Ordinance committee backs new parking layout, raised crosswalk for Henry K. Oliver School; police review ordered

The Lawrence Ordinance Committee on Tuesday voted to send to the full City Council a proposed alteration of on‑street parking and pedestrian crossings around the Henry K. Oliver School, while asking the police department and Department of Public Works for technical follow‑up before an ordinance is drafted.

The plan presented by Dan McCarthy, City of Lawrence planning director, and John Hart of SMMA would consolidate three existing crosswalks on Haverhill Street into a single, raised crosswalk with a rapid‑flashing beacon activated by a push button, add one accessible parking space on Haverhill Street, and create designated drop‑off lanes on the north side of Haverhill and the south side of Oak Street. The project will remove parking on stretches of Oak Street to provide turning clearance for fire apparatus and buses; project staff told the committee the net loss is about 22 on‑street spaces, primarily on Oak Street.

Why it matters: Committee members and neighbors said the redesign aims to concentrate pedestrian crossings and improve safety for children arriving at the new K–8 Oliver School, but several councilors warned the loss of parking could worsen congestion for area residents and teachers and urged a broader parking plan for the neighborhood.

Key details explained: McCarthy said the raised crosswalk will link the park pathway and Cardillo Way to a single controlled crossing point. Hart described removing two spaces at the Lawrence Street approach so fire apparatus can negotiate the turn onto Oak Street, and explained engineers removed an additional 17 spaces further down Oak to create a dedicated bus drop‑off lane and turning clearance. The school department said buses will load and unload on Oak Street, while parent drop‑offs will be primarily on Haverhill.

Councilors asked repeatedly who would enforce new no‑parking markings and whether teacher parking had been planned; McCarthy and school department staff said they are exploring off‑street options including negotiated agreements with the city parking authority and possible staff‑only parking zones, and that detailed language for the municipal ordinance (meets and bounds describing where parking is allowed or prohibited) would be prepared for the council. Detective Hegarty of the police department was present and accepted responsibility to review the plan for operational enforcement and to provide a memo to the committee.

What the committee did: Vice Chair Selena Reyes moved, and Councilor Filomena Santiago seconded, a motion to send the proposed plan to the full City Council with a favorable recommendation, order a public hearing and to forward the plan to the police department for review. The motion passed; the committee recorded the outcome as favorable and instructed staff to work with the city clerk to produce ordinance language that identifies the no‑parking and parking segments by metes and bounds.

Implementation and next steps: Staff said the city attorney will need exact metes and bounds so the ordinance can be drafted; the committee discussed timing and targeted a public hearing at the earliest feasible council meeting (staff estimated late April or early May). The police department and DPW will return findings to the committee before final ordinance language is filed.

Voices from the meeting: Councilors expressed concerns about net parking loss and enforcement. Councillor Gregor Del Rosario and other members asked for data on the current number of teacher/staff vehicles and for options such as residential permit parking or staff parking programs. O'Donnell Hernandez, chief operating officer for Lawrence Public Schools, told the committee the consolidated school will serve kindergarten through eighth grade and that the expected on‑site staff and teacher count (including custodial and support staff) will be substantially higher than under the prior separate buildings; he said the district and city have been meeting to develop parking mitigations.

Bottom line: The committee endorsed the concept as a safety‑driven redesign but left many operational details to DPW, the police department and school officials. The ordinance still requires drafting of specific street descriptions, a public hearing and a council vote before any parking lines or signs change.