Sophomore Robert Vega methodically drives down the long rows of parked vehicles in lot E at Fresno City College, looking for a parking spot. Twenty minutes later, he is still in his car, waiting, hoping space opens up so he can show up for his math class.

He is already late for class and just can’t catch a break. He finally sees a stall, parks, walks into class; he is 40 minutes late.

“Parking is something that I really dislike about coming to school here,” Vega said. “I can’t get here any earlier because I work, so what can I do?”

School administrators are very much aware of the parking problem at FCC. If anything, it has dominated not only the college’s agenda, but the planning of the State Center Community College District.

Christine Miktarian, associate vice chancellor of business and operations for SCCCD, said that a parking evaluation study done during the 2012 facilities master plan found the FCC campus parking situation is inadequate.

“It is obvious we don’t and we are very low in parking stalls,” Miktarian said. “In that study they identified that we have a need of about 3,000 additional parking stalls at FCC.”

Miktarian also said that in September 2015, the SCCCD board of trustees approved funding for the Parking Lot M Project which was set to be located north of the gym. The parking space would have added 84 new parking stalls.

But after the district notified neighbors about the proposed parking lot project, they received a lot of opposition.

According to the SCCCD board of trustees agenda from the Feb. 2 board meeting, the neighbors’ primary concerns centered around losing the green space within the neighborhood and increased traffic flow in the area.

Additionally, the neighbors also did not want the parking project to impact Ram Camp (a popular program that uses the green space in the community), or the expected increase in noise and lighting.

Miktarian said the board re-evaluated the location and on Feb. 2 approved an extension of Parking Lot E. The added parking stalls will be at the abandoned ponding basin, by the railroad tracks and McKinley, south of lot E.

The Lot E extension project adds 60 new parking stalls, 24 fewer spaces than the ill-fated proposal for Lot M.

“I don’t think adding a parking lot will make much of a difference,” said Jonathan Luna, third year criminology major. “I think they should invest in something like Fresno state did with the free FAX bus for students. I think that would be a better idea.”

Annissa Stith, second year nursing student, said adding extra parking spaces would be better for students, but doesn’t believe it “is enough.”

Alexis Cobby, first year Auto body collision repair major, agrees that adding the parking lot is “a great idea since it will get the commotion out of fighting for one parking spot.” Colby, however, questions how much relief the proposed lot would bring. “It is pretty crowded all the time, and I hardly ever see an empty parking stall,” he said.

Miktarian wants to remind students of parking space usually pretty empty — Lot Q by the police academy and Ratcliffe stadium. Miktarian said there are other places available on campus for anyone who does not mind walking.

“We are doing the best we can to get the students more space for them to park,” Miktarian said.