CHARLOTTE — The new West Charlotte High School building opened in the fall of 2024.
A lot that’s now fenced in used to be part of the school.
Neighbors say it’s now become filled with untamed vegetation that’s now affecting their property.
“You have trees overgrowing, you have weeds overgrowing. It looks abandoned,” said Crystal McManus. She says the jungle-like eyesore is encroaching on her and her neighbor’s backyard.
It’s growing along the fence line between their homes and the former student parking lot at West Charlotte High School.
“Since the new building has been opened and they’ve closed this off for the students, all this has been overrun,” McManus said.
She said it’s growing from the parking lot side of the fence.
“You can’t do anything on your side of your property because of the other side,” said McManus.
She said she’s tried to get someone to address this.
“You call the school, the school says call the city,” McManus said. “The city says call the school.”
“We had to cut a bunch of it down and my husband took some of the fence that was there,” said Dawn Posey-Orr, a heavy duty worker. “I don’t even think those people have access to use their backyard, we use our backyard.”
Neighbors say they just want someone to take responsibly for a situation that has literally grown out of control.
“For the safety of the older people out here, anybody could come though, and you can’t see nothing,” McManus said.
“It would be good to find out who is responsible for doing it,” Posey-Orr said. “Does CMS still own this or did they sell it?”
Channel 9 reached out to CMS, the City of Charlotte, and Duke Energy.
A spokesman with the utility got back with us and said they are sending someone out Tuesday to take a look at the situation, as they are not even sure it’s their responsibility.
It wasn’t until nearly the end of the business day Monday that we reached out, so we’re waiting to hear back from CMS and the city.