Lot B was not always lined with chalk.

It used to hold 1,300 spaces and was filled with islands and plants to guide traffic prior to Aug. 2.

With measure GO and plans for campus redevelopment, the Mt. SAC Board of Trustees decided to award PaveWest Inc. of Artesia the rights to the parking lot B renovation bid (No. 3193) on July 11 in a 5-1 vote.

Board member Laura Santos pulled the bid from consent (item 9.01) and was the single vote against it. She said she was concerned about the environmental impact of removing all the islands, and the potential impacts of shortening parking spaces by six inches.

The bid increased the lot by 400 spaces. Parking lots B, B-2, B-3 and pay lot B were closed from Aug. 2 to Aug. 26 for construction and the lots were opened on Aug. 27 for the start of the fall semester.

The renovation team worked around the auditorium in lot B, which will have to be demolished and rebuilt at a later date.

Other parking lots, like lots R and S are planned to become parking structures following the lawsuit settlement over putting a parking structure on lot A.

Lots R and S were projected to have construction begin in March 2019 and were expected to be finished 14-18 months later, but all development is currently waiting for the Environmental Impact Report to be accepted by the board of trustees in June.

While it was said to be an “inconvenience” at the board meeting, it has become a common location for hit and runs.

Since Jan. 10, 2018 there have been 15 incidences on the daily crime log regarding lot B, and 10 of them have followed the restriping renovation.

Public Safety Officer II Kevin House took a report at B-1 on Dec. 13, 2018 for a hit and run involving a silver SUV and a damaged black Lexus with a sign pole bent over its hood.

The Lexus driver found their vehicle with a note on the windshield with a name and number and upon calling the number, heard a Verizon recording stating the number is not in service and the name did not come up on the campus database.

Witnesses reported the female who hit the Lexus picked up the front bumper of her vehicle and placed it in her backseat before writing the note and driving off.

Facilities has since replaced the sign at an estimated cost of $200.

On Jan. 23, 2019, a 16-year-old student’s 2015 Toyota Camry was struck in the right front bumper. That same day, a 20-year-old student’s white 2015 Nissan Versa was struck by a red car while they were in class, leaving black scratch marks and red paint transfer.

The second student noticed before they left for class that the red car was parked very close to the line, but the car was not there when they returned from class. Both incidents occurred around 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.

On Feb. 27, a student who parked at 9:40 a.m. found a 12 inch dent in the left rear quarter panel of their vehicle alongside transfer marks on the bumper.

On March 7, a student parked their 2017 Nissan Altima in lot B-3 and came back to find damage to the right front section of the car.

These incidents still continue to this day whether they are reported to Mt. SAC’s Police and Campus Safety or not.

Correction: May 23, 1:50 p.m.:

There were 15 incidents in total at lot B and 10 have occurred since restriping.

It was previously reported as 13 incidents total with 10 occurring after restriping.

This has been corrected in the piece.