Student parking on village streets near Greendale High School is causing street congestion and safety concerns for local residents and municipal workers.

That is according to a memo given to the Greendale Village Board by Greendale Police Chief Robert Malasuk and brought before the board at its January 17 meeting.

Malasuk says the issue stems from students parking on nearby village streets rather than paying an annual fee of $160 for a permit to park their cars in the high school lot.

He said one of the main areas of concern is on Catalpa Street near Jaycee Park. During school hours, cars parked on both sides of the street have prevented emergency vehicles and municipal vehicles such as garbage trucks from accessing the street. He said the congestion also causes hazards to local and pedestrian traffic.

The police chief says his department has been working with high school administrators to communicate the problem to student drivers. He said this helps for a while, but that the problem usually resurfaces after a short time.

Other area streets affected include Downing Street, Darnell Lane, Dobson Court, Dryden Court, Dorchester Lane and Sherwood Road.

Malasuk says five or six years ago the village established 2-hour parking restrictions on some of the streets. The new proposal would add additional signage and restrictions on where vehicles could be parked during the regular school day. The new ordinance would:

• create 2-hour parking zoned during regular school hours on the east and west curbs of Downing Street.
• expand the 2-hour parking zoned during regular school hours on the south curb of Catalpa Street from Southway all the way to Broad Street. (Currently it is only from Southway to Daffodil Lane). 
• create 2-hour zoned parking during regular school hours on both the north and south curbs of Darnell Lane, Dobson Court, Dorchester Lane, Sherwood Road and Dryden Court.

Violation of the parking ordinance will continue to carry a $30 forfeiture.

The police chief says if the Village Board adopts the amended parking rules, he would work with the high school to educate the students about the changes and would encourage officers to promote an educational period before fully enforcing the ordinance.

Village Trustee Ron Barbian expressed concern that students may be choosing to park on the streets because they can't afford the parking permits and that further restricting parking on nearby village streets may just push them to park farther away on other non-restricted streets. 

The Board voted to refer the matter to the Greendale Public Welfare, Health and Safety Committee.