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Council directs staff to draft school-hour parking restrictions on Kyle Drive after near-collision
Summary
Councilmember Anna Campbell requested action to restrict parking on Kyle Drive during school hours citing blocked lanes, obstructed bus and emergency access and a May 12 collision that sent a student and parent to the hospital. The council directed staff to prepare an ordinance limiting parking during school hours.
Rockwall City Council members directed staff on May 19 to draft an ordinance to restrict or manage parking on Kyle Drive during Rockwall High School hours after council member Anna Campbell and school staff described hazardous conditions.
Campbell said parked cars along Kyle Drive, the street between Rockwall High School and adjacent apartments, frequently reduce the roadway to a single lane during school hours and block bus and emergency access. Assistant principal Dustin Gunner told the council a May 12 collision sent a student and a parent to the hospital; both were reported to be OK. Gunner said buses use Kyle Drive multiple times a day, not just at the start and end of school, because students are transported to other programs during the day.
Council members discussed hours, enforcement and the need to accommodate apartment residents and after-hours events. Campbell asked that the restriction cover school days and suggested a window of 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. to cover arrivals, dismissals and midday bus activity; city staff suggested an ordinance could use peak windows (for example, 7:30'9:30 a.m. and 2:30'4:30 p.m.) but the council gave direction for a school-day restriction running roughly 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. City staff said initial implementation would emphasize education and warnings and that citations would be a later enforcement step.
Why it matters: the proposed restriction aims to improve emergency-vehicle access and reduce the risk of collisions at a location the school and police described as having poor sight lines and recurring parked-car congestion during school periods.
Next steps: city staff will draft an ordinance reflecting the council's direction and place it on a future agenda for formal adoption. The city manager and Rockwall High School staff indicated they would work on implementation and education before citations or towing would be used.
Speakers quoted or summarized: Council Member Anna Campbell (sponsor), Dustin Gunner (assistant principal, Rockwall High School), Mary (city manager), and police/fire representatives who discussed enforcement procedures.
