Parents of students at Advantage Academy, and all nearby residents, will soon notice a difference along Prosser Drive.
Parking along a large portion of the road has long been prohibited, but commissioners agreed Monday night to extend that prohibition to the area between South Collins Street and South Evers Street, effectively stopping any roadway parking for the entirety of Prosser Drive.
“It has gotten progressively worse over the last few months,” Tray Towles, Code Enforcement manager, said. “Most of the students who attend the school walk or are dropped off by car. Not many use a bus.”
If you go to the school around the drop-off and pick-up times, you’ll find cars up and down the street angled toward the school. Children from kindergarten through eighth grade attend the charter school and students of all ages walk across the street to get in their parents’ waiting vehicles.
Several months ago, a parent from Advantage Academy came to a city commission meeting to share her concerns with commissioners. She said she watched the influx of traffic each day and was worried for the very young children that were attempting to cross the street to get either to their homes or to their parents’ vehicles.
The mass of young pedestrian traffic mixed with the cars trying to beat the pick up line can create a dangerous situation.
Towles said when he discussed the proposed alteration to Principal Keith Miller and the school’s resource officer they were “both thrilled” to hear the issue could soon be addressed.
Pick-up lines can be monotonous and take some time to get through, but they exist for a reason. To keep the children safe the city agreed it was time for action. Plant City Police Department will now have the ability to cite any illegally parked cars and, for nearby residents who use the side of the road as overflow parking, have them towed.
Lately, Towles said, Code Enforcement has even seen commercial vehicles parked overnight at the area, including large hauling trucks. These have caused sightline hazards and are routinely filling the shoulder space, which is reserved for traffic-related emergencies such as breakdowns or accidents.
The ordinance took effect immediately upon its passage and the city said it will have members of Code Enforcement as well as PCPD officers on site to educate residents and parents of the change. The school will more than likely send out a notice as well.
City Manager Bill McDaniel said it has been an ongoing issue that recently compounded once the commercial vehicles began using the shoulder as free parking. That concern, paired with the public complaints, helped let the city know the clock was ticking on coming up with a solution. Educating the public of the change is the city’s first priority. There will be “No Parking” signage on display at the location and several warnings to let people know it will now be strongly prohibited.
If you’re convicted of violating the ordinance you could be punished by a fine of up to $500. If the issue continues with no change, the citations will quickly follow.