The addition of modular classrooms reduced available parking space, making students resort to parking on the streets outside of the Renaissance apartment complex.
Residents of the complex have attempted to tow student drivers who parked their vehicles near the gated community.
Safety and security specialist Steve Williams said residents felt students should not inconvenience them simply because of a lack of parking space on school grounds.
“[The residents] don’t feel it is right that [students] take up their street space,” Williams said. “We tried to explain to them that it is a county road, and that’s just the way it is.”
Although the residents have requested to tow cars, Williams said they do not have the ability to remove cars from the street since it is a public road. Regardless, they can tow students for parking inside the gated community.
“We cannot prevent students from being on a county road,” Williams said. “[They] can be towed if they park in their subdivision because it’s private.”
Although residents cannot take action against students who park on the street, senior Paul Linza said he hesitated from parking there.
“I thought about [parking on the street], but I heard from seniors that there are consequences,” Linza said.
Students like Linza are facing crowded commutes in the parking lot. He said he struggles to get in and out of school due to the lack of space.
“It’s so backed up,” Linza said. “I saw an accident [there] a couple days ago. Someone backed into another person because all the cars were right behind them.”
Though the addition of modulars affected parking space, junior Ephraim Rayburn said that was not the issue.
“They just didn’t hand out as many parking passes,” Rayburn said.
The supervisor of the apartment complex declined to comment.
2018-10-22