Parking Enforcement Officer: Duties Performed

• Enhances neighborhood livability and encourages economic activity.
• Provides assistance and general information to a diverse population.
• Works independently and exercises flexibility, dependability, good judgment, and a positive attitude.

These are the first three duties of a parking enforcement officer with the City of Eugene, Ore. They are also the priorities we want our officers to focus on. Parking enforcement is about people, not license plates. By focusing on customers, we change the perception of enforcement officers from ticket-writing vultures to city ambassadors.

This year’s IPI Conference & Expo featured a continual thread of sessions that aligned with one of our key priorities: enhance neighborhood livability and encourage economic activity. I learned about Calgary’s willingness to allow taxis in their fire hydrant zones (read more about this in the upcoming September issue of The Parking Professional), UNC Greensboro’s 12-step intervention for parkaholics, and adapting the service industry’s blueprinting tool at Arizona State University and the University of Chicago. I could name more, but there is not enough room here!

Eugene’s focus on enhancing neighborhood livability and encouraging economic activity dovetails with our larger community planning goals. Every community in Oregon has an urban growth boundary (UGB), which is a limit to how far it can physically grow out. This protects our farms and forests from unplanned development. The UGB must contain enough land for projected needs over the next 20 years. Envision Eugene is our community’s process for determining the best way to accommodate more people by 2032. Two vital goals identified by community members through Envision Eugene are to provide economic opportunities and neighborhood livability. Parking services has an important role to play in both of these goals.

Envision Eugene held a kid’s art contest to depict their vision of Eugene in 20 years. If these images are what our kids visualize for our future, how does parking contribute to their vision? Parking professionals can shape our community for good because Parking Matters®!