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Residents urge Boonville to limit vehicle access at Rolling Hills; council asks staff for data
Summary
A resident asked the council to stop vehicle traffic on the Rolling Hills loop after reporting speeding, late-night parking tied to illegal activity and incidents of harassment. Council directed staff to review camera footage, incident logs and patrol patterns and to return with options for targeted closures or other mitigations.
During public comment at the Oct. 20 Boonville City Council meeting, Heather Overstreet urged the council to restrict vehicle access to the one-mile loop at Rolling Hills park, saying she has observed fast drivers, parked cars at night associated with illegal activity and reports of harassment. "I really think a pedestrian or a dog or something like that is gonna get hit," Overstreet said, and she recommended closing the loop to cars.
Council members raised the topic again during reports and asked staff about the rules and past practice. A public-works staff member said the city has closed the park for severe weather and previously tested more permanent closures but found mixed public reaction. Staff noted cameras at the park entrance can monitor activity up to the loop; the interior of the loop is not covered by the entrance camera.
Council directed staff to gather quantitative information — incident and camera logs, patrol frequency and any recorded accidents or injuries — and to return with options that could include targeted or time-limited closures (for example, restricting vehicular access during peak walking hours) or increased monitoring. The council emphasized the park's recreational value while acknowledging that a small number of bad actors can degrade safety.
No new restriction was imposed at the meeting; council requested a report back to a future meeting with data to inform any change.
