WJ will implement towing in the student parking lot in response to significantly increased demand and parking violations.
The new rules feature a three strike system, where cars will be towed if they’re parked illegally four or more times. Staff will keep a database of cars and the strikes they’ve incurred, and will refer back to it when reviewing applications for parking permits. Students will be expected to pay any fines the towing company may charge, and no accommodations will be made for students who might have difficulty paying.
“This will definitely change the way we do things,” security team Leader Anthony Williams said. “This means we will need to be out there [to] put the tickets on there and call in any infractions.”
Administration is still determining what company will be used to tow cars. The original plan was to use Grace Towing, but county officials have since said that they want to use a more centralized system. New signs will be put up warning students of the changes and past violations will not count towards students’ strike count.
With blocked roadways, unauthorized vehicles taking up limited student spots and even some non-students using the lot for their appointments across the street, staff said stronger action was necessary.
“I have been here since 2006 and we’ve never had to enforce towing, but the volume of drivers that we have on campus for the second semester has caused an increase in traffic violations within the student parking lot, as well as illegal parking in the lot and bus loop,” Principal Nicole Morgan said.
Parking violations have long been a source of frustration for both students and staff. As the demand for parking increases, administrators said that towing is necessary to maintain order in the lot, since less severe measures such as ticketing have failed.
While some students may be frustrated by the changes, administrators said that these rules exist to ensure fairness and safety for all drivers on campus. With clear guidelines and a fresh three-strike system, they encouraged to follow the regulations to avoid unnecessary consequences. They also said that the decision was not made lightly, and goes against what some would’ve hoped for.
“I wish everybody understands nobody wants to tow; I wish we had parking for everybody,” Business Administrator Deborah Teicher said.
