Resident urges extra no-parking buffer on Gascoyne Drive; committee approves signs as diagrammed

Resident Emily Schultz told the Buildings & Grounds Committee on July 6 that a diagrammed no-parking installation at the Pewaukee Road/Gascoyne Drive intersection would move problematic parking directly in front of her house and create safety problems for her two-year-old autistic son.

"I have a 2 year old son that's autistic... I'd like to propose just an extension of the no parking area just a little bit beyond my house," Emily Schultz said, identifying herself as a Gascoyne Drive resident in District 2. She said trucks and trailers park at all hours and that snowplows, school buses and ambulances sometimes have difficulty passing when cars are parked closely to the corner.

Engineering recommended no-parking zones roughly 50 feet from the intersection on both sides of Gascoyne Drive to improve sight lines and turning movements; the diagram shows proposed locations and combinations of existing and new poles. Staff said their recommendation balances visibility and existing pole reuse, and noted parking enforcement has issued tickets but the problem persists.

Committee members asked whether the proposal had reached neighbors; staff said some residents were contacted while others had not been reached. The committee discussed enforcement and whether removing parking would simply shift it to adjacent properties. After discussion the committee moved, seconded and approved the engineering plan as diagrammed. Staff will install the signs and coordinate with the Parking Enforcement unit of the Police Department for follow-up.

The resident who raised the issue will be notified of the committee action and staff said they would aim to return installation and enforcement details to the committee once complete.