HERRIMAN, Utah — Herriman City announced that parking at Blackridge Reservoir will cost $15 on the summer weekends and holidays. Illegal parking fees will also increase from $25 to a minimum of $100.
Blackridge Reservoir was once a gem enjoyed by neighbors, but it has become a popular, overcrowded destination in recent years, said JoAnn Leibel.
“People came by the swarms from out far away and they were not respectful,” she said. “Clutter everywhere, and it was really hard to get to your house. They would park even smack in front of your driveway. It was really a terrible experience.”
Herriman residents like Stewart Hutchison have grown frustrated with people abusing the reservoir.
“Our house is in the ‘No [parking] permitted’ zone, but we still have people knock on our door all the time asking if they could park in our driveway,” he said.
Herriman City recently announced on weekends and holidays, people will have to pay $15 to park in the lot, said Jonathan LaFollette, Communications Manager for the city.
“Some of them are nuisances, vandalism even,” he said. “So the city has looked at measures for a long time to try to reduce overcrowding, allow people to still come here and enjoy the amenity, enjoy the reservoir and still try to thin out the crowds a bit.”
To discourage people from parking illegally on residential streets, the city plans to increase fines from $25 to a minimum of $100.
“The primary driver behind this decision was to reduce peak time crowds,” said Lafollette. “It is not a money grab or some way to increase revenue or to fill the city's pockets. It's not going to do that. The main intent is to help deter people from coming during the weekends and holidays when overcrowding is the biggest problem.”
Hutchison is skeptical that people will obey the rules.
“I think it's the step in the right direction, as long as they enforce it,” he said. “I think they can have these rules and have a parking fee, but what's going to happen is people won't want to park here because there's a parking fee, so they'll go park everywhere else in the neighborhood.”
Although she’s supportive of thinning crowds, Joann Leibel believes Herriman residents should be allowed to park for free.
“The people that didn't live in Herriman are the ones that came here and abused it, and those that lived in Herriman loved it and kept it clean,” she said. “I think that is unfair. I think if you live here that you should be able to park here for free.”
The new parking changes go into effect on May 1. Residents who live near the reservoir can apply for a free permit to park on the streets.
