Thousand Oaks staff report shows 11 of 24 staffed school crossings fail new local standards; council authorizes talks with district

Thousand Oaks — The City Council on Tuesday received a staff update showing pedestrian and vehicle counts at staffed school crossing locations and voted 5-0 to authorize staff to open talks with the Conejo Valley Unified School District (CVUSD) on options for future program oversight.

The report, presented by Public Works Director Nadar Hadari and Deputy City Manager Akbar Alikhan, covered counts from the 2024–25 school year under a 2023 city policy that uses standards more permissive than the state’s. Hadari said the most recent verified counts found 11 of the city’s 24 staffed crossings did not meet the city’s minimum criteria under that policy.

Why it matters: The crossings are part of a program the city has funded and managed since 1964. The council is weighing whether to keep the existing, city-administered, objective-count approach or explore a partnership with CVUSD that could give the district a greater role in deciding where crossing guards are assigned.

The report and what staff told the council

Hadari told the council the city adopted a more generous local crossing-guard policy in 2023 after a review led by the Traffic Commission and public outreach. "This new policy ... features clear and objective standards for crossing guard placement, which are more generous than the statewide standards used by most other public agencies," Hadari said. He said the policy includes a two-year review so locations are not removed based on a single low-count year.

Staff said annual counts are done by an independent engineering firm, compared to the city policy thresholds, and returned to the Traffic Commission for public input before final changes are applied ahead of the next school year. Hadari said the city also continues to invest in physical improvements — pedestrian crossings, curb ramps, rectangular rapid-flashing beacons and bike lanes — and in outreach intended to increase walking to school.

Council questions and concerns

Council members asked whether other agencies split responsibility with school districts, whether engineered improvements reduce risk and whether outreach has raised walking rates. Hadari and Deputy City Manager Akbar Alikhan said jurisdictions vary: some agencies have police manage the program, some have the district manage it, and some use hybrid arrangements in which the school district funds locations beyond state thresholds.

Staff cited published Federal Highway Administration data showing rectangular rapid-flashing beacons (RRFBs) increase motorist yielding and said the city has recently installed 10 more enhanced pedestrian crossings. On outreach, the city’s communications director, Alexandra South, said the walk-to-school campaign produced thousands of social media impressions and toolkits distributed to schools but that walking counts remain generally flat outside special-event days.

Public comment

Eight speakers spoke during the public comment period on the issue. Residents and parents, including Betsy Connolly, Kinsey Flame and members of the Buss family, urged the council to preserve crossing guards or pursue collaborative solutions that preserve safety. Connolly urged the council to "allow our experts on both city and school district staff to work together to figure out the right solutions for each site." Several parents detailed specific intersections where they said they feared for children’s safety.

Council action and next steps

Mayor Pro Tem Taylor moved to receive the staff report and to authorize city staff to engage with Conejo Valley Unified School District on options for future program oversight; Councilmember Engler added that the report should be noted as exempt from CEQA. The motion passed, 5-0.

Staff said possible next steps include (a) opening discussions with CVUSD about shared oversight or transfer models, (b) reviewing whether to temporarily toll the city policy while discussions proceed, and (c) continuing engineering upgrades and outreach. Staff noted that any permanent change to city policy would require a future agendized council action.

Ending

Council members emphasized they want a collaborative, site-specific outcome that improves safety and preserves resources. Staff will report back with the results of district discussions and with recommended next steps for council consideration.