Parking shortage at Apex Friendship High School sparks town debate
ALL OF THAT, ACCORDING TO NEW
SEARCH WARRANTS WE JUST GOT.
ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, BRIAN
PARKING SHORTAGE AT A WAKE
COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL IS SPARKING
A BIG DEBATE. WE'RE TALKING
ABOUT APEX FRIENDSHIP, HIGH
SCHOOL. THE PIX MAYOR SAYS THE
SCHOOL IS SHORT MORE THAN 400
STUDENT PARKING SPACES. THAT'S
WHERE A WOMAN WHO LIVES NEARBY
CAME IN TO OFFER SOME OF THE
STUDENTS TO PARK AT HER HOME
FOR A FEE NOT FAR FROM THE
SCHOOL. THE TOWN IS ORDERED HER
TO STOP THIS. THE ARTIST IN
CLARK EXPLAINS THAT COULD BE A
LONG BATTLE AHEAD TO DETERMINE
THE FUTURE OF PARKING IN THAT
AREA.
>> THIS SPACE IS WHERE ANY
SCOTT ALSO KNOWN AS MISC ANNIE
HAVE ALLOWED A PIX FRIENDSHIP,
STUDENTS TO PARK SINCE 2015.
SHE TELLS ME IT WAS PART OF
THE SOLUTION TO HELP STUDENTS
WHO SIMPLY HAD NOWHERE TO PARK
ON CAMPUS. BUT NOW SHE'S
FIGHTING TO KEEP IT OPEN.
SCOTT TELLS ME SHE RECEIVED
THIS LETTER IN THE MAIL FROM
THE TOWN. IT STATES THAT
ACCORDING TO THE TOWN'S UNIFIED
DEVELOPMENT ORDINANCE ALLOWING
STUDENTS TO PARK IN A
RESIDENTIAL AREA IS PROHIBITED
UNLESS THE AREA IS REZONED ALL
THE REASON WHY THEY WANT ME
TO REZONE.
>> SO THEY CAN CONTROL ME.
I HAVE NO NEED TO REZONE.
I HAVE ALSO I HAVE ALL WON.
SO WHAT DOES IT FOR ME TO GAIN
OF THAT IN TEXAS? THIS MEANS
GOD WILL NOT BE ABLE TO LEGALLY
OPEN HER YARD TO STUDENTS FOR
THE UPCOMING SCHOOL YEAR.
SHE SAYS IT HOLDS A MAXIMUM
56 CARS. SHE CHARGES $300 PER
CAR. THE AMOUNT IS PRORATED FOR
STUDENTS THAT CLAIMS FACE AFTER
THE SCHOOL YEAR BEGINS.
MEANWHILE, WAKE COUNTY SCHOOLS
CHARGES $200 PER SPACE ON
CAMPUS EFFECTS. MAYOR JACQUES
GILBERT TELLS ME HE IS SIDING
WITH ANY SCOTT REZONINGS ARE
COSTLY.
>> MISS AND HE IS NOT TRYING TO
BECOME A ELEVATED COMMERCIAL
BUSINESS. SHE SIMPLY TRYING
TO SOLVE A PROBLEM. GILBERT
REQUESTED THE TOWN COUNCIL
CONSIDER AMENDING THE ORDINANCE
TO ALLOW SCOTT TO CONTINUE HER
SERVICE.
>> COUNCILMAN TERRY MAHAFFEY
SAYS HE WILL NOT SUPPORT THE
EFFORT WITHOUT REZONING.
THE NUMBERS HAVE BEEN
COMPLAINTS ABOUT SAFETY ISSUES
ABOUT PARKING OVERCAPACITY
ABOUT THE WAY THE PARKING
STRUCTURE PEOPLE BEING UNABLE
TO LEAVE A LOT.
>> AND THERE'S AN ASSORTMENT OF
COMPLAINTS THAT WE CAN WORK
THROUGH IN A REZONING PROCESS
AND HIS FELLOW COUNCIL MEMBER
BRETT GANTT TELLS ME IT IS A
HARD NO FOR HIM.
>> I WOULDN'T WANT TO LIVE IN
THE TOWN HOMES RIGHT BEHIND
THIS WHERE THERE'S A PARKING
LOT RIGHT BEHIND YOUR HOME WHEN
IT SHOULD BE JUST ANOTHER
RESIDENTS. MAFI OFFERED A
SOLUTION IN THE FORM OF THIS
PARKING LOT AT APEX, A NATURE
PARK WHERE STUDENTS COULD PARK
AND SHUTTLE TO CAMPUS. SCOTT
SAYS SHE HAS NEVER HEARD ANY
COMPLAINTS FROM PARENTS.
SHE PLANS TO CONTINUE TO PUSH
BACK AGAINST THE ORDER IN APEX.
KIRSTEN CLARK, WRAL NEWS THAT
MAYOR GILBERT PLANS TO REVISIT
THE DISCUSSION AROUND AN
ORDINANCE CHANGE AT THE NEXT
COUNCIL MEETING ON AUGUST.
26TH.
>> THE SCHOOL SYSTEM
SPOKESPERSON TOLD WRAL THE
DEBATE IS AN OFF-CAMPUS MATTER.
>> BUT THE SCHOOL SYSTEM IS
WILLING TO WORK WITH THE TOWN