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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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Administration decides to delay parking plan

Palo Alto High School’s administration has decided to delay any change in the parking policy until next year.
The administration did not think there would be enough time to hand out new permits and make the plan clear to everyone. Instead, they will continue to encourage students to park legally and buy permits if they don’t already have them.

Administrators have already been giving out warnings to cars parked with no permit or illegally in the car-pool or fire lanes. They are also keeping a record of the licence plate, color, and style of the car, and they will keep track of those ignoring the warnings.

“These are meant to give a heads up before real tickets are handed out,” Chuck Merrit, assistant principle said. “We just want everyone to be legally parked.”

Although many students have been parking without permits, Merrit was surprised at how many staff members were also missing permits.

“We originally thought students with no permits were parking in the staff parking, which they are,” Merrit said. “However, a fair number of the cars are staff members parking without permits.”

The original plan was for the Palo Alto Police Department to take control over the parking lots. New permits were going to be passed out, and if a student parked illegally or didn’t buy a permit, they would be given an actually parking ticket.

In December, a sign was posted stating the part of the California code that allows the police to regulate the parking lots. With this new sign, they will be able to fine the owner.

“The police will be called for any egregious violations,” Merrit said. “For example, if we see cars parked in the handicapped spots, the police will be called.”

The administration has also recognized a huge problem of fast driving through the parking lot. Not only are students violating the speed limit, parents are also.

Mr. Merrit just received a grant from California to have the CHP come and give a traffic safety presentation. There is a Traffic Safety Committee composed of parents and students that will be working with them in order to find a way to reach the Paly community most effectively.

One idea is to have the traffic safety presentation coincide with the opening of the new bike path.

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