S02 - 07-02 Parking and Traffic Control _Pen and Ink Change eff 1.6.26.pdf

Parking and Traffic Control

MCP 07-02

Oscar G Johnson VA Medical Center Iron Mountain, MI 49801

Signatory Authority:

Oscar G Johnson VA Medical Center Director

Responsible Owner:

Chief, Police Service

Rescinded Document:

MCP 07-02, Parking and Traffic Control dated April 9, 2021

Effective Date:

July 17, 2024

Recertification Date:

July 31, 2029

1. POLICY

This medical center policy (MCP) establishes an efficient system of utilizing the various parking lots by patients, visitors, volunteers, employees, and consultants and to encourage carpools as a means of energy conservation located at the Oscar G. Johnson VA Medical Center (OGJ VAMC).

2. JUSTIFICATION

It is the policy of the OGJ VAMC to provide parking facilities for Veterans, visitors, volunteers, employees, and consultants and to make parking assignments to conform to uniform accessibility requirements, to promote energy conservation and to enhance security of the medical center. Compliance with this station memorandum is mandatory;

volunteer compliance is encouraged. Designated speed limits, traffic control signs, painted lines, curbs, controlled parking plan, and monitoring of SSTV with patrol activities by the VA Police in exterior parking areas will accomplish enforcement spoken of in this memorandum.

3. RESPONSIBILITIES

a. Chief of Police Service. The Chief of Police is responsible for:

(1) Assuring patrol activities by VA Police staff with overall parking and traffic control on OGJ VAMC grounds along with actions taken on violations issued through the U.S.

District Court Violation Notice System.

(2) Conducting annual surveys with Physical Security Specialist for review of parking space allotments and vulnerabilities. Coordination of changes or additions will be made through Engineering service and the Director’s Office.

(3) Assuring security assistants (dispatch) staff are appropriately entering employee vehicle data into assigned VA Police database while securing the employees personal identifiable information (PII) provided to the Police service.

July 17, 2024 MCP 07-02

b. Service Chiefs/Supervisors. The Service Chiefs/Supervisors are responsible for:

(1) Identifying assigned parking areas for any arriving affiliates, training personnel, survey teams or students under their responsibility. Consultation with VA Police may be completed to identify appropriate specific areas for those arriving personnel.

(2) Advising the Chief of Police and Chief of Engineering services of any changes to Directives or Handbooks that may outline parking requirements for specific reasons.

c. Employees. All employees are responsible for:

(1) Registering their personally owned vehicle(s) with VA Police. This may be more than one vehicle.

(2) Displaying their assigned parking decal in the registered vehicle(s) while on VA property.

(3) Updating vehicle registrations when obtaining a new vehicle or secondary vehicle.

(4) Reporting all vehicle crashes/accidents, witnessed crashes in the parking lot areas on VA grounds, along with any criminal activity witnessed or becoming victim to VA Police.

(5) Obeying all speed limits and traffic signs while operating a motorized vehicle on VA property.

(6) Securing their personally owned vehicle to protect personal items of value and deter unlawful entry into personal property.

d. Human Resource Management Service. The Human Resource Management Service is responsible for:

(1) Providing new VA staff with a vehicle registration form to complete and bring to new employee orientation and directing employees to VA Police Service for any further questions regarding this policy.

e. Community Based Outpatient Clinic (CBOC) employees. CBOC assigned staff are responsible for:

(1) Following employee parking practices/assignments at the clinic location.

(2) If completing a site visit, training, etc. at the OGJ VAMC will let VA Police know of your visit, length of visit, and description of vehicle you are driving. The CBOC employee will follow the parking rules set forth in this MCP for their visit to OGJ VAMC.

(3) If leaving the CBOC and become an employee at the OGJ VAMC campus employee will assure to register their vehicle with VA Police to receive assigned parking decal in accordance with this policy.

4. OTHER PARAGRAPHS

a. Procedures

(1) General:

(a) Vehicles will park only in designated areas. All “No Parking” areas, “Reserved Parking” areas and “Fire Lanes” are indicated by signs and appropriate curb markings.

(b) No vehicles will be permitted to park in the roadways.

(c) The speed limit on the Iron Mountain VAMC campus is 10 miles per hour, unless otherwise posted.

(d) Double-parking, blocking crosswalks, parking at loading docks, parking within 15 feet of a fire hydrant, and parking in fire lanes is prohibited.

(e) Pedestrians have the right-of-way over vehicles in all areas. Employees should be aware of identified walkways and aware of their surroundings while driving on VA grounds.

(f) Parked vehicles should have the ignition key removed, windows closed, and door locked in the protection of the vehicle and the contents against theft.

(g) Every effort will be made to protect vehicles and their contents while parked on the medical center grounds; however, the Department of Veterans Affairs assumes no liability for, loss from or damage to, privately owned vehicles and their contents.

(h) Temporary and/or permanent storage of vehicles, trailers, campers, boats, etc. on OGJ VAMC grounds is prohibited, unless an employee is out on official approved government travel using a GSA fleet vehicle.

(i) Any employee who is experiencing troubles with the removal of the vehicle, or need to have the vehicle towed away, shall report that information to VA Police. VA Police are available for assistance in the instance an employee locks their keys inside their vehicle or may be experiencing a dead battery issue. VA Police will ask the vehicle owner to sign a liability waiver before the assisting Officer provides hands on assistance of the vehicle.

(j) If patients become ambulatory and a medical emergency does not exist, staff will instruct patients to contact VA Police, or assist the patient in contacting VA Police, prior to admission to the Medical Center to potentially assist with moving of the patient’s vehicle into extended parking lot area (lot “E”).

(k) It is unlawful to bring bicycles inside any building located on Department of Veterans Affairs property. Bicycles will be parked in provided bike racks located in front or rear of building #1. Employees are responsible for securing their personally owned bicycle. Bicycles parked inside any building or in any other undesignated area may be temporarily impounded by the VA Police. This excludes storage areas utilized by VA Police.

(2) Parking priorities = assigned for parking on medical center grounds are:

(a) Disabled individuals.

(b) Patients or visitors with state approved authorization.

(c) Employees with state approved authorization.

(d) Employees with medical documentation for temporary disability not to exceed 90 days. If temporary disability is expected to go beyond 90 days (renewals of the temporary permit), employees will be advised to either obtain a temporary state authorized handicap permit or provide updated medical documentation. Employees are responsible for updating/recertifying a temporary disability every 90 days or whenever the temporary medical order is updated, whichever comes first, with VA Police.

NOTE: All employees with the above special parking (line d) need are to contact Police Service for instructions on required documentation and directions to appropriate parking area and special permit issue.

(e) Carpool spaces = Employees may become eligible to utilize a reserved carpool space by first assuring to register their vehicle with VA Police and have an appropriate assigned parking decal displayed. Employees registering their vehicle should notify Police dispatch that they will be utilizing the carpool program. The designated spaces for carpool will be restricted to those staffing travelling with two or more individuals to the OGJ VAMC for the purpose of work. Carpool spaces are first come first serve and are not reserved for any one individual vehicle. The number of designated carpool reserved spaces may be reviewed by the Chief of Police, Chief of Engineering, and Associate Director/Designee and increased/decreased depending on use of spaces.

(f) Patient Transport Vehicles (DAV vehicles)

(g) Executive Leadership Team

(h) Director’s special assigned spaces (incentive award, VIP, etc.)

(3) Parking Decals:

(a) Official United States Government Vehicles (GSA registration plates)

(b) Employees = Green Decal

(c) Students = Yellow Decal (hanging)

(d) Employee temporary disabled = Red Decal (hanging)

(e) Volunteers (No decal)

(f) Affiliates = Vendors, contractors, salesperson, etc. (No decal)

(g) Oscar of the Month = Yellow Decal (hanging)

(4) Designation of Parking Lots: The attached general parking plan reflects the exact location of those parking lots designated for specific use as follows:

(a) Lot "A" — Community Living Center (CLC) visitors or special guests only. No employees allowed to park in this parking lot.

(b) Lot "B" — Reserved for outpatients and visitors exclusively (including handicap parking) - Monday through Friday (holidays excepted) from 8am — 2pm. Employees scheduled for "off tour shift" (after 1:30 p.m.) duty may use Lot "B" until midnight and shall park in rows #4, #5, or #6 (see attachment A, area outlined in Red). Staff working midnight tours shall use rows #7 and #8. (See attachment A, area outlined in Green).

(c) Lot "C" — Reserved for employee parking on a first come first serve basis.

Vehicles must be parked properly between the white painted lines indicating parking spaces. Parking lot “C” located on south side of Building #1). (See attachment A).

(d) Lot "D" — This lot is for temporary parking/loading of vehicles and is not for general parking use.

(e) Lot "'E" — Designated for employee vehicles who are on off station business, inpatients and long-term authorized vehicles as determined by the VA Police. Lot "E" will also be used as an "overflow” for employee parking when Lot "C" is full. (Located on southwest side of Boiler Plant, south of Lot "C").

(f) Lot "F" — Reserved for employees assigned to work in Building #4/5 and patients, consultants or visitors having business at Building #4/5. Lot 'F" has a disabled space that is reserved for that purpose 24 hours daily. (Located on West side of Building #6 in connection with parking lot “G”)

(g) Lot "G" = Reserved for employee parking on a first come first serve basis.

Vehicles must be parked properly between the white painted lines indicating parking spaces. Designated handicap parking spaces for employees are located near the pavilion area in parking lot “G”. (Located on southwest side of Building #1, next to pavilion)

(h) Circle Drive = One-way roadway from H Street entrance. The circle drive entrance way also known as “James A. Priestap Drive” allows access to Lot “A” of the CLC and provides a drop off/pickup area for patients and visitors of the medical center to building #1. The approach area of circle drive is designated as a “No parking lane” to allow for emergency response vehicles (Fire, Police, Medical ambulance, etc.)

(i) Loading Dock — The dock area (south side center of Building #1) is reserved for delivery, pick-up, loading/unloading of equipment, food, supplies, freight, etc. It is also designated for the trash compactor. No other parking is authorized in front of or blocking the loading dock doors.

(j) Fire Lane — The area south and west of the loading dock is marked yellow with a sign indicating this area to be a FIRE LANE. Under no circumstances will parking of other than fire/rescue vehicles be permitted. Violators will have their vehicle immediately towed away at the owner's expense and will be cited by VA Police through the Central Violations Bureau.

(k) Motorcycle Parking Area = The motorcycle parking area is in Lot “C” adjacent to Lot “G”. The parking area for employee motorcycles will consist of a concrete slab, sufficient to contain 12 motorcycles in the designated area. Motorcycle parking will be reserved for parking of motorcycles only. During winter months, employee vehicles will be allowed to park in the spaces designated for motorcycles.

Note: Motorcycle parking for the year will start/end dependent upon weather conditions. The Chief of Police or designee will have the Director’s office put out an all-employee email when the designated motorcycle parking area is open for the season and closed for the season.

(5) Enforcement: Title 38, United States Code, Section 902, and the State of Michigan (Michigan Vehicle Code) are applicable to enforcing this station memorandum

(a) Only duly accredited VA Police Officers employed at this facility, or on duty detail to the facility, are authorized to issue a Courtesy Violation Notice (VA Form 6160) or United States District Court Violation Notice (DVA Form 9019).

(b) Any vehicle parked unauthorized on facility grounds for 48 hours after a VA Police officer has affixed DVA Form 10-6160, Courtesy Violation Notice, denoting abandonment, such vehicle will be deemed abandoned and may be towed from the facility grounds and stored at the owner's expense. (Michigan Vehicle Code)

(c) If the VA Police records reflect that a vehicle has been cited on two (2) Courtesy Violations Notice, for any minor parking infraction on any occasion the officer may issue a United States District Court Violation Notice. If three or more violations have been issued in a 12-month period, the registered owner will be counseled by that person's supervisor and issued a United States District Court Violation Notice for 38 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 2184 Failure to Comply. Courtesy Violation tickets are an enforcement tool the VA Police can use to encourage voluntary compliance. However, more serious infractions such as blocking an access, parked in a handicap space (unauthorized) or parked in a fire lane may cause a United States District Court Violation Notice to be issued without prior warning.

(d) Employees who fail to register their vehicle(s) after receiving two Courtesy Violation Notices, warning the employee to register the vehicle, may result in the vehicle being towed from the grounds and stored at the owner's expense and/or the registered owner may be counseled by that person's supervisor. If an employee parks a vehicle owned by another on medical center grounds on a regular/daily basis, the vehicle must be registered with the VA Police under the employee's name. Otherwise, the vehicle may be towed as described above. It is the employee's responsibility to ensure VA Police are aware of the current vehicle they are operating.

(e) Off duty employees may not park their vehicles in the Outpatient/Visitor Lot "B" unless the employee is in fact an outpatient or visiting an inpatient. In these cases, the employee may notify the VA Police to avoid a citation for illegal parking.

(f) Employees who register their vehicle(s) and then fail to display their parking decals as required by this policy, under the heading of vehicle registration, will be cited as an unregistered vehicle when said vehicle is parked on facility grounds.

(g) During emergencies, call back or unscheduled overtime situations where an employee finds that he/she might be illegally parked, the VA Police should be notified as soon as possible to avoid a citation for illegal parking.

5. RECORDS MANAGEMENT

All records regardless of format (for example, paper, electronic, electronic systems) created by this policy must be managed as required by the National Archives and records Management (NARA) approved records schedules found in VHA Records Control Schedule 10-1. Questions regarding any aspects of records management can be addressed to the appropriate Records Officer.

6. DEFINITIONS

a. No Parking Zone. A No Parking Zone is an area that is clearly marked with yellow paint (yellow lines, yellow curb), painted white hash marks, fire lanes and any other area that is marked by parking control signs or blocked by cones. Lawn areas, sidewalks, crosswalks, or any areas meant for pedestrian traffic are No Parking Zones unless a specific need or emergency is declared by the VA Police. The VA Police will waive any parking enforcement as the need or situation dictates. VA Police may also authorize parking in other No Parking Zones or areas as the need or situation dictates.

b. Non-Designated Parking Areas. A Non-Designated Parking Area is any area which is not marked with white painted lines (blue painted lines for handicapped parking areas). All designated parking areas on VA property will be properly marked with two painted white or blue lines indicating parking slots or spaces. Vehicle operators are responsible for parking between the painted lines.

7. REFERENCES

a. VA Handbook 0730, Title 11, Section (B), dated August 11, 2000.

b. VHS and RA Supplement MP-I, Part 1, Chapter 2, Section B, VHS Supplement MP- I, Chapter 3, State of Michigan Vehicle Code, Title 38 USC, Section 902.

c. 38 CFR 1.201 & 38 CFR 1.203 (employee duty to report).

d. Master agreement between Dept. of Veterans Affairs and AFGE, March 2011.

8. RESCISSION

a. MCP 07-2, Parking and Traffic Control dated April 9, 2021 is rescinded.

9. REVIEW

a. As required.

10. RECERTIFICATION

This MCP is scheduled for recertification on or before the last day of July, 2029. This MCP will continue to serve as local policy until it is recertified or rescinded. In the event of contradiction with national policy, the national policy supersedes and controls.

11. SIGNATORY AUTHORITY

John P. Shealey, DBA, MBA, MHA Medical Center Director

NOTE: The signature remains valid until rescinded by an appropriate administrative action.

DISTRIBUTION: MCPs are available at: Medical Center Policies and Standard Operating Procedures - Home. NOTE: This is an internal VA website that is not available to the public.

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ATTACHMENT A / OGJ VAMC – Parking Map