NEWBERG, Ore. — As George Fox University’s students return to Newberg for the fall term, GFU commuters and students may have noticed squat “no parking” and “no student parking” signs in neighborhood parking strips. According to the Newberg-Dundee Police Department, most of these signs carry no legal weight.
“They’re more of a symbolic gesture than an enforceable rule,” said Emily Salsbury, public information officer for the City of Newberg.
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A property owner cannot have a vehicle towed from a public street simply for parking in front of a sign they posted themselves unless the vehicle is also in violation of city code. Per the City of Newberg’s parking guide, cars may be parked on the city’s streets with the passenger-side door within 12 inches of the curb on a daily basis.
The city’s online parking guide lists the violations that can actually draw a citation. Parking within 10 feet of a fire hydrant, blocking a bike lane, sidewalk, crosswalk or driveway, or parking within 10 feet of a mailbox between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. can each bring a fine of $50 to $115, according to the guide, which cites both Oregon Revised Statutes and Newberg Municipal Code. Parking more than 12 inches from the curb carries a $50 fine, and leaving a vehicle parked on the street too long can bring a fine of $50 to $265.
Signs carry legal force, Salsbury said, when the city itself authorizes them. For example, postings that read “No Parking, by order of the Chief of Police,” which cite municipal code and display the city logo. These permits are generally given for events like the Newberg Wednesday Market. She said NDPD can ticket vehicles that violate those signs but a homeowner’s own sign does not carry the same authority. Since the street is publicly-owned, private tow companies cannot legally tow a vehicle unless authorized by NDPD.
That distinction also applies to George Fox University’s own signage near and on campus.
“The GFU signs are enforceable by GFU security only through their policy and student agreements,” said NDPD Sgt. Eric Ronning. “NDPD will only address violations of city code and ORS.”
Salsbury said the department has previously shared the city’s parking guide with the university in hopes of raising student awareness of the rules. She said that if enrollment at George Fox continues to grow, parking pressure will likely keep spilling into the surrounding neighborhoods unless the university expands its own parking options or steers students toward using it.
“I can understand that this would be frustrating for property owners who don’t have a garage or only have room in their driveway for one or two vehicles when they need space for more and rely on street parking for that space,” she said.
Residents can find the complete list of parking rules, fines and a downloadable parking map at newbergoregon.gov under the police department’s Traffic Safety section.
