DeKALB | DeKalb Police Chief Gene Lowery spoke to the Student Association Senate Sunday to discuss the proposed parking changes that are pending the approval of city council next week.

These changes, which are part of the Safe Streets Initiative, are broken down into four phases focusing on different areas in an attempt to alleviate crime, such as shootings and sexual assault. Phase one of the initiative was passed during a Nov. 27 city council meeting.

The DeKalb Police Department is only working on phase one of the Safe Streets Initiative, which includes parking restrictions on Russell Road and Crane Drive from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. as well as the implementation of permitted parking, which will cost $25 per permit.

“The theory, and the theory has gone well beyond theory to evidence-based, what it does, and having worked in the suburbs and in the city myself, what it does for the police is it focuses on alerting the police to vehicles that should not be in the area,” Lowery said.

Lowery said more than half of the calls for service and violent incidents take place just north of campus, where the parking restrictions are being implemented.

The Safe Streets Initiative resulted in heated discussion rooted in several perspectives. Many of the senators were in opposition to the parking changes and said they will be pursuing the matter further.

Two women spoke during the public comments period in strong disagreement with the proposed parking changes.

“Please pay attention to what the city council is doing,” graduate Doctoral student Kay Shelton said. “This is not the best idea; this is their answer to reduce crime, is to make everybody park off the street.”

Shelton said she thinks the permits should cost $5 rather than $25 if these changes are established with the intention of addressing crime.

CHANCE Program counselor Katie Stoddard said the tow fine is $250, and if an individual attempts to stop the towing, it becomes a fine of $500, as well as a charge for everyday his or her vehicle is in the impound lot.

“One of the things that [Lowery] did not bring up is the tow aspect,” Stoddard said. “That tow aspect is going to affect all of you if you forget that you parked your car, or your friends parked their car or your boyfriend, girlfriend, significant other parked their car on the street.”

The proposed changes are undergoing a second reading at city council and have the potential to pass one week from Monday.

SA Senate Speaker Christine Wang said it is concerning for these proposed changes to be reviewed during finals week when the parking changes affect so much of the student population.

Wang said the SA Senate will organize to present their position on the matter, and senators plan to attend the city council meeting 6 p.m. Monday at the DeKalb Municipal Building, 200 S. Fourth St.