The Katy City Council took no action Monday on a request from some Katyland residents to restrict parking along 11th Street.
The Katyland Community Improvement Association had asked for “No Parking” signs to be erected along 11th Street because students attending Katy ISD’s Opportunity Awareness Center, Miller Career Center and Raines High School were parking along the street during daytime hours.
The three Katy ISD facilities are located across Katyland Drive from the neighborhood.
In a letter to city council, association president Michael Creed said the cars were causing congestion and posed a possible safety risk.
“As you know, the problem of daytime parking on 11th Street by students from across Katyland Drive eliminates two-way traffic, and thereby creates increased risk, traffic congestion and delays for emergency vehicles, school buses and local traffic,” Creed said in the letter.
The association went on to ask the city to establish a no parking, tow-away zone on 11th Street between Drexel and Katyland Drive between the hours of 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. on weekdays.
Creed, who also spoke before city council in support of the request, said school policy was causing the students to park on 11th Street rather than on campus.
“It is my understanding the school has a rule that the students aren’t allowed to park at that campus. They’re getting around the rules by parking on 11th Street and just walking across Katyland Drive,” Creed said. “With the number of cars parking on both sides of 11th Street, it turns 11th Street into a one-lane road and the distance between cars makes it a problem for larger vehicles, emergency services vehicles and school buses picking up the small children.”
Another Katyland resident, however, took an opposing viewpoint. She told the council a number of the subdivision residents oppose the parking restriction.
“I would rather see the students park on the street and be in school rather than going out and causing problems throughout town,” she said.
City Attorney Art Pertile told the council its decision on restricting parking must be based on whether the situation presents a hazard.
“Since this is a public street, people have a right to park on the street unless it’s a hazard. If it’s a hazard, it’s always a hazard,” Pertile said. “You have to find it’s an actual hazard. You have to have a rational reason to restrict parking for some people and not others.”
Pertile also cautioned that the council must find the situation to be an actual hazard and not just a nuisance.
Katy Fire Chief Marc Jordan said negotiating large fire trucks down 11th Street was, in fact, “a nuisance,” but no worse than other streets throughout the city.
“That’s any given street on any given day,” Jordan said.
Police Chief Bill Hastings agreed the parked cars could be a nuisance, but did not believe it was a safety hazard. He said “six to eight” cars typically park on 11th Street on any given day. Last year, the chief said, his officers issued two parking violation citations on the street and made one arrest for possession of drug paraphernalia.
Councilman Larry Gore told the Katyland association he would “like to help, but we’re limited here legally.”
Councilman Fabol Hughes said he would not support any measure unless it was supported by 100 percent of the residents, “and it appears (the no parking proposal) is not.”
Mayor Don Elder, Jr., reminded residents that parking restrictions would affect everyone, not just students.
“When we start giving tickets and towing, nobody’s safe,” Elder said.
The mayor said it was his understanding Katy ISD had a full-time officer assigned to the Raines/Miller Career Center/Opportunity Awareness Center area, and that officer could possibly help control student parking.
No council member made a motion to approve the no parking proposal, which effectively turned down the request.
