Traffic & Parking Regulations

Student walking across parking lot wearing a backpack.

Safety and accessibility for every driver on campus

The purpose of these regulations is to provide for the safety and welfare of students, employees, visitors and guests and to provide for the control of traffic and parking.

Our Goal:

The safety of pedestrians and the orderly flow of traffic.  All State of Texas Traffic Codes are strictly enforced on COM property (Private Institutions of Higher Education Act, Section 1, Chapter 600.003, effective September 1, 1997.) Please adhere to all posted and published traffic control devices on campus. Citations can and will be issued.

Authority:

The COM Police Department is authorized by the Board of Trustees to enforce all state, federal, and college-specific regulations.

Liability:

While we work to maintain a secure environment, College of the Mainland assumes no responsibility for the care or protection of any vehicle or its contents while on campus.

Driving Standards

It shall be a violation to commit any act prohibited by these regulations or to fail to perform any act required by them. No person shall fail or refuse to comply with any lawful order or direction of anyone with the authority to direct, control, and regulate traffic.

  • Speed Limits: All vehicles operated are expected to exercise due caution throughout the campus, with particular regard for the safety of pedestrians. The campus-wide speed limit is 15 MPH. Please reduce your speed to 10 MPH or less when approaching crosswalks, buildings, parking lot entrances, or other congested areas. The speed limit is 15 miles per hour on all campus roads unless otherwise posted.
  • Stop Signs: A complete stop is required at every stop sign before proceeding cautiously.
  • Restricted Areas: Driving is restricted to paved campus drives, streets, and parking lots. Do not drive beyond barricades or into prohibited areas.
  • Noise Control: Sudden starts, stops, or excessive engine racing that disturbs the campus environment is prohibited. No person in control or possession of a motor vehicle equipped with audio equipment shall play such device(s) to the extent that such sounds are disruptive to the environment of the campus.
  • Right of Way and Crosswalks: The operator of a vehicle shall yield the right of way to pedestrians in crosswalks. Every pedestrian crossing a roadway at any point other than a marked crosswalk or within an unmarked crosswalk at an intersection shall yield the right of way to all vehicles upon the roadway.

The driver of any vehicle involved in a collision shall immediately stop at the scene of such accident or collision, and by the quickest means of communication report such accident or collision to the COM Police Department at ext. 599 or 8403.

Parking Requirements

The District reserves the right to enforce traffic rules and regulations through the impoundment of vehicle in violation of Texas State Statutes and the Parking and Traffic Rules and Regulations of the District, by barring the readmission to the District and withholding grades, degrees, refunds and official transcripts of any student or nonpayment of outstanding administrative fees, or by By disciplinary action against employees or students who fail to abide by these regulations or fail to pay outstanding administrative fees.

  • Designated Spaces: All vehicles must be parked within the yellow-lined spaces. Please do not back into parking spaces.
  • Permit Display: * Students: Valid decals must be displayed on the lower left-hand corner of the back window.
  • Motorcycles: Decals must be clearly visible on the rear area of the motorcycle.
  • Loading Zones: Parking in loading zones is limited to 30 minutes for active loading/unloading. For an extended time, please notify COM PD.
  • Time Limits: Vehicles may not be left on campus for more than 48 hours without prior authorization.

On-Campus Parking and Parking Permits Information

  • Parking is restricted to the area within the yellow-lined parking spaces.
  • There are clearly marked parking facilities for four- and two-wheeled motor vehicles in all of COM's parking lots.
  • To obtain a parking permit, go to the Welcome Desk located in the Administration Building.
  • Register a vehicle:
    • If you have a new vehicle,  go to the Vehicle Registration form and log in with your COM account. 
      • On the form, choose Register new vehicle and complete the information requested to submit the form.  
    • Previously registered vehicles may need to be re-registered. Choose re-register in the action dropdown then submit the form.
  • Students and employees with temporary license plates or using a rental vehicle must request a Temporary Parking Permit.
  • Students and employees may have more than one parking permit, but each vehicle must be registered separately.
  • Student and employee parking in the visitor section is not permitted.
  • Parking is entirely within the marked boundaries of the parking space is required at all times. The fact that other vehicles are parked improperly shall not constitute an excuse for parking with any part of the vehicle extended beyond the marked boundaries of the parking space.
  • No Vehicles may be parked in any area that has not been marked or designated a parking space.
  • Vehicles shall not be parked in a manner that obstructs walkways, sidewalks, ramps, loading zones or marked crosswalks.
  • Parking is not allowed where prohibited signs, red curbs or other marketings are on streets or parking lots.
  • It is prohibited to park or leave a motor vehicle standing in a loading zone or service drive unless actually loading or unloading materials or equipment. If the time for loading or unloading exceeds more than 30 minutes, COM Police Department must be notified of the extended parking requirements.
  • No person shall park or let stand a motor vehicle on campus for more than 48 hours without prior authorization. Vehicles found in violation may be considered abandoned and removed as provided in TRC 6883.002, VCS Art. 447-9a, Sec. 5.01.
  • Other parking violations include parking against the flow of traffic and parking in a handicapped parking space without a handicapped parking hangtag designation.  A Justice of the Peace citation may be issued to any person who parks a vehicle in a handicapped-parking space without a handicapped-parking sticker.
  • All COM students who drive a vehicle should have a valid COM parking decal displayed on the left-hand bottom corner of their vehicle’s back window.
  • Students with motorcycles should display their valid COM parking details on the rear area of the motorcycle.
  • COM student parking decals have an expiration date and must be replaced with a current sticker upon expiration. Your active student status in Colleague does not mean your parking decal is valid.
  • Vehicles driven on a temporary basis (excluding rental vehicles or temporary license plates) must be registered and affixed with a parking decal. NOTE: Decal can be removed once the vehicle is no longer needed.
  • All COM employees who drive a vehicle should have a valid COM parking placard displayed from their rearview mirror.
  • Hang tags are not required at the League City or Mainland City Centre instructional sites. However, employees who office at these locations should still obtain one for visits to the Main Campus.
  • New parking hang tags are available at the Administration Building Welcome Desk.
  • All visitors to COM must register their vehicles with COM Police on each visit.
  • Failure to register may result in a citation.
  • If you are a frequent COM visitor, you may want to consider obtaining a Community Parking Permit.
  • To park in the handicapped zones, a student must have a state issued handicapped parking placard.
  • A temporary handicapped parking decal to be used on COM parking lots only, may be obtained in the campus police office, a doctor’s written statement is required in order to receive a handicapped hanging placard.
  • Placard must be in plain view on rearview mirror while parked in the COM handicap space.
  • Fees/fines may be paid at the Cashier’s desk located in the Administration Building, along with your Driver’s License and parking citation with you when paying the citation.
  • If the fine is not paid after 10 business/school days, student records will go on hold until the fine is paid in full. Employees will receive a courtesy email regarding the unpaid fees and their immediate supervisor will be notified.
  • If the operator believes the citation is unwarranted, he or she may appeal within 10 business/school days. Appeal Process
  • It shall not be a defense to a violation of these Traffic Rules and Regulations that a citation was removed from a vehicle after said citation had been placed on the vehicle.
  • Towing Policy: Vehicles are subject to immediate towing at the owner’s expense for violations including, but not limited to:
    • Parked in a marked "No Parking" area or Fire Zone.
    • Blocking driveways, doorways, or fire hydrants.
    • Determined to be abandoned.
Violation Type Fine Amount
Parking without a Valid Decal/ Hang Tag $30.00
Parked in Employee/Reserved Area without a Valid Hangtag $30.00
Employee or Student Parked in Visitor Parking $30.00
Double Parking (Occupying 2 Spaces) $30.00
Parked Outside Designated Area $30.00
Parked in No Parking Zone or Fire Zone or Blocking a Hydrant $40.00
Also subject to towing
Illegally Parked in Handicap Space
No Hangtag 
Handicap Person in vehicle		 $40.00
Also subject to towing
Parked with Expired Decal or Improperly Displayed Decal $30.00
Abandoned Vehicles $30.00
Moving Violations (Speeding, Stop Signs) JP Citation

All accidents occurring on the COM main campus, instructional site roadway, or parking lot should be reported immediately to the College Police Department. If at all possible, do not move the vehicle until instructed by COM PD. Officers will investigate all reportable accidents on COM property, file all necessary reports, aid in the drivers' exchange of information, render needed first aid or summon appropriate medical assistance and arrange for vehicles to be towed if they are not operational.

Parking Concerns?

Our traffic safety team is ready to assist.

409-933-8403
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