TCU neighborhoods grapple over parking cars in yards during TCU football games

By Scott Nishimura

snishimura@star-telegram.com

FORT WORTH -- Neighborhoods around TCU are trying to get a grip on the latest issue connected to the dearth of convenient parking for Frogs football games: People letting fans park in their yards, often charging them $40-$50 or more.

A city ordinance bans parking in front yards and unscreened side yards but allows the City Council to approve exceptions. The city has allowed homeowners near Colonial Country Club to park cars in their yards during the annual PGA golf tournament.

Homeowners near TCU who park cars in their yards for Frogs games want the same exception. But city officials say they haven't found any record of the council approving an exception for the Colonial, throwing that long-honored practice open to re-examination.

For Saturday's season ender against Oklahoma at Amon Carter Stadium, police and code compliance officials say they've agreed not to enforce the ordinance.

"We're going to leave everything status quo until the season is over," said Mayor Pro Tem W.B. "Zim" Zimmerman, whose district includes much of the area around TCU. Afterward, the city and neighborhoods will study the issue and reach a solution, he said.

Devin Pitt, acting West Patrol Division captain, said: "This issue will be revisited by city officials after the season is over, but for now, we are operating under the same policy as the Traffic Division - no enforcement" for Saturday's game.

The issue came to a head during the TCU's home game Oct. 20 against Texas Tech, when a neighborhood patrol officer ticketed a Red Raider alumnus who parked in a friend's yard south of TCU. Neighborhood leaders and homeowners who park cars put the press on the city for clarification -- advocates of parking sought at least a temporary exception to the ordinance -- after the officer sent an e-mail to the communities reminding them that parking in yards is illegal.

Police say they issued only one such ticket during the Tech game. Police and code officials say they didn't enforce the ordinance during the later game against Kansas State. A code officer drove through the neighborhoods, surveying conditions and taking pictures.

City spokesman Bill Begley said a review this week found no record that the council has approved an exception for the Colonial. Police and code officials say they haven't enforced the ordinance in the Colonial area during the tournament.

To homeowners on opposite sides of the fence, it's a struggle between simple economics and potential nuisance.

"City code doesn't allow parking in yards," said Robert Williams, an executive for a fastener distributor who lives near the stadium. "It's a good code. It protects the neighborhood."

With TCU's move this fall to the Big 12 conference, "we have a lot of visitors coming to town," he said. "We want to put our best foot forward as people come in."

On the flip side, demand for parking has increased steadily during the Frogs' successful run in the last four years. Fans have tried to park along neighborhood streets near the stadium. Nearby schools and churches have sopped up some of the traffic.

But this fall, with TCU's Big 12 entry and a slate of marquee home opponents more fans have been circling, looking for parking. And more homeowners are beckoning them into their yards, with the trend taking off during the Tech game.

"I think the residents are doing a service to the people who are coming to the games," said Tom Lanter, president of the University West Neighborhood Association.

"There is a need," he said. "If people don't have a place to park, they won't be coming to the games."

Lanter said 60 to 70 percent of University West homeowners within a block of the stadium park cars in their yards. Within two blocks of the stadium 30 to 40 percent do, he said.

Homeowners report typical prices from $40 to $60, sometimes higher.

In the University Place neighborhood east of University Drive, a few residents opened their yards to cars at midseason. "I don't see this is a major nuisance -- yet," said Keith Ashcraft, president of the neighborhood association.

The association hasn't taken a stance. "We want to foster that interaction," he said.

Russell Norman, a homeowner and schoolteacher who lives in the Westcliff neighborhood south of TCU, parks cars in his Bellaire Drive South yard for football games. He saw demand spike for the Texas Tech game and expects strong interest for the Oklahoma game.

He estimates he can get nine to 10 cars in his yard. Norman said he and his neighbors who park cars charge $20 to $40, with the neighborhood being farther from the stadium than University West.

Robert Layne, a retired businessman who lives on Highview Terrace in University West, said that he's in favor of allowing such parking but that he doesn't do it.

"If my neighbors want to make a little money, I don't care," he said. "It's five or six times a year, and it's over in four hours. I just don't see the big deal."

TCU needs to do a better job of communicating the parking choices and generating other options such as park-and-rides, he said.

"You don't have Nevada coming in here anymore or Boise State," he said, referring to former Frogs opponents. "You've got Texas and Oklahoma, and that's going to bring tremendous amounts of people into Fort Worth."

Scott Nishimura, 817-390-7808

Twitter: @JScottNishimura

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