Fresno City College changed its parking policy to help students and staff since COVID-19 reduced how many students can be on campus.

This semester, parking is free for students and staff. FCC biology student Josh Xiong was pleased to hear the news about the FCC decision.

Xiong has been attending FCC for three years and said that previous semesters were a hassle to find parking.

COVID-19 has helped open more parking spaces considering less students are on campus.

Xiong said he likes that there is no parking pass because it saves him money each semester.

However, FCC public information officer, Kathy Bonilla, said that the parking permits will most likely come back, but she is uncertain when it will happen.

The FCC is expanding the parking by building a new parking structure on Cambridge Avenue near Blackstone.

It will have five parking levels, 864 parking stalls, 40 electric vehicles charging stations, and 126 additional parking stalls when it’s completed.

This structure has been in the works since mid-2021, and it is planned to be finished by fall 2022.

While many are excited to see parking expanded, some members of the campus community have expressed concerns about this parking structure.

Tony Bouthapanya an FCC physics major said his concern is about security the structure.

Bouthapanya would like to see security for the parking structure such as security cameras or a guard.

Bonilla has said there haven’t been any talks about the security in the parking lot structure yet, but she assures that there will be safety precautions once it is finished.

She said depending on how many students return and if COVID-19 cases increase again, the free parking could be extended and would apply to the new structure as well.

If enrollment goes back to normal, then the structure will have a parking permit like the rest of the parking lots.