Due to sudden changes in available parking areas and ticketing practices during this semester, frustration seems to be growing among the student body.

As many have noticed, a multi-story parking structure is being built along Redondo Beach Boulevard causing there to be a shortage of parking areas where students can legally park.

In addition to the lack of parking spaces, access to these limited parking areas has been difficult to find for many students.

“The road to get to the parking structure is closed on the main end and the only way to park there is to drive to the far end of the school,” John Stewart, 24, business major, said.

Campus police asks that students cooperate and come early in order to find parking.

“When it comes to parking, students must be patient when trying to find a spot. They should leave home earlier and they need to figure out where they can park easily before they arrive at school,” Michael Trevis, chief of police, said.

The main entrance to the two-story parking lot is closed because a traffic signal is being installed next to the new multi-level parking structure in a collaborative effort by EC, the City of Torrance and Los Angeles County to ease traffic congestion and accidents.

“I have been hearing that the new parking structure will be completed by the upcoming spring semester and possibly even by the winter semester,” Trevis said.

Along with the electronic traffic signal, the new structure will be equipped with energy-efficient lighting and new cameras for safety.

EC and its police department were empathetic to the students and decided that in the first two weeks of each semester, no parking tickets will be issued to anyone in the parking lot.

“Due to the high volume of students in the first few weeks of the semester, our parking enforcement does not issue any tickets to cars parked in the lot without a permit,” Trevis said.

Parking enforcement was lenient during the first half of the semester, but changes in parking rules have suddenly been enforced, adding to the frustration of some students.

“I got a ticket for not parking within the parking stall lines which they began enforcing on Oct. 27,” Stewart said.

This parking enforcement law is a new rule, but has been implemented to ease the congestion in Lot L.

“We posted about five signs around the south parking lot for five days during the second week of October notifying students that they would be ticketed for not parking within parking stall lines, so if they didn’t see it, that is not my problem,” Eric Ramirez, police cadet, said.

Confusion has ensued over the new rule due to the fact that previously in the semester, students were allowed to park outside of parking stalls.

“During the beginning of the semester, we did not ticket students for parking in unauthorized areas because parking was so limited, but now that parking problems have eased, we have begun to give tickets to cars parked outside of designated student stalls,” Trevis said.

Students believe that this new parking rule is unfair because adequate notice was not given to the students, but others believe students were given enough time to adjust to this change.

“An electronic sign at the traffic circle flashed a message notifying students of the change for an entire week, which is plenty of time for students to read it,” Ramirez said.

Students, however, would prefer to abandon their parking placard all together to avoid the search for parking and risking a ticket.

“I bought a parking placard from the school, but there isn’t anywhere to park, so I probably will not buy one next semester and park off campus,” Brittany Ruiz, art history major, said.