Arena Parking Challenge

[LenexatoKCMO]

It is PRIVATE property. What part of that don't people understand? Just because the entire urban core is covered in surface parking doesn't mean your SUV belongs wherever you see space. There are THOUSANDS of legal parking option or God-forbid transit within 10 blocks of the Sprint Center. 

I don't agree with the tow companies, but towing a car parked illegally is the right of the property owner. You're not a victim if you park your car illegally. Do some research next time and use your brain and this won't happen. No idea why there is mentality in this town that free surface parking is some sort of God-given right. 

I never even came close to suggesting what you infer.  Of course it is private property.  But it isn't always well marked.  Accidents happen - sometimes people think a lot is open to the public when it isn't.  Should the tow company just be able to charge anything they want?  What if they want $1000 to get your car back?  $2000?  If its a really nice car should they be able to demand $10,000?  Should they be able to hang on to your car as long as they want?  The city is granting property owners the right to remedy private tresspassing on their own - but that shouldn't just be a blank check to drain as much out of an inadvertant tresspasser as they possibly can.  

[trailerkid]

 What if they want $1000 to get your car back?  $2000?  If its a really nice car should they be able to demand $10,000?  

I wasn't aware this was happening. Is it?

Why don't we educate the public on parking options or transit options instead of creating more legislation for people unwilling to educate themselves on the differences between illegal and legal parking place around the Sprint Center. Is this a problem in other areas of the city or just a few blocks around the SC?

This is not a big problem and is just a lame attempt by the Council to look productive.

[LenexatoKCMO]

I wasn't aware this was happening. Is it?

It sounds like ~$500 isn't all that uncommon - more if you don't get it out of hock straight away. 

There have also been some reports of issues with people posing as event parking folks, taking money from people as they pull into lots they don't really represent - car owners then come out of the event to find they have been towed from a lot they thought they legitimately paid to park in. 

[KCPowercat]

Don't park your SUV on private property without the consent of the property owner and there is 0% of this happening. Stop giving money to every crackhead you see around the venue. If someone parks in my drive on a KU football gameday without my consent you better bet they'll get towed. Stupid, "beige" people.

Look at the dozen or so garages around P+L...many of them subsidized by the city and these idiots from OP still can't find a legal parking spot. Are ANY of the complaints coming from out of towners?

I agree but that doesn't mean the tow industry is generally well respected...they do shady things like hold cars for days.

People should know better but some don't...my only beef is if someone dressed like a parking attendant stands in front of a parking lot with flash light, sign, and all...collects money to park there and then those people are towed...that's on the property owner if that's happening and they should have to pay these people back.

[KCPowercat]

I wasn't aware this was happening. Is it?

Why don't we educate the public on parking options or transit options instead of creating more legislation for people unwilling to educate themselves on the differences between illegal and legal parking place around the Sprint Center. Is this a problem in other areas of the city or just a few blocks around the SC?

This is not a big problem and is just a lame attempt by the Council to look productive.

You are preaching to the choir here...nobody is excusing illegal parkers...but I don't see an issue with more standard signage on these lots so people don't get confused who may have never been downtown in their life (KC resident or tourist).

No doubt you would hope people would have the sense to do the basic amount of research before their first trip but some don't...so things like readable signs and caps on towing bills is a good step in the right direction in my opinion.

[shinatoo]

I would pretty much work on the common sense maxim that if you park downtown and you don't pay you are parked illegally.

[KCPowercat]

I agree...and that's why my only issue is if people are paying someone and it happens not to be someone authorized to collect payment for that lot and then people are towed.  If that happens, that's pretty shitty and the property owner needs to take some responsibility for that.

[PumpkinStalker]

I would pretty much work on the common sense maxim that if you park downtown and you don't pay you are parked illegally.

Haha, good point!

[mean]

I would pretty much work on the common sense maxim that if you park downtown and you don't pay you are parked illegally.

You keep working with that maxim and I'll keep parking on the street for free. 

[shinatoo]

You keep working with that maxim and I'll keep parking on the street for free. 

Sorry, please a "in a lot".

[Gretz]

While I feel like people SHOULD know better than to park illegally and that property and business owners have a RIGHT to have people towed off their property, I still think it's a bad idea for those very business owners in the aggregate and downtown as a whole to exercise this right very frequently.  Anytime anyone has a bad experience downtown, deserved or not, they get pissed off, are less likely to re-visit downtown again and are likely to tell all their friends out in suburb X about their shitty experience thereby reducing the chances that these people, many of them skittish already, will choose to come downtown, etc.  While some of these people probably know better and are "taking their chances" others are making an honest mistake and really are ignorant of private parking ordinances and practices because they have rarely if ever been in areas where these exist.  While it may be gratifying to some to have an "if you don't like it then stay the fuck away" attitude towards our less urban neighbors, I really don't think it's a good thing to habitually piss off the urban neophytes of our suburban metropolitan area and surrounding hinterlands, who make up the vast majority of our population, by towing them by the hundreds everytime that there is a concert.

Add this to the fact that there ARE many cases of abuse by towing companies and property owners and it makes sense to me for government to BALANCE the common good of everyone downtown, i.e. not alienating the very people we need to support our new urban amenities, with the individual rights of property owners nearby with LIMITED legislation.  Updating ordinances to mandate more robust signage seems like a common sense idea.  Most lots, such as temptations--perhaps the most blatant tow-company sting--only show an ordinance number with the usual "violators will be towed" signage.  It is directly behind Willie's and a resonable person might easily think it to be their lot as nothing anywhere says who's it is.  Making sure that lots are prominently labelled with large redundant signage indicating what business it is associated with at all entrances doesn't seem like a big burden on property owners.  Being familiar with the intricacies of property divisions and what lots where belong to whom shouldn't be required of people who come downtown rarely, and entering a lot with no visible signage should not result in such a horrible experience as being towed.  It also seems reasonable to mandate that lots stay open on weekends so that people who's property has been impounded, however justly, can retrieve it.  The property owner is able to rectify the infringement on his property rights immediately by having the car towed.  Why shouldn't the owner of the vehicle have to same right to immediately reclaim his property?  Finally, I think a large increase in fines for extra-legal activities/arrangements, the addittion of new rules to prevent kick-back schemes and shady collusion and a focus on enforcement are entirely justified when people are renting out lots to tow companies overnight, temporarily removing signage, failing to fill out tow authorizations, threatening people who warn ignorant parkers of an impending tow, colluding with kick-back schemes etc.  I think the city's legislation is justified and really does very little to affect property owners.  They can still tow all they want; they just have to make sure they have proper signage and tow companies have to be more accomodating.  Even if it is just a pub-relations gimmick, it helps the city's image with the rest of the metro, who we really need to have less of an antagonistic relationship with, while educating people outside the core about parking regulations tangentially, and thereby reducing mistakes by paid-parking virgins.   Beyond the law, in my view parking lot owners should voluntarily be more accomodating with even more robust signage than needed and warnings under windshield wipers etc as they have an interest in the agreggate in a more vibrant downtown.  Pissing people off en masse is not a good policy when it is at all possible not to. 

[Beermo]

all i can say is WOW. gretz has spoken.

probably the best post i have read in awhile.

great points and well written.

[AllThingsKC]

Gretz used red, so I agree with him.  None of the Anti-Update Ordinance people used red. 

Great post, Gretz. 

[dojo06]

It seems that I can't make my own post so I will post my comments here.

I am an employee at one of the restaurants in the Power and Light District and it has come to my attention that the KC Live parking garage is no longer accepting my validated ticket.  The employees and businesses are what is powering the district and there isn't a designated parking garage for us.  I tried to park in the so-called "free" lot today and it turns out, it costs $5.  For those of you who don't know, the KC Live garage is $15 unless you validate your ticket.  Then it is only $2.  So I don't have a problem paying $2 but I have a big problem paying $15.  It just started happening recently that I am being made to pay $15.  I know there is a lot that has monthly parking passes but I don't know if it is worth it if I only work 3-4 days downtown.  I think it is completely unfair.  I hear that they are trying to rid employees of parking in that lot and validating their ticket.  It's either the validation machine at my work or they are charging people full price if they are parked there for more than 6 hours.  Or maybe, it would make the power and light district happy if I just got a different job closer to home and where I can find parking.  They need to treat the employees here better!!  Is anyone else having the same problems with parking??

[doc]

It seems that I can't make my own post so I will post my comments here.

I am an employee at one of the restaurants in the Power and Light District and it has come to my attention that the KC Live parking garage is no longer accepting my validated ticket.  The employees and businesses are what is powering the district and there isn't a designated parking garage for us.  I tried to park in the so-called "free" lot today and it turns out, it costs $5.  For those of you who don't know, the KC Live garage is $15 unless you validate your ticket.  Then it is only $2.  So I don't have a problem paying $2 but I have a big problem paying $15.  It just started happening recently that I am being made to pay $15.  I know there is a lot that has monthly parking passes but I don't know if it is worth it if I only work 3-4 days downtown.  I think it is completely unfair.  I hear that they are trying to rid employees of parking in that lot and validating their ticket.  It's either the validation machine at my work or they are charging people full price if they are parked there for more than 6 hours.  Or maybe, it would make the power and light district happy if I just got a different job closer to home and where I can find parking.  They need to treat the employees here better!!  Is anyone else having the same problems with parking??

Just speaking generally, the employer is usually responsible for subsidizing parking for their employees.  I work downtown and my employer picks up half my monthly tab for parking.  It's a benefit and one I greatly appreciate.  Your issue should be with your employer -- whatever restaurant you work for.  I could be wrong, but I believe the KC Live Garage is owned by the City; so I'm sure the revenue is carefully monitored.  Revenue would obviously be down if they validated parking for all of the employees in all of the restaurants.  It also would take up valuable convenient parking for paying customers of the district.

I understand your issue, I really do.  However, it's not unusual for the validated/convenient parking to be intended for customers.  It's no different than if you worked at a suburban mall and your employer asked you not to park in the spaces closest to the doors.  Most mall and big box employees have to park and walk further because the closest spaces are intended for the paying customers.

[chrizow]

It seems that I can't make my own post so I will post my comments here.

I am an employee at one of the restaurants in the Power and Light District and it has come to my attention that the KC Live parking garage is no longer accepting my validated ticket.  The employees and businesses are what is powering the district and there isn't a designated parking garage for us.  I tried to park in the so-called "free" lot today and it turns out, it costs $5.  For those of you who don't know, the KC Live garage is $15 unless you validate your ticket.  Then it is only $2.  So I don't have a problem paying $2 but I have a big problem paying $15.  It just started happening recently that I am being made to pay $15.  I know there is a lot that has monthly parking passes but I don't know if it is worth it if I only work 3-4 days downtown.  I think it is completely unfair.  I hear that they are trying to rid employees of parking in that lot and validating their ticket.  It's either the validation machine at my work or they are charging people full price if they are parked there for more than 6 hours.  Or maybe, it would make the power and light district happy if I just got a different job closer to home and where I can find parking.  They need to treat the employees here better!!  Is anyone else having the same problems with parking??

that sucks.  you should park for free (or for pocket change) in street-parking spaces south of 670 in the crossroads.  i have never paid for p+l parking b/c one can always park 1-3 blocks away on main, walnut, grand, mcgee, etc.

[LenexatoKCMO]

Years ago when I worked in one of the CC hotels we were either supposed to pay full unvalidated price to park in one of the CC garages or we were supposed to get a monthly parking pass in one of the xroads surface lots for cheaper and hoof it in.  However, if you were in the know and wrote the right coded messages on your parking card, the attendants would usually let you out for like an hour's worth of fee.  

[trailerkid]

It seems that I can't make my own post so I will post my comments here.

I am an employee at one of the restaurants in the Power and Light District and it has come to my attention that the KC Live parking garage is no longer accepting my validated ticket.  The employees and businesses are what is powering the district and there isn't a designated parking garage for us.  I tried to park in the so-called "free" lot today and it turns out, it costs $5.  For those of you who don't know, the KC Live garage is $15 unless you validate your ticket.  Then it is only $2.  So I don't have a problem paying $2 but I have a big problem paying $15.  It just started happening recently that I am being made to pay $15.  I know there is a lot that has monthly parking passes but I don't know if it is worth it if I only work 3-4 days downtown.  I think it is completely unfair.  I hear that they are trying to rid employees of parking in that lot and validating their ticket.  It's either the validation machine at my work or they are charging people full price if they are parked there for more than 6 hours.  Or maybe, it would make the power and light district happy if I just got a different job closer to home and where I can find parking.  They need to treat the employees here better!!  Is anyone else having the same problems with parking??

I don't know your hours of employment, but are buses, carpool and/or taxis not an option? 100% serious question...

[dojo06]

I don't mind giving back to the city but only at a fair price.  I'm not really sure who parks in the KC Live parking garage but it is always full down to the 3rd or 4th floor.  Then if you go to Cosentino's garage.  There's no one parked there.  Only customers who visit the store.  I thought about paying for a parking pass but found out that it costs $85 a month plus a $15 deposit.  That's kind of expensive for my hourly wages.  And it seems like for other patrons as well, seeing as how it's empty there.  I would like to take the bus but I drive 25 minutes to work and would rather just park my car and get there.  And getting here at 9:30am doesn't give me very many options for street parking.  The spots are usually taken by earlier cars.  Carpooling doesn't really work either.  My hours are different than others. 

I heard that the city told the owners of the businesses that they were not allowed to validate and park in the garages.  The businesses replied by saying that if the city didn't have a designated area for the employees, there was nothing that could stop them from validating their own parking tickets and parking for only $2.  The bad thing for me is that I get here too early for the validation, which starts at 11am.  So I'm one of the unlucky ones that has to struggle to find parking along with all the other people who work mon-fri 9-5.  But it's great for evening folks who can easily find street parking or just validate their tickets.  Maybe I should just change my schdule.

[shaffe]

Couldn't you get your ticket validated at the end of your shift?  Or right at 11?