Research Triangle Park, NC (June 8, 2017) – After managers for the Streets at Southpoint mall threatened to tow the cars of transit customers parked in the mall’s park-and-ride area before 6 a.m. or after 6 p.m., Durham Planning Director Patrick Young investigated agreements between the mall and the city and warned Southpoint managers Thursday that any such enforcement would be in violation.

Read Young’s letter  here.

The agreements call for park-and-ride spaces to be clearly marked and for any restrictions on parking to be displayed. There currently is a sign marking only a general park-and-ride area at the mall that does not include any time restrictions.

This week, Southpoint security used fliers placed on windshields to tell GoTriangle and GoDurham customers that their cars would be towed if parked in the lot at times other than Monday through Friday between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. (See a map of the parking area here and see a copy of the flier  here.)

Young said the threat of towing directly violates the mall’s site plan and the Unified Development Ordinance (Section 10.2.2), which requires Southpoint to mark designated spaces and to put up signs clearly indicating any parking restrictions. Designated park-and-ride spaces for transit customers were required as part of the city permit to build the Streets at Southpoint mall.

Southpoint management has not indicated how it will determine whether a vehicle belongs to a transit customer or mall customer before towing it. It has also not explained how it will work with customers parked in designated park-and-ride spaces who return on a bus that arrives after 6 p.m. or who go to shop or dine in the mall after arriving.

GoTriangle wants to remind transit customers who use routes 800 and 800S that they also may park in 67 free park-and-ride spaces at Renaissance Village in front of the Home Goods store along Renaissance Parkway.

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