French St Parking (Problem-Solution Essay)

Mia Lekika

Problem-Solution Essay

5/5/17

French St Parking

French St. Parking has been a problem since we moved into our house in 2014. When we come home, the parking is always filled up. People who are not residents come and park in our neighborhood taking up resident parking. Parking permits have even been stolen from our neighbors causing residents to get tickets. When I get home, I always get frustrated by not having any parking spaces. The lack of parking can sometimes make us late. My nanny complains about the parking because sometimes she arrives late due to looking for parking. Parking causes many problems in French Historic Park.

Importance

It is important for residents to have parking spaces because they pay for parking permits. People who live in French Park deserve parking spaces because they live in the neighborhood. People wish they could have easier access to parking. It is also important for guests to have spaces when they visit residents. Residents and their guests should be able to park close to their home.

Cause

This problem is caused by people parking in the neighborhood who are not residents. Non-residents parking in the neighborhood are coming from surrounding businesses and the Orange County School of Arts (OCSA). Workers from Downtown Santa Ana park in French Street as well as people visiting the Downtown businesses. The effect of non-residents parking in the neighborhood is that residents get aggravated, angry, and frustrated. Since permits are not required during the day anyone is allowed to park in the neighborhood. One reason they may be parking in the neighborhood is to avoid paying parking fees. For example, other streets surrounding French Street have pay lots or parking meters and OCSA requires a parking permit. Another reason, is lack of available parking spaces at school or work.

Thesis

Parking has gotten worse as business has been getting larger and more kids enroll to schools in the district. It’s great that the district has been getting more business but the non residents cannot park here so much that residents don’t get any parking.  French Historic Park has a parking problem and a solution is to require permits 24 hours per day and whoever doesn’t have a permit gets a ticket.

Solution

People will be required to have a parking permit both day and night. To begin, parking control should patrol for permits every two hours and ticket anyone without a resident or guest permit. Guests will get their permits from residents or obtain their own permit from the City of Santa Ana. Every resident is limited to 2 parking permits per household and 150 guest permits.

A resident of French Historic Park will bring the parking concern and solution to the City of Santa Ana council. The council may or may not decide to support the solution of changing the parking regulations. As many people from the neighborhood as possible coming together to support the parking solution will increase the odds that the city council will support changing the parking regulations.

Parking regulations should be implemented because they keep guests and residents able to come and go without tickets or restrictions as long as the parking rules are followed. This will also guarantee access to parking for residents and approved guests as needed. In addition, this is a low cost solution that will with the potential to earn money for the city through parking permit fees and parking tickets.

Some people may not want this solution because it will prevent them from parking in the neighborhood and they may have to use paid parking. For example, renters that will not stay long in the neighborhood may not like the idea of paying a permit for two years. And, people from other neighborhood would have to park further from Downtown Santa Ana businesses and events. It may be frustrating for guests or residents to have to get paper permits every time they park in the neighborhood, but they can also get a parking permit that is good for two years that they can stick on their car.

Conclusion

Parking at French Historic Park has been an ongoing problem. It is important for residents and their guests to have parking spaces. We need to have more parking spaces for residents and their guests. To solve this problem, people who don’t have a parking permit during the day or night will get a ticket from the police. This solution is low cost, may earn money for the City of Santa Ana, and likely to be supported by the neighborhood.

The first step to getting these parking regulations passed is to get support from other residents of French Historic Park. Once there is enough support, the residents will attend a City Council meeting. At the meeting, residents will attempt to get the council to support their solution. After the council agrees, the parking regulations will be changed and parking will be improved.