The tennis courts spots are represented by the green circle. The parking spots within the school, including the main and side spaces, are circled in blue. The section of Natomas Central Drive often used for parking is circled in red.
By Amritpal Nijjar
Staff Writer | The Pacific Times
A lot of students at NP3 High School choose to drive to school, and though the commute is fairly simple, finding a parking spot is not.
NP3 High School lacks a large parking lot similar to other high schools in the area such as Inderkum and Natomas High. It has a small parking lot up front and roughly 20 spaces located near the gym.
This is because NP3 High School was originally a middle school, said NP3 High Principal Melissa Mori, and its original design did not account for student drivers.
To park at NP3 High, students must obtain a parking permit at the beginning of the year. A 12th-grade student driver, Ajeshni Kumar, parks by the gym and is very unhappy.
“Parking there takes so much time when I try to get in and out of the school,” she said.
All traffic into to the school, whether to drop off students or to park, enters through the same main entrance. Because of this, coming and going can take as long as 10 minutes. Students who do not park on campus, generally park in two different spots.
Many students end up parking either in the 19 spaces on Candela Circle by the tennis courts across the street from the school, or along the side of the road Natomas Central Drive, east of the school. Many students say they are dissatisfied with both sites.
Last school year, one 12th grade student who parked by the tennis courts came back to her car with a busted windshield. Although nothing was stolen from her vehicle, the incident prompted her to find parking elsewhere due to the lack of safety.
The Natomas Central Drive parkers are also in constant danger.
Senior Jeffrey De Jesus parks along this road and said, “It’s unsafe because of how many cars are passing by.”
Referred to as “the alley,” Palma Harbour Place was often used for parking prior to this school year. However, earlier this year parking in the alley was closed off to those who do not live in the adjacent houses. Those who ignore the restrictions now in place are at risk of getting their vehicles towed.
“The school should have a bigger parking lot,” De Jesus said.
According to Mori, more than 70 new parking spots are going to be added to the empty lot south of the track next fall.
Next fall huh?
This article aged very well given the circumstances I am in now with my car totaled from a hit and run. I think there should be another article about parking.