The Los Altos City Council urged the Mountain View Los Altos Union High School District Board of Trustees to develop a transportation and parking master plan that addresses a predicted 25 percent increase in student enrollment over the next 10 years.
In a letter drafted by Councilwoman Val Carpenter, the council recommended that the district proactively develop a master plan to deal with the impact of burgeoning enrollment on Los Altos’ residential streets. Councilmembers approved Carpenter’s proposal March 23 and authorized her to send it to the district board.
“We are very concerned that, unless you take steps now to address this issue, this substantial increase in enrollment will result in many more cars driving to and from and parking at or near Los Altos and Mountain View high schools and in residential neighborhoods that have already been negatively impacted by school-related vehicles during the past few years,” the letter states.
MVLA trustees said they are aware of the projected problems and have been working to resolve them.
“We’ve been planning for the new students’ arrival,” said Trustee Phil Faillace. “And, contrary to the indication in the letter, there have been no complaints. We are trying very hard to be good neighbors and will always continue to do that.”
Trustees will discuss the Los Altos letter at their next meeting, said Superintendent Barry Groves, who agreed with Faillace about preparing for the increase in student population.
“We’re trying to put things in place to plan for this increase,” Groves said. “And we’ll continue doing that.”
The preparation includes reconfiguring parking lots and encouraging students to carpool, bicycle to school or use public transportation.
“Some of our service clubs offer little incentives – like doughnuts – to students who ride their bikes to school,” Faillace said.
Groves said the traffic and parking matters are not tied to the district’s June bond measure.
“Whether the bond passes in June or not, the students are going to keep coming – and we’re preparing for that,” he said.
Contact Jana Seshadri at [email protected].
