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City: Durham mall's threat to tow park-and-ride customers violates ordinance

The City of Durham said Thursday that the Streets at Southpoint's threat to tow park-and-ride customers is in violation of a city ordinance.

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DURHAM, N.C. — The City of Durham said Thursday that the Streets at Southpoint’s threat to tow park-and-ride customers is in violation of a city ordinance.
Park-and-ride customers said mall security placed flyers on their vehicles twice this week with notices stating they can only park in the lot between the hours of 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Planning staff on Thursday said that signage at the mall does not indicate any time limitations on designated park-and-ride spaces and any attempt to enforce limitations would violate a provision of the Durham Unified Development Ordinance, which pertains to required parking facilities at large commercial developments.

The city said that Streets at Southpoint would be permitted to install revised signage with time limitations and could enforce such limitations once installation is complete.

The designated park-and-ride area currently includes 147 designated parking spaces but city officials said mall representatives have previously expressed interest in reducing that number to 100 spaces. While this would be allowed, it would require the approval of a new site plan and the relocation of the park-and-ride lot.

In a statement Streets at Southpoint said that the threats to tow stemmed from a "severe overuse of our property" that has negatively impacted retailers.

"We have not violated the mall's site plan, the Unified Development Ordinance or any agreement with the city. In this circumstance, there has been a severe overuse of our property and we are being taken advantage of by the local transit system. As a result, our customers and retailers are negatively impacted," the statement said. "We embrace our role as the community's regional shopping center and are happy to accommodate park-and-ride customers in our parking lot."

Mall officials said they have not yet towed any vehicles.

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