County wants closer look at elementary school’s parking

Adrienne Packer

Thursday, Oct. 8, 1998 | 11:16 a.m.

Neighbors tired of cars blocking driveways and clogging their street while parents wait for their schoolchildren prompted the county to delay Ruby Thomas Elementary School's plan to build a new library.

The Cherokee Lane school's enrollment has doubled to 1,200 in two decades. Its parking lot fills quickly, leaving teachers only neighborhood streets for parking. When parents arrive to pick up their children, they double-park.

The commission asked Rob Steppke, supervisor of real property for the Clark County School District, and county Public Works officials to meet and find a solution.

"We need to take a more serious look to see if there is some way to accommodate everyone," Commissioner Myrna Williams said.

Ruby Thomas is fairly unique in that it sits in an old, developed neighborhood near Maryland Parkway and Desert Inn Road. The school is more than 35 years old and has outgrown its property.

Steppke said the "footprint" for new elementary schools was recently increased from 10 acres to 12 acres. Ruby Thomas sits on 7.9 acres and Steppke said it will be difficult to find additional space for parking.

"We don't like this situation," Steppke told commissioners. "We have traffic problems; we are aware of that. We know we've made mistakes, but we can't go back and change the things we did."

Steppke said it is difficult to find ideal locations for schools. He said most available property is along busy streets or in neighborhoods. The district needs to find land in residential areas, but not on thoroughfares.

"When Ruby Thomas was built, it was fine," Williams said. "We're not facing reality; all schools are going to be crowded. We can't take little interior neighborhood streets and put schools on them. It makes no sense to me."

The school district and neighbors were asked to return to the commission during its Nov. 4 meeting.