personnel  (do not expire)

Citation Process

Security issues two types of citations, a warning citation and a parking citation. There is not a fine associated with a warning citation. There is a fine associated with the parking citation; fine amounts are listed in the fine schedule. Warning citations are normally issued during the first two weeks of the fall semester and clearly state the word “Warning”, on the face of the citation. Subsequent to the first two weeks of the fall semester, citations issued are entitled “Parking Violation” and require a monetary fine. Only one warning citation will be issued per vehicle during the first two weeks of the fall semester. Subsequent citations during this period will carry a fine and the parking citation form will be used. Parking citations are used for parking and moving violations. The violation will be listed on the citation. The amount of the fine is not listed on the citation. The fine schedule is progressive in nature. Citation records are kept by Security. The record of the number of citations issued is used to assess the amount of the fine which is determined by the fine schedule listed in this document. The fine amount is added to the student’s account by the accounting department. This charge will be listed on your student account billing statement.

Fine Schedule

Parking Violations

• First citation $10.00
• Second citation $25.00
• Third and subsequent citations $50.00

Exceptions

• Parking in a Disabled parking space $100.00
• Failure to exhibit a current parking permit $ 50.00 and vehicle will be towed.
• Student Apartment and Firs residents cited for parking on neighborhood streets including 53 rd and 114th
• First offense $ 20.00
• Second offense $ 50.00
• Third and subsequent offenses $100.00 and eviction.

Driving Violations

Reckless driving, speeding, failing to stop at a stop sign, failing to yield to a pedestrian, or any other dangerous maneuver may result in a fine up to $75 per occurrence plus community service or revocation of campus driving privileges.

Towing policy

Vehicles may be towed as listed below:

• The vehicle is not displaying a current parking permit.
• The vehicle is parked improperly or in a restricted location.
• The vehicle creates a safety hazard. (Example, the vehicle may be parked in a fire lane, a disabled parking space, on the sidewalk, in an unsafe condition, on jacks or blocks, etc.)
• The vehicle appears abandoned, “A Notice to Tow ” has been placed on the vehicle and after a reasonable length of time (14 days) the vehicle remains on campus.
• The vehicle is parked on campus, the owner/responsible is unknown and Security is unable to determine who is responsible for the vehicle.
• Towing or moving the vehicle is necessary to facilitate a University related activity, owner contact attempts are negative and/or the owner refuses to move the vehicle in a reasonable amount of time. Lack of a displayed current parking permit may make it impossible to identify the responsible individual(s). A vehicle not displaying a parking permit may be towed.

Vehicles are towed from the Northwest University campus at the owner’s expense, including storage fees. Towing signs are posted on the campus listing the towing company and a contact telephone number. The University currently uses the services of “Mac’s Towing”; telephone number (425) 822-2800. The towing notice is approx. 5-8 inches in size, red in color and states “NOTICE TO TOW VEHICLE”. For questions and clarification, please contact Campus Security at (425) 864-1552 or University extension 222.

Requests for Mitigation or Deferral

• You have 10 business days from the issuance of your citation to request mitigation* of your citation or to contest** it. No requests will be heard after 10 days for any reason.
• To request mitigation or contest a ticket, you must speak to the Security Director in person or send a detailed email to the Security Director. Please do not contest a citation with Security Officers as they cannot help you.

* If you request mitigation, your fine may be reduced. A common reason for mitigation is that you were cited for improper parking and do not have an NU parking permit. If you obtain your NU parking permit within 10 business days of receiving a citation, the fine can be reduced by $50. Obtain the permit prior to requesting mitigation.

** Tickets will only be dismissed when there is a clear mistake of fact on the part of the Security Officer who issued the citation.

Any person may request one deferral of a citation. On a deferred citation, no fine is paid as long as no other citations are received. If another citation is received, the deferred citation may also be assessed. Citations for reckless driving will not be deferred.

Suspension of campus driving/parking privileges

Driving/parking on campus is a privilege. Students who continue to disregard parking rules, stop signs, and speed limits may be assigned community service or have their campus driving/parking privileges suspended. Commuter students who are suspended will be allowed to enter the campus on 110th from 53 rd Ave only, and park behind the gym in order to attend classes. Residential students must park their vehicles behind the gym for the duration of their suspension. If a vehicle belonging to a suspended driver is found anywhere else on campus it will be towed immediately at the owner’s expense.

Vehicle Collisions

From time to time there are vehicle collisions on campus. Given that the university campus is private property, the Kirkland Police Department will only respond to vehicle collisions that meet certain criteria. Therefore, members and guests of the university community are best served by reporting all vehicle collisions to the campus Security office.  The following actions will be taking depending upon the type of collision.

No Injuries

If there are no injuries and both parties are present, the security officer on duty will obtain the information necessary to file a campus security incident report. The Security Director will then follow up with a detailed report which will be available to the insurance companies of all parties upon request.  In order for a report to be written by the Security Director, all vehicle collisions must be reported to Security office at the time of the collision. No report will be taken after the fact.

Hit and Run

If there are no injuries but one party is unknown, the security officer will obtain the information necessary to file an incident report and encourage the known party to contact Kirkland Police Department who will then be responsible for investigating the incident.  If the known party does not want to contact Kirkland Police Department no further action will be taken by Security.

Injuries

The Kirkland Police Department investigates all vehicle collisions involving injuries.  If injuries are involved, the Security Officer will immediately contact Kirkland Police Department to investigate the collision regardless of whether or not the injuries were significant enough to warrant an emergency medical response.  For the purposes of this policy, any complaint of pain as a result of a vehicle collision constitutes an injury requiring that Kirkland Police Department be notified.