SPHS parking, traffic update meeting
draws few residents to City Hall
June 24, 2015
By Peggy Kelly
Santa Paula News
Although parking and traffic issues at Santa Paula High School has been a hot topic only a handful of residents showed up for an update Thursday evening at City Hall.
The turnout was low said Lois Zsarnay, because residents have grown tired of their concerns not being addressed including past efforts to create a parking district that included a survey and public workshops before only a small portion was adopted by the then-council last year.
Interim Public Works Director Brian Yanez told those in attendance — including representatives of the Santa Paula Unified School District — that invitations were sent to 40 residences most impacted by SPHS parking and traffic.
The city and district have partnered in a $34,000 Stantec Consultants’ study that conducted traffic surveys including counts on May 14 and the June 14 graduation at the historic school that covers an area ranging from 6th Street to Palm Avenue just north of East Santa Paula Street.
Yanez said, “We felt those two events were the best,” for an accurate count especially as graduation is the largest single event held annually at the school.
Stantec is gathering data and will make recommendations although Yanez said there are several areas of concern that have already been identified, primarily the need of a upgraded crosswalk at 5th Street, a main entry to the campus.
But, he added, such improvements must be carefully studied to eliminate liability issues.
The high school has adopted a long-range Master Plan; the district now owns five homes on Palm Court, two identified as future parking.
“The district is seeing what channels they have to go through,” to create parking lots in an area designated as mixed residential and industrialized due to the presence of the campus.
Palm Court has other needs including water and sewer pipelines 100 years old in sections that are due for replacement, work that will disrupt and hopefully improve the neighborhood.
Yanez said such work might also include “restructuring” the street due to its being a walkway to the sports facilities with a pedestrian crossing.
Since the school completed its major campus construction project more parking has been available: “There’s more room there and it’s getting better,” said Yanez.
The city is working on replacing the crosswalk at 5th Street with a beacon lit crossing that offers more visibility to motorists.
Yanez noted all crosswalks using the in-pavement lighting system will be replaced with the beacon technology: “The old ones are like Christmas tree lights...when one goes out,” all cease to function and determining which light needs replacement is difficult.
The real issue according to Yanez and residents in attendance are the special event facility rentals that bring complaints of overcrowded parking, illegal parking, “fast drivers” and illegal turns, among other traffic issues.
“The school has a busy calendar...there are various organizations that use those facilities,” including programs sponsored by the city.
Zsarnay said the facility use issue is more than a matter of “only two Saturday’s for this organization and two Saturday’s for that organization...then you have 50 Saturdays,” where there are special events at the high school that clog streets so guests of residents would have to park four blocks away.
Yanez said at the time the parking district was adopted but not finalized consideration was given to a different model for parking control: “I’m looking at not putting a 100 signs up there for all of the time,” mandating parking restrictions but rather doing so as needed.
District Board President Michelle Kolbeck said the other areas are also being explored for parking use.
After more discussion Yanez said, “Adjustments will always be made,” including a drop off zone at Palm Court and other areas considered dangerous that are being addressed in the study.
Enforcement he added is also an issue: “No matter what we do enforcement plays the biggest role...we can put up a million signs but if we don’t enforce it,” the situation will not change.
“I don’t want a parking district,” said Zsarnay, “I just want my home to be what it was for 23 years...as long as the school is an event center,” parking and traffic disruptions will continue and only get worse with growth. “The school says they’re not making any money off so they should stop doing it...”
Yanez noted the city also uses the facilities for its youth sports programs and “that is an issue also...”
Several people questioned new joint use sports facilities when Limoneira East 1 is built but the consensus was it is highly unlikely a football stadium would be built although a gymnasium is likely.
