Residents urge action on hazardous parking; board defers ordinance change for more outreach

A string of residents told the Waxaw Board of Commissioners on July 8 that parking tied to nearby businesses has made exiting the Oaks on Providence neighborhood dangerous and, in some cases, blocked sidewalks for strollers and pedestrians.

"It is a safety issue," said Beth Fina, a resident of the Oaks on Providence, describing narrow sight lines where drivers must pull forward to see around vehicles parked on both sides of the street. "My son who's learning to drive — you've made an obstacle course at the beginning of my neighborhood."

Engineering staff presented a proposed ordinance amendment (OARDD‑2025012) to restrict parking on the north side of Red Oaks Trail. Staff said the length of the restriction would allow consistent enforcement and improve sight distance for residents exiting onto Providence Road, and noted that the change would apply to homeowners and businesses equally so enforcement would be uniform.

Board members raised concerns about precedent, equity and practical consequences. Several asked whether temporary passes, resident permits or a time‑of‑day restriction could balance residents' needs with the businesses' customers and employees. Commissioners also suggested a facilitated meeting between affected homeowners and business owners to craft a community‑led solution before adopting an ordinance.

Faced with those concerns, the board voted to defer the ordinance and direct staff to convene stakeholders, explore resident‑permit models used downtown and report back with a recommended approach. The deferral keeps the item on staff's schedule for a future meeting after additional outreach.

Next steps: staff will arrange focused stakeholder meetings and prepare draft options (resident permits, temporary event passes, time‑limited restrictions or a targeted no‑parking zone) for future consideration by the board.