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School drop-off safety prompts Pratt to draft formal parking rules after staff flag unenforceable signs
Summary
USD 382 asked the commission to formally authorize school-area loading zones. Staff and police said several ad-hoc 'event parking' or business signs currently posted are not ordinance-backed and are unenforceable; commission directed staff to draft a MUTCD‑compliant resolution and map for formal approval at a future meeting.
A request from USD 382 to formalize loading/unloading zones and school drop-off areas prompted a detailed discussion about signage, enforceability and process for establishing no-parking zones.
Tony Helford, superintendent for USD 382, asked the commission to adopt time-limited loading zones on 3rd and 5th streets during school hours so students can be dropped off curbside. "The most dangerous piece with kids is kids running out from behind a car," Helford said, urging clear curbside unloading to keep children off the roadway.
Police and city staff told the commission they had found multiple signs around the high-school complex that were erected informally and lack ordinance backing; as a result, officers said they could not enforce them. Chief Oller and other staff recommended establishing time-stamped, MUTCD-compliant signs and adding approved signs to the city's official traffic-control map so enforcement and record-keeping are straightforward.
Members discussed the difficulty of 'event parking only' language, which staff said is too vague to enforce without defined hours and conditions. Commissioners asked staff to draft a resolution that would set explicit hours (for example, school days and specified times) and place the approved signs on an official map. The commission agreed to have staff return with a drawing and draft resolution for the Oct. 6 meeting and asked USD 382 to collaborate on practical locations and wording.
