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Dardenne Prairie adopts ordinance banning school drop-off parking on Expedition Court
Summary
The Board of Aldermen approved Ordinance 2,371 (from Bill 2,520), prohibiting parking, stopping or standing to drop off or pick up schoolchildren on Expedition Court, the cul‑de‑sac across from Osmond Elementary, to address safety and resident complaints; the ordinance adds enforcement authority for officers and carries fines for violations.
The Dardenne Prairie Board of Aldermen voted to adopt Ordinance 2,371 (Bill 2,520) prohibiting parking, stopping or standing on Expedition Court for the purpose of dropping off or picking up schoolchildren. The restriction applies to the cul‑de‑sac directly across from Osmond Elementary and was approved after residents described repeated disruption and safety concerns.
Council members said the ordinance responds to complaints from residents in the Lewis and Clark neighborhood and from a resource officer who had to walk children across the street. “Expedition Court is directly across from Osmond Elementary,” a staff member said, noting parents were parking in the cul‑de‑sac instead of using the designated school lane. A resident described repeated car alarms and other noise from nearby development and urged the city to act.
City staff explained the measure is intended to give officers clear authority to address school‑hour drop‑off activity in the cul‑de‑sac. “The purpose of this ordinance is to allow our officers to be able to go into the cul de sac and tell people they have to move,” City Administrator Kathy said. Staff added that signs alone are unlikely to solve the problem without active enforcement: “I think signs with enforcement are the answer,” Kathy said.
Council members asked whether the school could be responsible for enforcing drop‑off behavior. Staff said the location is off school property, so the school has no enforcement authority once children leave school grounds. The board discussed whether the school would share the cost of signage; staff estimated two signs would cost under $1,000 and offered to confirm the exact price.
A motion was made for a roll call vote on Bill 2,520; the roll call recorded an "Aye" from each named member in sequence and the clerk declared the bill passed and adopted as Ordinance 2,371. The roll call recorded affirmative votes attributed in the transcript to Alderman Waters; Almond Gitmeidre; Alderman Johnson; Almond Nee; Alderman Detweiler; and Alderman Wilson.
The ordinance makes violations subject to municipal fines and relies on officers to issue warnings first and citations for repeat offenders. The council’s next procedural steps include confirming signage cost and coordinating initial enforcement efforts for the start of the school year.
