The Neighborhood Serving Community Facility (NSCF) Parking Permit Application Form is the City of Berkeley form that a school, house of worship or drug and alcohol rehabilitation facility uses to request staff parking permits in a surrounding Residential Preferential Parking (RPP) Area. It is one of the Berkeley parking permit options the city offers, and the facility applies for its employees; individual employees do not. On FillingPDF you can fill out the form online and download or print the completed PDF; the City of Berkeley publishes the official PDF and decides on the application.
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What is Neighborhood Serving Community Facility (NSCF) Parking Permit Application Form – Berkeley, CA?
The Neighborhood Serving Community Facility (NSCF) Parking Permit Application Form is the City of Berkeley form a community facility completes to ask for a limited number of employee parking permits within the general boundaries of a surrounding Residential Preferential Parking (RPP) Area.
The packet cites Berkeley Municipal Code Section 14.72.105 as the basis for the permit. City staff evaluate the request from the data on the form (page 3 of the packet) and from a field inspection of site characteristics. The form collects the facility's contact details and type, its employee count, the on-site and leased off-site parking spaces, the number of permits requested, and how employees travel to work.
NSCF permits are digital: the employee's license plate is the permit, and the City no longer issues physical permits for community facilities. The application is made by the facility, which names one NSCF Administrator to identify the employees who receive permits and to handle plate changes and reassignments with City staff. The City does not manage how permits are allocated among employees.
This form is for facility staff permits. It is not the application for the merchant permit or for the Elmwood SmartSpace employee permit, which the City handles separately for businesses.
Who needs to file Neighborhood Serving Community Facility (NSCF) Parking Permit Application Form – Berkeley, CA?
The main applicant is the facility itself. According to the packet, an NSCF permit may be issued to a limited number of employees at a school (preschool through grade 12), a church or house of worship, or a drug and alcohol rehabilitation facility within the general boundaries of a surrounding RPP Area. The City's parking page also lists senior centers and says both Berkeley Unified School District (BUSD) and private schools may apply.
To be considered, the facility must:
- have inadequate off-street parking and no feasible way of creating off-street parking on its site; and
- have no off-street parking available nearby for lease or rental.
Employees cannot apply individually. The facility names one representative responsible for permit distribution and one NSCF Administrator.
Facilities located in RPP Zone I (Downtown Berkeley and Southside) are not eligible, according to the City's parking page. The City will never approve permits for more than 60% of a facility's employees, or 70% if a BUSD facility is more than one-half mile from BART or more than one-quarter mile from two different high frequency transit lines. The City's page applies the 70% figure to two named BUSD schools.
When to file Neighborhood Serving Community Facility (NSCF) Parking Permit Application Form – Berkeley, CA
The form prints no application deadline; the City of Berkeley reviews NSCF permit applications upon application. File when your facility needs staff permits, with current figures for daily employees and how they travel to work, since the form certifies that the information reflects present conditions.
Schools should include every relevant employee the first time. The packet says additional applications for after-school programs will not be accepted, so staff of after-school programs and preschools belong on the facility's initial application.
The City's parking page says an NSCF permit is year-long and renews every year by September 1. It also says the per-permit fee depends on when it is paid: one rate applies from September to February and a lower rate from March to August. Ask the City for current amounts. The packet says you will be notified of approval or rejection but gives no processing time.
Documents you need
- Written narrative describing the steps taken to reduce the number of vehicles Facility employees drive to the RPP Area, plus the incentives offered to employees or clients, such as carpool priority, two-wheel incentives or transit pass information.
- Official copy of the employee roster, identifying each employee as full-time, part-time, or voluntary.
- For schools: a roster that includes all employees associated with school activities, including after-school programs and preschools, since additional applications for them are not accepted.
How to fill out Neighborhood Serving Community Facility (NSCF) Parking Permit Application Form – Berkeley, CA
Enter date and facility contact details
Write the Date, Facility Name, Telephone and Email Address of the facility making the request.
Give the street address and cross-street
Enter the Facility Street Address and the Nearest Cross-Street. City staff use the location to relate your site to its RPP Area.
Choose facility type and employee count
Fill in Number of Employees on the line that matches your facility: School, Church or House of Worship, or Rehab Facility. Use current numbers.
Report off-street parking spaces
Enter spaces On-Site and Off-Site, including spaces leased through private agreements. If you list off-site spaces, explain them on the "If off-site, please explain" line.
State the permits requested
Enter Number of NSCF Permits Requested. The City will not approve more than 60% of your employees (or 70% for a qualifying BUSD facility).
Complete the transportation table
Under Employee Transportation Methods, enter employees for Car: Driver, Car: Passenger, BART/AC Transit, Uber/Lyft, Cab, Dial-A-Ride, Walk or Bike, and Other, then the TOTAL.
Prepare the narrative and roster
Write the narrative on steps taken to reduce vehicles driven to the RPP Area and the incentives offered. Prepare an official employee roster marking full-time, part-time or voluntary staff.
Name the permit distribution representative
Under Representative Responsible for Permit Distribution, print the name, title and phone number of the person who will act as the NSCF Administrator.
Sign the certification
Print the name and title of the person responsible for the Facility, then sign and date. This certifies that the form reflects your facility's present conditions.
Leave the official use block blank
The APPROVED, REJECTED, PERMITS AUTHORIZED, FOR RPP AREA and COMMENTS lines are for the City Traffic Engineer or RPP Project Manager.
Review and download the completed PDF
Check every entry against the roster and narrative, then download or print the completed PDF from FillingPDF and assemble the package for the City as described under How to submit.
How to submit Neighborhood Serving Community Facility (NSCF) Parking Permit Application Form – Berkeley, CA
The packet does not name a submission address, email or portal for the completed form. It says the City notifies you of approval or rejection by USPS letter or email, depending on how you submitted the application.
- City office on the packet: every page of the packet prints 1947 Center, 4th Floor, Berkeley, CA 94704, Tel: 510.981-6433, Fax: 510.981-7060.
- Email contact: Joshua Brett, Assistant Planner, at [email protected], named in the packet and on the City's parking page.
- Phone: City of Berkeley, Transportation Division, (510) 981-7064.
Attach the written narrative and an official copy of the employee roster to the form. Confirm with the Transportation Division how it wants the package sent before you send it.
Permit fees are paid to the City; the NSCF Administrator coordinates or collates timely payments as much as possible. The amount depends on the month of payment, so ask the City for the current figure. FillingPDF lets you fill out and download the PDF; submission follows the City's channels above.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Filing a separate application for an after-school program; the packet says additional applications for after-school programs will not be accepted.
- Omitting the written narrative or the official employee roster; both must be attached to the application form.
- Submitting a roster that does not mark each employee as full-time, part-time, or voluntary.
- Requesting permits for more than 60% of employees (70% only for a BUSD facility meeting the stated distance conditions), since the City will not approve more.
- Having individual employees apply; the facility applies through its representative and NSCF Administrator.
- Applying from a facility in RPP Zone I (Downtown Berkeley and Southside), which the City's parking page says is not eligible.
- Entering outdated employee counts or travel-mode numbers; the form asks for current information.
- Writing in the For Official Use Only block (approved, rejected, permits authorized, comments), which City staff complete.
Frequently asked questions
What is the NSCF parking permit in Berkeley?
The NSCF permit is a Berkeley employee parking permit for schools, houses of worship and drug and alcohol rehabilitation facilities near a Residential Preferential Parking Area. The facility applies for a limited number of its employees, under Berkeley Municipal Code Section 14.72.105.
Who can apply for a Berkeley NSCF parking permit?
Only a facility can apply, on behalf of its staff: a school (preschool through grade 12), a church or house of worship, or a drug and alcohol rehab facility. The City's page also lists senior centers. Individual employees cannot apply, and RPP Zone I facilities are not eligible.
How many NSCF permits can my facility get?
The City will not approve permits for more than 60% of the facility's employees. The limit is 70% for a BUSD facility more than one-half mile from BART or more than one-quarter mile from two different high frequency transit lines. Off-street spaces are deducted, per the City's page.
Do NSCF parking permits come as stickers or hangtags?
No. NSCF permits are digital: the employee's license plate is the permit, and the City no longer issues physical permits for community facilities. The NSCF Administrator asks City staff to change a plate or reassign a permit to another employee.
What do I attach to the NSCF application?
Attach a written narrative on how you reduce employee vehicle trips to the RPP Area, and an official copy of the employee roster showing who is full-time, part-time or voluntary. Schools must include after-school and preschool staff on this first application.
Is there a fee for an NSCF parking permit?
Yes, a per-permit fee applies, and the City's page says the rate depends on whether you pay from September to February or from March to August. Ask the Transportation Division at (510) 981-7064 or Joshua Brett for the current amount.
When do NSCF permits renew?
According to the City's parking page, the NSCF permit is year-long and renews every year by September 1. The form itself prints no due date. Confirm renewal steps with the City's Transportation Division.
How will I know if my NSCF application is approved?
The City notifies you whether the application is approved or rejected by USPS letter or email, depending on how you submitted it. Questions go to Joshua Brett at [email protected] or the Transportation Division at (510) 981-7064.
Can I fill out the NSCF application online on FillingPDF?
Yes. You can fill out the PDF online on FillingPDF and download or print it. FillingPDF is an independent service and does not submit the application to the City of Berkeley; you send it through the City's channels.
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