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The Paly Voice

The Student News Site of Palo Alto High School

The Paly Voice

The Student News Site of Palo Alto High School

The Paly Voice

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New parking policy hopefully in effect late January

For months, Palo Alto High School students have become used to minimal enforcement in the two parking lots on campus. However, presently, a new parking policy is being considered which would end these days and provide strict enforcement of parking rules by the Palo Alto Police Department.

Assistant principle Doug Walker has been working with the city of Palo Alto on the new policy. In the middle of January, the new plan will be voted on; if passed, it will take effect at the beginning of the second semester. The plan provides for the city of Palo Alto to be in charge of enforcing rules that are currently standing, but are usually not enforced. This means Palo Alto police will be coming by Paly randomly to check for parking permits and to make sure that students are parking in appropriate spots.

One rule that is frequently violated is that sophomores are not allowed to park in either of the lots. They are not able to buy parking permits; however, many still use the parking lots. Due to a lack of funding and help, Mr. Walker and the rest of the administration have no way of ticketing people. Because Paly is an open campus, students are coming and going at all times. Ideally, these random checks will force students to either buy a permit, or if they are a sophomore, not drive to school.

Students are also parking in fire lanes, and in spots specifically marked "no parking." There is also a problem in the Churchill parking lot because students are parking in the middle of the lot wherever they see an open space. New parking lines will be painted, and tickets will be given out for those parked in other areas.

In addition, many students are parking in the carpool spaces without actually carpooling. Those students who drive at least two other students to school are given the privileges of parking in the first lane of parking and paying less for a permit. This rule will also be more strictly enforced.

Since the police will be enforcing these rules, the tickets will be of substantial amounts, as opposed to Paly’s $10 fines.

The administration has already begun the first steps in changing the parking situation. Curbs have recently been repainted, and stop signs have also recently been painted. If all goes as planned, January will be a huge change for Paly students.

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