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Atherton residents press for action as student parking crowds Maple Manor; police propose A‑frame signs
Summary
Residents of Maple Manor told the transportation committee they face blocked roadways, damaged landscaping and safety hazards from Menlo‑Atherton High School overflow parking. Police proposed a pilot of portable ‘A‑frame’ signs reading ‘no student parking’ as a first step; the committee agreed to try the signs and asked staff for a check‑in after the start of the next school year.
Residents of the Maple Manor neighborhood told the Atherton Transportation Committee on May 26 that overflow parking by Menlo‑Atherton High School students has made narrow residential streets unsafe and has caused property damage, trash and near‑misses.
Kathleen, a Maple Manor resident, told the committee she gathered 23 signatures for a petition asking the town to protect residents. "We ask that Atherton protect its residents as Maple Manor residents have seen fit to protect its citizens and institute permanent parking," she said in public comment, describing narrow streets, landscaping damage and cars parked near fire hydrants.
Police described the calls they've received and the limits of current enforcement. A police department representative told the committee officers have observed cars partially blocking the roadway but that many parked vehicles do not meet an immediately enforceable violation. "What the chief would like to do is similar to what we've done on Toyon, where we would go move that A‑frame signs that say 'no student parking on DeBell'," the representative said, explaining that the portable A‑frames are a low‑intrusion deterrent that can be put out during the school year and removed when school is not in session.
Residents offered mixed views on permanent permit parking versus a temporary sign pilot. Several said permanent permit systems can lead to resident citations if homeowners forget to display permits; others said only a regulatory sign and enforced permit program would reliably stop the problem. Melissa Badger said the town must respond because residents' safety is at risk: "There is no way a fire engine could get down our street with those cars parked," she told the committee.
The committee agreed on an incremental approach. Members directed the police to pilot the portable A‑frame signs and recommended periodic patrols while the signs are displayed. Committee members asked staff to return with a status report and recommended check‑in timing in the fall; members suggested a formal review approximately 60 days after the start of the school year or by the end of September to determine whether to escalate to regulatory signage or a permit program.
Committee members also encouraged continued outreach to Menlo‑Atherton to explore campus parking options and to regional partners about lost overflow arrangements. Police reiterated that without official signs residents cannot expect enforceable citations except for clear vehicle code violations (for example blocking a fire hydrant).
What’s next: Police will pilot portable A‑frame signage on affected streets for the next school year, and staff will return to the committee with an update and data on compliance and enforcement outcomes per the agreed check‑in timeline.
(Reporting based on public comments and committee discussion; residents quoted: Kathleen; police representative quoted.)
