By Suzette Grebe
Booting and towing are on the rise in Belmont condominium parking lots.
This increase is the result of tigher enforcement of the lots by Belmont management, said Sarah Lopez, a Belmont management staff member.
'A lot of people lately have been parking in spaces they are not supposed to park in,' Lopez said.
There are eight guest parking spaces at Belmont condominiums that convert to ''X spots'' between the hours of midnight and 8 a.m., said Barbara Scarfe, 21, a senior from Hockessin, Del., majoring in audiology and speech pathology and a resident of Belmont condominiums.
''X spots'' are parking spaces for residents of Belmont and are located throughout the parking lot, Scarfe said.
'During the day, we call the towing company if people with passes are parked in guest parking,' Lopez said.
Belmont only has a limited amount of guest parking for the whole complex, and these spaces need to be used appropriately, Lopez said.
'I am just a little upset because there was no warning. All during Fall I parked in guest parking and never had a problem,' said Teisha Bindrup, 19, a junior from Las Vegas majoring in sociology.
Bindrup, a resident at Belmont condominiums, was towed from guest parking recently.
'Instead of towing my car, they could have just booted it. Guests who are parked there after midnight just get booted,' Bindrup said.
Anyone who parks illegally is subject to towing, said Jason Lopez, a Belmont management staff member.
If a tow truck is not available, then the car will be booted, Jason Lopez said.
'I got booted for parking in the guest parking with an X pass. They are cracking down really hard, and I don''t think people realize how serious it is that residents can''t park in guest parking,' said Heidi Wolters, 20, a sophomore from Salt Lake City, majoring in psychology.
This is not the first time Wolters has experienced parking difficulties at Belmont condominiums.
'I have also been towed when I accidentally parked in the wrongly numbered space,' Wolters said.
The person who has a numbered space is responsible for towing a car parked in his space, Sarah Lopez said.
Wolters was also towed for parking in an X space when she had an X pass.
'My pass had fallen onto the dashboard, and when I went to the tow company and showed them, they still made me pay,' Wolters said.
It costs approximately $40 to remove a boot and $80 (price may vary depending on distance) to retrieve a car after it has been towed.