Apex store owners at odds with town manager over parking

Officers have moved to temporary trailers behind Salem Street shops while a new police station is being built. However, business owners say those trailers are taking up valuable parking spaces needed for their customers.

"It is kinda hard to run a business if you can't get customers in your store,” business owner Mark Lloyd says.

Renee Lloyd, who owns a nearby salon agrees. She says she opened up shop in downtown Apex because of all the available parking.

"I feel like I have been conned,” she said.

So, the Lloyds – along with other store owners – met Thursday evening with Apex town manager Bruce Radford.

Radford says he feels for the store owners, "but I have a certain job to do to get this building done."

The parking spots were never promised to store owners, Radford says, and temporarily moving the police station to the parking lot was cheaper for taxpayers than other locations by $175,000.

"It is of a temporary measure,” Radford says.

However, that is not soon enough for shop owners who say customers are passing them by.

Radford says he is working on land deals for additional parking and other ideas, such as shuttle service and bike racks.

The Town Council is expected to discuss the parking issue at their Oct. 7 meeting.