City revisits parking rules on Fairview

Two months after the city added parking restrictions near La Cañada Elementary School, on Monday Joseph Mitchell convinced the City Council to revisit the issue.

Mitchell, a Fairview Drive resident, is seeking stronger restrictions and told the council that the intersection of Fairview and Angeles Crest Highway is too dangerous to ignore.

“I must say that you and the Planning Commission all have made mistakes already regarding this matter,” Mitchell said. “This is a matter of public safety, of many cars coming in at all hours … there should be no parking day or night in that area.”

Mitchell first approached the city with his concerns in April.

In May, the Public Works Commission determined that parking should be prohibited for a 100-foot stretch of the south side of Fairview, from the corner with Angeles Crest toward the elementary school campus.

In July, the council scaled back that recommendation, and instead prohibited parking in the area only during mornings and afternoons on school days. Mayor Steve del Guercio and Councilman Donald Voss were not in attendance at the July meeting.

On Monday, the council decided to delay final approval of that decision until it holds another hearing on Oct. 15.

“You’ve got one more chance, Mr. Mitchell,” Councilwoman Laura Olhasso said Monday.

Francis Segismundo, who cannot park in front of his home during restricted times, said he thought he had made his case that no restrictions were required before the council made its July decision.

“In the last 20 years, there has not been a single accident there, and what we’re trying to do is take a look at the safety of pedestrians and the kids,” Segismundo said. “Having a no-parking [zone] there will just transfer the bottleneck to the next neighbor.”

From La Cañada Boulevard to Angeles Crest Highway, Fairview is barely wide enough to accommodate two-way traffic and street parking, provided none of the cars in question is an SUV. On Thursday, the few cars parked on the south side of Fairview presented slalom-like obstacles for parents to zoom around as they drove their children away from the campus.

City Traffic Engineer Erik Zandvliet said he will conduct another investigation on the intersection for the council, but said staff already had studied Fairview.

“When we looked … the first time, we had no accidents related to cars parked on the street,” he said.

At around 7 p.m. Monday, a driver trying to turn left off Angeles Crest onto Fairview crashed into a car coming the other way on the highway, but the accident did not appear to be related to congestion on Fairview, according to Sgt. Gary Ogurek of the Crescenta Valley Sheriff’s station.

Zandvliet said because Fairview is narrow and has frequent two-way traffic, additional parking restrictions at the intersection with Angeles Crest Highway would enhance safety.

“From my standpoint an afternoon restriction would be appropriate, but of course removing parking altogether is an even better condition,” he said.

Segismundo said he is happy to abide by the council’s July decision, but he doesn’t see the need for more.

“To have it seven days, 24 hours, it isn’t needed, because [traffic only picks up] when there is school,” he said. “And school is not 24 hours, seven days a week.”