Saddleback College campus adds more parking spaces due to Sciences Building construction

Campus police patrol the overflow parking spaces added to Lot 10. (Photograph/Emilie Christensen)

Saddleback College has added approximately 360 new parking spaces since the summer. Most of the spaces were created the week before the beginning of the semester.

Police Chief,Christopher Wilkinson, discusses new parking options. (Photograph/Emilie Christensen)

While planning construction of the new Sciences Building in Lot 5 earlier last year, Chief Christopher Wilkinson said the college recognized a need to replace the approximately 275 parking spaces that would be lost. Overflow parking spots now extend onto vacant dirt, gravel, and even grass areas all over campus, and Wilkinson said they are still being modified.

“There are some things we need to improve, and we’re working with Facilities and Maintenance, and they’re doing an excellent job,” he said. “We’re adjusting as we need.”

Overflow parking, approved last year by the Associated Student Government, has been added to Lot 9 near College Drive Entrance. (Photograph/Emilie Christensen)

In addition to more than 300 extension parking spaces spread out between five newly renovated portions of campus, the school has expanded permanent curbside parking.

Though there has always been curb parking on College Drive West alongside Lots 9 and 10, Wilkinson said it is also now available on the southwest portion of College Drive West below Lot 12 and adjacent to the softball field, stopping before the public golf range.

“The ASG approved parking permit fee increases and made sure that the money was put back into what [students] wanted, parking,” Chief Wilkinson said.

The new extension parking lots are highlighted on the Saddleback College campus map. (Photo Illustration by Emilie Christensen)

All extension parking is temporary, but will remain for as long as the space is needed. As of right now there is no set date for their removal, he said.

No earlier than 5 p.m., students with a parking permit can also park in the staff parking spaces. This excludes Lot 9A, which will remain a staff only parking lot during all hours, he said.

The revenue generated by student, staff and vendor parking fees helps fund all additional parking.

“Credit to the [ASG] last semester and the semester before, they were really involved in parking,” Wilkinson said. “All of this was because we worked together: Administration, Facilities, the Vice President of Administrative Services, the students. We heard what [the students] needed so we went out and did it.”

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