Parking permits will be making a slow return to all DMC campuses. 

Del Mar College has not been issuing parking permits since the COVID-19 pandemic srtuck, but there has been some talk about the permits returning.         

The permits were first suspended as a safety measure during the pandemic, as the older process of receiving a permit was mostly face-to-face, needing to put the information on cards for approval.  

As the pandemic started to evolve into a huge health and safety concern, the permits scrapped until further notice.  

DMC Chief of Police Lauren White said they will be bringing back parking permits in stages. “The first stage will be for faculty and staff,” White said. “Students will not be receiving permits at this time.” 

According to White, the main reason for the return is due to the increase of enrollments, making parking more limited. “There are designated parking areas for faculty, staff, outside partnership agencies, and for clients for clinicals like dental,” White said. “Parking permits are needed to ensure only those allowed to park in those designated areas.” 

According to White, the reintroduction of parking permits will apply to all Del Mar College campuses.  

“Once fully implemented, all faculty and staff will be required to have a valid parking permit,” she said. “Vehicles without the required permits will receive warning tickets.” 

Math instructor Jasmin Caro sees some benefits but admits the convenience of not needing a permit is nice.

“I think [a permit] has some uses,” Caro said. “It could be good or bad. I personally like to be able to park and not have to pay. I think requiring a permit discourages others to park without a permit. I think I would want to stay free, but I could understand requiring a permit.”

White explained while students will not be required to obtain parking permits as of right now, Del Mar will continue to monitor the process, and further changes could be made.

Students asked about the idea of parking permits coming back were split on the issue.

“I don’t like it, honestly,” said journalism student Isaac Cantu. “I don’t think it’s a good idea. An outsider looking in would say parking is the same right now with looking for a spot. It’s a little hard to find parking as it with students here.”

“It depends, are there a lot of people parking here that aren’t supposed to?” said Liberal Arts major Jesus Moreno. “If so, then yes [bring back permits]. But if not, then don’t. At the moment, people are parking across the street to get to school.”