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Neighborhoods seek solution for congested street parking around Atherton High School

Students do not have enough spaces to park their cars on campus. They are now parking on the street and homeowners are concerned it's posing a safety hazard.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — A Louisville neighborhood is raising concerns about congested parking on their streets, and tying the issue back to a nearby high school. Several residents said they fear it's becoming a potential hazard and started when students no longer wanted to take the bus. 

Atherton High School has a large parking lot for students who drive to school. There may not be enough spaces as juniors at the school are having to park on the street in the surrounding neighborhoods. 

Homeowners in the Belknap and Upper Highlands neighborhoods said they noticed students parking on both sides of their narrow streets. They do not have many sidewalks and when there are too many parked cars it makes it impossible for two cars to both drive at the same time. 

Credit: WHAS11 News
Cars parked outside of homes near Atherton High School. | March 25, 2024

Jan Heeb, who lives in the Upper Highlands, said she doesn't mind the students parking in front of her house, but that it's become difficult backing her car out of her driveway. 

"I have a difficult time when I pull out of my driveway because people are always parked at the bottom," Heeb said. "I live on a slight hill, so when I come down the hill I have to be very careful, and sometimes I have to reposition my car."

Atherton High School junior London Thomas said parking in the neighborhood is her only option when arriving in the morning. 

"I have to park on the street because we always had a problem, like our student parking lot not having enough spaces," Thomas said. "So I knew I'd park on the street but it's never been a problem before so I didn't think I'd get in trouble for it."

Thomas said a friend of hers recently got a note on her car saying if they can't respect the homeowner's driveway they will call the police.

Credit: WHAS11 News
Note left on one of Thomas' friend's car after parking outside a resident's home. | March 25, 2024

"I've heard of maybe like a couple of people paying like the house or owners so they can park on the street," Thomas said. "Even though, I mean you can park on the street without having to get in trouble. So I'm just trying to go to school and then I get yelled at for parking on the street. I don't really have any other option."

The Upper Highlands Neighborhood Association recently called for a special meeting with the school to talk about possibly resolving this issue. Resident Honi Marleen Goldman said she's concerned with students blocking driveways. 

"We had one car that was parked on the corner here yesterday and nobody could get around so maybe we all need to get some yellow paint out and start painting where these cars can park," Goldman said. 

District 8 Councilman Ben Reno-Weber said he'll soon call a public meeting to address the situation. 

"I will always push for solutions that are driven by the people closest to the problem," Reno-Weber said. "I will always push for us to speak to one another in a civil way that presumes good intent rather than being nasty or threatening."

Reno-Weber mentioned that he and his office have already requested for the city to look into the cost of constructing sidewalks so residents can avoid walking in the street.

Until residents can find a concrete solution, JCPS is encouraging students to be a good parking neighbor. 

"Every JCPS school strives to be a good neighbor. Atherton is no exception. While JCPS and Atherton have no jurisdiction on public streets beyond school property lines, Atherton is making every effort to educate its students who drive to school on how to be good neighbors," the school district said in a statement. "Students are being reminded of local parking ordinances, to park on pavement and to stay off lawns. Atherton’s media students are putting together a video story about the parking situation to be shown to the entire school during morning newscasts."

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