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Council declines to overturn policy banning new ‘autistic child’ street signs after public appeal
Summary
After public comment from a parent requesting reinstatement of street signs indicating an autistic child in the area, council considered staff materials and a Wisconsin Department of Transportation synthesis cited by staff. A motion to revisit the policy failed on a roll‑call vote.
A Coldwater parent urged the City Council to restore ‘‘Autistic child in area’’ street signs during public comment, but the council voted against reconsidering its 2023 policy that bars new official child‑warning signs in the public right‑of‑way.
Katrina Hamlin told the council her nonverbal son elopes from home and that signs helped neighbors notice and intervene; she said three families on her street include children with severe autism and asked the city to ‘‘make a change’’ to return signs to residential streets. The city’s public‑safety and community engagement staff later presented background materials, including the city’s Resolution 23‑69 and Policy P2302 adopted in August 2023, and a frequently asked‑questions pamphlet describing the reasoning for the current policy.
Staff cited a transportation synthesis report from the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (2007) and said many jurisdictions with similar policies reference that report in deciding not to install official child‑warning signs in the right‑of‑way. Staff also told council that private, non‑official yard signs placed on private property are generally permitted so long as they do not resemble official roadway signs or create confusion.
Council members questioned whether more recent research exists and whether a sign could plausibly reduce harm. One council member moved to revisit the policy and request updated research; the motion went to a roll‑call vote and failed (results recorded in the transcript: several council members voted no). Staff said the policy remains in effect and that the city will provide the FAQ materials to the public.
