Emotions have been running high in Porter Ranch about traffic congestion, parking tickets and student safety at the newly opened Porter Ranch Community School. The K-8 school, located at the corner of Mason and Sesnon opened with a generous on campus drop off loop, but no street parking. Parents of 150 kindergartners are required to park and walk in their students each morning. Other parents choose to walk their children in as well. With parents parking in the drop off loop, it is difficult to use it for dropping off students safely and efficiently. The result is a flood of illegal street parking around the school and significant congestion during the drop off and pick up times.

Not surprisingly, the topic has come up at the Porter Ranch Neighborhood Council meetings: Residents of the Renaissance Community expressed their concerns at the August meeting about the volume of traffic and student safety especially as it related to stop signs and a crosswalk they had expected to see on Sesnon at Via Palladino. Porter Ranch Community School parents made an impassioned plea for parking and traffic solutions at the September 11 meeting.

To address these concerns, PRNC President Mel Mitchell and Board Member Becky Leveque participated in a working session on September 14 called by Councilmember Mitch Englander. Also present were representatives from the LA Department of Transportation, LAUSD Facilities, the Office of Environmental Health and Safety, School Police, the Local District and Principal Mary Melvin. Parents were represented by the parent traffic coordinator and members of the Renaissance community board were present as their properties are immediately across the street from the school and they have expressed reservations about the negative impact of traffic and parking on the community.

To address concerns about speeding, Councilmember Englander plans to deploy a speed feedback trailer to remind drivers to observe the speed limit. Although Sesnon is designated as a highway, with corresponding highway speed limits, a request is now being made for 25 mph school zone signs. As a longer term solution to speeding, it was suggested that flashing lights remind drivers that they are about to enter a 25 mph school zone. All permanent solutions would require traffic and engineering studies, which take time.

To address the illegal parking, Englander plans to introduce a motion to City Council to provide temporary legal street parking while a more permanent solution can be developed. The Porter Ranch Neighborhood Council will continue to work with Councilmember Englander and the community stakeholders to ensure student safety and make the school a true asset to the community.

The PRNC will hold its next meeting on Tuesday, October 2, 6pm at Shepherd of the Hills Church. The guest speakers will be the candidates for State Senate District 27, which includes Porter Ranch, Chatsworth, and parts of Northridge as a result of recent redistricting. Fran Pavley will speak at 7pm and Todd Zink at 8pm. Find out more at www.PRNC.org

This article also appears in the Valley Voice October 2012