UT Martin Parking

All vehicles operated by faculty, staff and students in connection with their employment or attendance at UTM must be registered with the UTM Department of Public Safety. This includes, but is not limited to, residents of Grove and University Courts Apartments who use UTM parking lots. For purposes of these regulations, a vehicle is operated by a faculty member, staff member, or student if the vehicle is being used to transport the faculty member, staff member, or student to/from the UTM campus.

Persons not affiliated with UTM who have a need to regularly park on the UTM campus may be issued special vehicle registration decals as needed. Those persons may park in parking spaces for the time identified or designated by the special parking permit.

Vehicle registration decals are issued at the time of student registration and must be properly displayed.

Faculty and staff vehicle registration decals and collection of associated fees will be conducted prior to the beginning of each Fall semester and will be valid for the entire academic year. Vehicle registration will not be completed until the previous year’s citations have been cleared. New employees will be required to pay the vehicle registration fee at the time of their employment to obtain a vehicle registration decal.

Student vehicle registration and collection of associated fees must be renewed at, or prior to, the beginning of each Fall semester and will be valid for the entire academic year.

Student vehicle registrations must be completed prior to the first day of classes. If a student enrolls after the first day of classes, then the student must complete his/her vehicle registration within two (2) business days of enrollment. If a student begins using a vehicle on campus subsequent to the date of his/her enrollment, then the student must complete his/her vehicle registration within two (2) business days of first using the vehicle on campus.

Generally, a student vehicle can only be registered in one (1) classification: commuter or non- commuter. However, students who meet certain requirements may register vehicles as staff. To register as a staff member the student must teach eight (8) semester hours or have a forty (40) hour work week specified on appointment papers. The registration of student vehicles as staff members will be by agreement between the appropriate department chairman or dean and the UTM Department of Public Safety.

UTM students, faculty, or staff with permanent disabilities and who possess a disability plate or placard issued by the State of Tennessee will be issued a vehicle registration decal at no charge. Students, faculty, or staff with temporary disabilities may apply for a temporary parking permit by submitting a written statement from a doctor to the UTM Department of Public Safety.

The registrant is responsible for his/her registered vehicle and all parking violation citations relating to the parking of the registered vehicle. If the person operating the registered vehicle is other than the registrant when a parking violation is committed, both the operator and the registrant may be cited for the parking violation. However, UTM will not collect multiple fines for a single violation.

The registrant is responsible for his/her UTM parking permit and all violation citations relating to the use of the registrant's parking permit, and is prohibited from sharing or otherwise permitting the parking permit to be used by other persons. If the person using a UTM parking permit when a violation is committed is other than the registrant to whom the parking permit was issued, both the person who committed the violation and the registrant may be cited. However, UTM will not collect multiple fines for a single violation.

The owner of an unregistered vehicle is responsible for the unregistered vehicle and all parking violation citations relating to the parking of the vehicle. If the person operating an unregistered vehicle is other than the owner of the vehicle when a parking violation is committed, both the operator and the owner may be cited for the parking violation. However, UTM will not collect multiple fines for a single violation.

Expired vehicle registration decals must be removed so that only the current vehicle registration decals are displayed.

Only one (1) vehicle registration decal may be purchased by each staff/faculty member or student, unless it is a replacement vehicle registration decal. The vehicle registration decal may be transferred to another vehicle either permanently or temporarily.

Staff parking areas are designated for all academic buildings on UTM property. Students shall not park in staff parking areas between 8:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. Monday through Friday or at other times designated by the UTM Department of Public Safety.

Student parking areas are designated by letter, e.g., C-Commuting students, N-Non- commuting students. Student’s vehicles may be parked only in lots designated on the student’s vehicle registration decal and only during the hours provided on parking lot signage or at other times designated by the UTM Department of Public Safety.

The absence of “no parking” signs or painted curbs/lines does not imply that parking is allowed. Parking in designated lots is restricted to marked spaces only. Vehicles parked outside of marked spaces are subject to being issued a citation and/or towed/booted

Vehicles with disability plates or placards may park in any parking space on campus. Vehicles with UTM temporary parking permits for persons with temporary disabilities may park in any parking space on campus except for permanently designated disability parking spaces.

All persons operating vehicles on UTM property or in the campus area, which includes city streets adjacent to UTM property, must be properly licensed operators.

Pedestrians have the right-of-way at established pedestrian crossings, except where regulated by traffic control lights or police officers.

The maximum speed limit on campus streets is 15 mph and 30 mph on the city streets, unless otherwise posted. However, vehicles may not be operated at any speed which is excessive for the conditions which may exist as a result of weather, traffic congestion, pedestrians, etc.

Traffic control signs and directions of police officers must be obeyed.

All persons operating vehicles are responsible for maintaining control of the vehicle, safe operation, and observance of traffic control signs, barriers and devices.

Operating or parking a vehicle in any area other than a street, roadway, or parking lot intended for vehicles is prohibited. Special parking exceptions must receive prior approval by the UTM Department of Public Safety.

Violations of this regulation shall include, but are not limited to, the following:

Registration

• Vehicles not registered.
• Vehicle registration decals not properly affixed to vehicle.
• Unauthorized possession of vehicle registration decals.
• Falsification of registration information.
• Illegal use, reproduction, or alteration of a vehicle registration decal or of a temporary parking permit.

Parking

• In no parking areas, loading zones, or on grass.
• In unauthorized areas.
• In such a manner as to block or obstruct traffic, street, sidewalk, driveway, fire hydrant, building entrance or exit, or another vehicle.
• In areas where curb is painted yellow or red or in areas not marked as a parking area with painted white lines.
• Vehicles parked in such a manner as to prohibit the emptying of trash dumpsters will be towed/booted away at the owner’s expense.
• Disability parking violation, as defined by state law (e.g., an unauthorized use of a disabled parking space, ramp, plate, or placard; parking a vehicle so that a portion of the vehicle encroaches into a disabled parking space in a manner which restricts, or reasonably could restrict, a person confined to a wheelchair from exiting or entering a vehicle properly parked within the disabled parking space).
• Each calendar day constitutes a separate offense for a vehicle parked in the same location in violation of these regulations.

Moving

• Exceeding posted speed limit.
• Excessive speed for existing conditions.
• Failure to obey traffic control sign or signal.
• Failure to obey police officer.
• Operating vehicle without valid operator’s license.
• Driving off of roadway or street.
• Reckless driving and/or racing.
• Failure to yield right-of-way at pedestrian crossing.
• Leaving scene of accident.
• Failure to signal turn or stop.
• Following too closely.
• Operating mechanically unsafe vehicle.
• Driving while under the influence of alcohol or narcotics.
• Operating vehicle causing loud or unnecessary noise, such as loud mufflers, horns, P.A. systems, etc.

Fines and Other Penalties

The fine for registration or parking violations is twenty-five dollars ($25), except for the following violations:

• Vehicle registration decal not properly affixed to a vehicle – twenty dollars ($20);
• Parking in a no parking area or a loading zone – thirty dollars ($30);
• Parking in such a manner as to block or obstruct traffic, a street, a driveway, a fire hydrant, a building entrance or exit, or another vehicle – thirty dollars ($30) (the fine is twenty-five dollars ($25) for blocking a sidewalk or building entrance or exit);
• Parking in an area where curb is painted red – forty dollars ($40);
• Parking in an area that is not marked as a parking area with painted white lines – twenty dollars ($20);
• Parking in such a manner as to prohibit the emptying of trash dumpsters – thirty dollars ($30) and the vehicle will be towed/booted;
• The fine for a disability parking violation is set by State law, Tennessee Code Annotated section 55-21-108. As of July 1, 2008, the fine was set at two hundred dollars ($200). The fine imposed under these regulations will increase or decrease automatically when increased or decreased by State law. The fine shall not be suspended or waived. In addition to the fine, not more than five (5) hours of community service work may be imposed. Any community service work requirements imposed shall be to assist the disabled community by monitoring disabled parking spaces, providing assistance to disability centers or to disabled veterans, or other such purposes; or
• Unauthorized possession of vehicle registration decals; falsification of registration information; and/or illegal use, reproduction, or alteration of vehicle registration decals – at the discretion of UTM, up to two hundred dollars ($200) per violation and restitution to the victim; or referral to City or General Sessions Court. UTM students and employees also may be subject to discipline under other UTM policies and procedures.

A person who commits a moving violation will be referred to City or General Sessions Court.

Student Disciplinary Action

Students who persist in violating these regulations or commit a single violation surrounded by aggravated circumstances will be referred to the Office of Student Affairs for disciplinary action in accordance with Chapter 1720-05-01.

If more than five (5) citations are issued to a student in one (1) semester, the student will be notified by a warning sticker being placed on the vehicle window that his/her vehicle is subject to being towed/booted. If, after this notification, the student receives another citation during the same semester, the student’s vehicle will be subject to towing/booting for that citation and each subsequent citation for the remainder of that semester, even if the previous citations have been satisfied by paying fines or other penalties.

Any student having outstanding citations (citations which have not been paid) will not be allowed to register for further course work until all such charges have been paid, unless authorized by UTM. No transcripts or other similar information will be made available for such students.

Enforcement

A citation for any type of parking violation must be paid or appealed within fourteen (14) calendar days after the issuance of the citation. Failure to pay or appeal a citation within fourteen (14) calendar days after issuance of the citation constitutes a separate violation of these regulations. If a fine is not paid or appealed within fourteen (14) calendar days after the issuance of the citation, a twenty dollar ($20.00) late charge will be added.

Windshield notices and/or other methods of notification will be used to provide the owner/operator of the vehicle with: (1) advance notice of UTM’s intent to tow/boot the vehicle as a result of the vehicle receiving more than five (5) citations in one (1) semester and (2) the owner’s/operator’s right to a hearing. In the event the owner/operator does not request a hearing or prevail at the hearing, his/her vehicle will be towed/booted whenever it is next found upon UTM property parked illegally.

Vehicles parked in a fire lane, designated disability parking spaces, reserved parking spaces, or in such manner as to impede the flow of traffic or disrupt the orderly affairs of UTM may be towed/booted/impounded without advance notice. Owners/operators of vehicles towed/booted/impounded for the above reasons have a right to a hearing by a UTM official that will be provided upon request prior to the payment of any towing/booting charges, fines, and penalties. If towing/booting charges, fines, or penalties are assessed after such hearing, impounded/towed/booted vehicles will be released upon proper identification and receipt of payment of all towing/booting charges, fines, and penalties.

Vehicles that are towed/booted/impounded or otherwise immobilized under these traffic and parking regulations will be released only upon the owner or registrant of the vehicle providing identification and paying to UTM all previously unpaid parking fines, penalties, and towing/booting charges levied by UTM. The release of a vehicle impounded in an impound lot not owned or operated by UTM also may be subject to payment of additional fees or charges levied by the owner/operator of the impound lot.

Appeals must be made within fourteen days of the date of citation issuance

Citations may be appealed to the Traffic Office and then to the Traffic Appeals Board. The decisions of the Traffic Appeals Board are final. The Traffic Appeals Board, which is composed of faculty, staff and students, meets each Fall semester and each Spring semester. The Traffic Appeals Board will review and make decisions by email communication on appeals that are submitted during the summer.

Parking citations appeals may be submitted online at the UTM Department of Public Safety parking website within fourteen (14) calendar days of the issuance of the citation. Alternately, appeals may be mailed or hand-delivered to the Traffic Office. Persons who fail to appeal a parking citation within fourteen (14) calendar days of the citation's issuance forfeit their right to appeal the citation.

Students, faculty, staff, and visitors must not endanger their safety or constitute an unreasonable impediment to lawful vehicular traffic by crossing streets at other than authorized lanes or by willfully walking or congregating in the streets.

On special occasions, such as athletic events, concerts, and graduation exercises, and in emergencies, parking and traffic limitations may be imposed by the UTM Department of Public Safety as required by the conditions which prevail.