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Published on 09/08/1999 All articles from this issue

LA Council rescinds Almond parking

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By Joanne Griffith Domingue / Town Crier Staff Writer

When the parking crunch hits Los Altos High School later this fall, students won't be parking on the street in front of the school. Instead they may be directed to use the tennis courts.

At its meeting Aug. 24, the Los Altos City Council rescinded its OK for temporarily allowing parking on the street in front of the school.

Parking on Almond Avenue was banned about 20 years ago, so parked cars would not interfere with children on bicycles riding in the bike lane past the school.

"If you allow parking and some little kid gets hurt, your deep pockets will be reached into," said Edward Coble who lives on Almond Avenue and spent 40 years with Caltrans.

"But there simply is not enough parking," said Superintendent Rich Fischer.

The current crunch will be the result of the continuing high school renovation project, which by December will involve the on-site parking lot.

"Disallowing parking on Almond Avenue won't work," Fischer told the council.

He said the school and district had worked with neighbors in the spring to find a mutually agreeable temporary solution.

Almond Avenue residents said they were not notified of any parking discussions and were concerned about biking safety for children.

"My son was hit in the bike lane on Almond Avenue," said Carole Feldstein, an Almond Avenue resident.

Instead of just considering there are too few parking places, maybe there are too many cars, said Councilman King Lear.

"What kind of effort is the school making" to limit cars? he asked Fischer.

Parents of high school students spoke in favor of the students driving, citing heavy sports equipment to tote around and a busy concert schedule in December for Main Street singers.

The school had hoped to avoid using the tennis courts for parking. But "we may find we have to do this," Fischer said.