2445 SCHOOL PARKING ZONES

2445.1 The Director of the District Department of Transportation (“Director”) may, in accordance with this section establish school parking zones, to provide on-street parking for teachers and other employees of a District of Columbia Public Schools (“DCPS”) school or a public charter school (“school employees”). School parking zones may be established by:

1. (a) Installing signs restricting curbside parking to vehicles with a school parking zone permit during the hours posted on the signs;
2. (b) Posting the boundaries of the school parking zone, which may overlay residential permit parking zones, on the DDOT website and providing notice to each affected Advisory Neighborhood Commission (“ANC”).

2445.2 The Director may initiate the process to provide on-street parking for school employees:

1. (a) At the request of a principal of a DCPS school or public charter school;
2. (b) At the request of an ANC, pursuant to a resolution passed by the ANC and transmitted to the Director; or
3. (c) On the Director’s own initiative.

2445.3 The Director may not review a request for a school parking zone unless the school for which the on-street parking school parking zone is being requested:

1. (a) Has an active Sustainable Transportation Plan (STP), developed in coordination with the Department, that includes requirements for the school to monitor the implementation of the plan on an ongoing basis and to survey school staff commuters every year;
2. (b) Has a designated STP coordinator at the school to be the point of contact between the school and the Department regarding the STP; and
3. (c) Has had its staff complete a commuter survey developed by the Department.

2445.4 The Director shall consider the following criteria when reviewing a request for a school parking zone:

1. (a) Whether the school for which parking is being requested has an active STP;

2. (b) The associated STP level applicable to the school;

3. (c) The number of school parking zone permits requested by the school;

4. (d) The size of the proposed school parking zone, if applicable;
5. (e) What impact a school parking zone would have on neighborhood curbside management within one-quarter of a mile (0.25 miles) of the school, including residential parking availability, during school hours;
6. (f) What impact a school parking zone would have on student pick-up and drop-off;
7. (g) Whether the curbside abutting the school can be safely and reasonably used as a school parking zone considering traffic characteristics, nearby land use, and roadway restrictions;
8. (h) What impact a school parking zone would have on curbside accessibility to the school facility for persons with mobility challenges; and
9. (i) What impact a school parking zone would have on curbside enforcement operations and resources.2445.5 The Director shall provide a written decision to the school or ANC requesting a school parking zone. The Director shall provide a written decision in response to an ANC request within sixty (60) days after receiving the request.2445.6 The Director's written decision shall state whether the Director has approved or denied the request for a school parking zone and include a rationale for the decision.2445.7 If approved, the Director shall include the following in the decision:- (a) The method by which the school parking zone shall be established pursuant to § 2445.1;
10. (b) The location and size of the school parking zone;
11. (c) The number of school parking zone permits that will be issued to the school or school employees; and
12. (d) The hours and days that restrictions on parking in the school parking zone will be enforced;2445.8 If rejected, the Director shall not consider a request for school parking zone for the same school for one (1) year from the date of the rejection.2445.9 Where an approved school parking zone is designated by signage pursuant to §

2445.1(a):

(a) The Director shall:

(1) Provide notice to each affected ANC;

(2) Post signs indicating the location in which parking is restricted to vehicles displaying a school parking zone permit along with the hours and days that restrictions on parking in the school parking zone will be in effect; and

(3) Issue permits available to school employees authorizing their vehicles to park within the school parking zone during the hours and days in which parking is restricted to vehicles displaying a school parking zone permit; and

(b) No person shall park a vehicle in the school parking zone during the time period during which the school parking zone restrictions are in effect unless the vehicle has a school parking zone permit issued by the Department authorizing the vehicle to be parked in the school parking zone.

2445.10 Where an approved school parking zone is designated pursuant to § 2445.1(b), the Director shall;

(a) Provide notice to each affected ANC;

(b) Publish on the DDOT website the boundaries of the school parking zone and the days and hours during which parking by a vehicle displaying a school parking zone permit will be authorized; and

(c) Issue permits available to school employees authorizing their vehicles to park within the school parking zone during the hours noticed on the DDOT website.

2445.11 The Director shall issue school parking zone permits in either or both of the following ways:

(a) Issuance of physical permits by the Department; or

(b) Inclusion of authorized vehicles in an online permitting system connected to the vehicle's license plate information.

2445.12 Physical permits, if issued, shall be designed by the Department in a manner that is difficult to counterfeit.

2445.13 Only employees of the school for which the school parking zone has been established may use a permit provided under the authority of this section.2445.14 If the Director issues a physical school parking zone permit, the driver of a vehicle using the permit shall display the permit face up on the driver side dashboard, so it is visible from outside the vehicle.2445.15 The Director may relocate, remove, resize, or otherwise alter an established school parking zone or rescind or modify the terms of school parking zone permits and residential street school parking permits if:- (a) The school for which the school parking zone was established fails to comply with the continuous monitoring requirements associated with the approved STP, including completion of a staff commuter survey every year;

- (b) The school for which the school parking zone was established fails to maintain, at a minimum, the STP level for which it was certified by the Department at the time that the school parking zone was approved;

- (c) Changes to the physical conditions or vehicle or pedestrian traffic in or near the school parking zone warrant a reevaluation of the school parking zone;

- (d) The Department identifies safety concerns associated with the school parking zone; or

- (e) The affected ANC requests relocation, removal, resizing, or other alteration of the school parking zone or its enforcement or authorization hours.2445.16 The fee for each school parking zone permit shall be fifty dollars (\$50) annually per eligible vehicle.

SOURCE: Final Rulemaking published at 69 DCR 010395 (August 12, 2022).