Visitor / Parking Policy

Effective November 15, 2006

Purpose of Policy
It is essential that we maintain adequate parking for the convenience of our employees and authorized visitors. We need to limit the construction of parking facilities to conserve our natural and financial resources. Parking on campus must be maintained in a considerate and safe manner, providing access to buildings for emergency services and deliveries.

Access to Lamont
Access to Lamont is controlled by both a gate and a guard. During the weekday morning rush hour the gate may be left open to expedite traffic. The guard will look for a Lamont parking sticker on the windshield of an approaching vehicle. If there is no sticker, you will be stopped and asked to identify yourself and your purpose on campus. At other times the gate will be closed. Lamont employees are issued a gate control radio tag to automatically open the gate. If you do not have a tag, you will have to identify yourself to the guard before the gate will be opened.

Visitors
A guest list will be prepared for the guard’s use at the gate. Send an email to Security (parking@admin.ldeo.columbia.edu) stating the name of the visitor, purpose of visit, and duration of visit to have the visitor’s name added to the guest list. Send an email to the same address to notify Security of events stating the name, date and location of the event when generating a guest list is impractical. There is no need to notify Security of routine daytime deliveries, but Security must be notified of after hour visitors and deliveries with a telephone number to be contacted when the visitor or delivery arrives.

Daily Parking
Parking on campus is for the convenience of Lamont employees and authorized visitors. When parking on campus, only clearly delineated parking spaces must be used. Fire hydrants and Fire Lanes adjacent to buildings must be kept clear, and all roads must be kept accessible for other motorists, delivery vehicles (which include tractor trailers), and emergency apparatus. Parking spaces may not be used for storage of vehicles or other items.

Obtaining Parking Access Tags
Every employee will be issued a gate control radio tag upon request at no charge. An additional or replacement tag is available for $25. Windshield stickers are issued at no charge at any time. All stickers are numbered for identification, and the car registration must match the registration data provided at the time the sticker is issued to be valid. To request a sticker or tag, please visit the Security office in the Administration building or complete the online application on the Administration/Security web page. Each employee may request up to two parking stickers. Exceptions to this limit will be reviewed on a case by case basis.

Overnight/Long Term Parking
A number of spaces have been identified for overnight and long term parking. These spaces are clearly marked by a sign post. Overnight/Long Term parking spaces are located in the Geochemistry Parking Lot (35), Geoscience Parking Lot (27), at Lamont Hall (5), and at the Cafeteria (4). To park in the overnight/long term spaces on an occasional basis you must have a Lamont parking sticker displayed on your windshield and you must email the Security office (parking@admin.ldeo.columbia.edu) of your intention to leave your car on campus and the dates. Employees who routinely use long term parking (e.g., city dwellers) may request extended overnight parking by filing a Overnight/Long Term parking form with Security. Security will monitor the use of these spaces and the ownership of the vehicles. For extended use of overnight parking, it is requested that you leave a key with Security or with a coworker who can be reached while you are away so the car can be moved later, as necessary.

Lamont Owned Vehicles
All vehicles owned by Lamont, including boats and trailers, must be parked overnight at the Instrument Lab.

Enforcement
Security is authorized to tow cars as necessary to enforce this policy. The owner of the vehicle will be required to pay for the towing charges to have the car returned. In the case of an abandoned vehicle (no plates and missing or lapsed registration), following appropriate notification of the owner (if identifiable), the vehicle will be removed for scrap.