Oswego resident asks village officials to exempt Steeplechase subdivision from new parking restrictions

Oswego homeowner Gerald Sternberg voiced concerns to village officials about the new parking restrictions in neighborhoods near Oswego East High School during a Sept. 9 committee-of-the-whole meeting.

The Village Board approved the restrictions during a meeting Tuesday evening, Aug. 23.

The ordinance was put in place to deter Oswego East High School students from parking on the streets of neighboring subdivisions, especially Prescott Mill, located across Harvey Road from the school.

The parking issue has caused ongoing turmoil between the Oswego School District 308 Board, Village Board and residents.

Under the restrictions, on-street parking on school days is limited to village residents only in five designated zones located within one mile of the high school. (See map)

For village residents who do not reside in one of the zones, a permit is now required to legally park in the five zones between 7 a.m. and noon on school days. The annual cost for a permit is $400.

Sternberg is a resident of Steeplechase subdivision, designated as Zone 5 in the ordinance. He came before the board asking that his neighborhood be exempt from the restrictions for the benefit of the residents.

“What I’m asking for is an exception for Steeplechase,” Sternberg said. “Because it’s going to cause more problems than it’ll ever solve.”

Sternberg said it was highly unlikely that students would park as far as Steeplechase subdivision, as there is no easy way to walk to the school, and no buses come through the area.

Steeplechase is a 55 and older community. Sternberg said there are frequently nurses and care providers coming to homes in the neighborhood.

“These are old people,” Sternberg said. “They’re in their 80s and 90s, a lot of them.”

Sternberg was concerned that under the ordinance, if residents wanted to have family or friends over, they would have to move their cars to the street to allow guests to park in the driveway.

He said in the winter, they would have to walk through snow and slush just to abide by the ordinance, on the off-chance a student would park there and walk to OEHS.

“In all truth,” Sternberg said. “If he’s going to walk that, I guess he needs the parking space more than I do.”

Village President Troy Parlier said the village does not plan on making changes to the ordinance.

Parlier said he and Police Chief Jeff Burgner have spoken with Sternberg since his appearance before the Village Board, and they will continue to monitor the situation but are currently sticking to the plan.

“The whole purpose of that ordinance is to make sure we correct the problem,” Parlier said. “Chief was thoughtful when he did this, he used his past experience in other neighborhoods to predict what potentially could happen.”