PIEDMONT — Parking enforcement for the Linda/Kingston/Rose/Lake neighborhood began Monday and citations will be issued to anyone parking from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. seven days a week without a permit.

The citations will cost $61 for the first offense and $76 for subsequent citations.

“We will use discretion to issue the citations,” Piedmont police Chief Jeremy Bowers said. “There is a lot of emotion on both sides of the issue. It is such a concentrated area, right on the border of Oakland and Piedmont.

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“It is a change, and with any change, it takes time to get used to it,” Bowers continued. “Change is uncomfortable and we take that into consideration.”

The restricted parking district went “live” on Jan. 24, but only warnings were issued to unpermitted parkers until this week. Since its establishment, disgruntled apartment dwellers along Kingston Avenue have complained to the Piedmont City Council and to city staff, saying they are not getting equal treatment.

Tenants who live in apartment buildings with more than eight units did not receive permits.

Piedmont Public Works Director Chester Nakahara said that council members and city staff have received numerous complaints about the restrictions. A ‘working group,” made up of tenants, has been formed and members communicate on the local Nextdoor social media site.

“Piedmont officials have heard from many Piedmont and Oakland residents about this,” Piedmont resident Bruce Joffe said. “As a Piedmont resident, I am willing to help my Oakland neighbors find some relief to the parking problem. Angry expressions by Piedmont residents or their Oakland neighbors will not help solve the parking problem.”

Leslie Wills, of Piedmont, has stepped in to organize the “working group.”

“The group of Piedmont and Oakland neighbors has met and will continue to meet to work together addressing the various issues raised by the parking district,” Wills said.

She is asking for civility and crafted a set of ground rules for the debate. The rules include respecting each other, putting aside judgments, committing to a transparent and public process, listening and working to find an equitable solution.

“People are bitter, with no luck from city officials from what I can see,” said resident Ignacio Aceves.

Nakahara said city staff has not met with the “working group.”

Piedmont City Administrator Paul Benoit said in February he believed the parking problem was significantly improved and that officers patrolling the area at night saw open spaces. Bowers said eight warnings were issued since the restricted parking went into effect.

For now, night patrol officers will check the area, Bowers said.

After a petition was submitted to the city by homeowners in July 2015, the city of Piedmont did a parking study and determined a restricted parking district was in order. Two parking permits were issued to each house along Kingston Avenue and to those who live in apartments with eight units or less. Larger apartments do have some spaces that tenants can purchase, but not enough to go around.

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Those without permits have complained that they have to park blocks away, which is often unsafe, especially for women. Others have said caregivers for an elderly tenant can never find a parking space nearby.

Nakahara suggested that those without permits can park on Linda Avenue near Beach Elementary School about two blocks away, which is not restricted.

“There are 22 extra parking spaces there,” Nakahara said. “People can park there overnight on Linda. We have new street lights, it’s well lit. Parking doesn’t kick in until about 8 a.m. when school starts. People can get in the car and go to work; it’s fine.

Nakahara added that the Piedmont City Council asked that a traffic consultant collect parking data during the first six months and make a report to the council. The firm of Kittleson and Associates will present its analysis in the summer.