High School Parking Lot: Frequently Asked Questions

The Board of Education scheduled an open meeting of the joint Facilities and Finance Committee for Monday, May 23 at 6:30 p.m.

The meeting will include a public hearing on the proposed expansion of the parking lot at Chatham High School. Here are some facts about the proposed parking lot.

Where would the parking lot be?

The proposed parking lot would be located south of the high school cafeteria building and adjacent to the athletic fields east of the school, upon what is currently unpaved land.

How much will it cost?

According to the 2011-2012 school budget, there is $400,000 allotted to the project from the capital reserve fund. However, this money is also tied to the construction of four additional classrooms at the high school, another capital project.

If bids for the classroom construction come in over the $1,618,255 allotted to the classroom construction, the difference in price will be taken out of the $400,000 earmarked for the parking lot.

Any change to the funds available for the lot's construction could have a direct impact on the size of the lot, or whether one is built at all. More on that below.

This money will be taken out of the capital reserve fund, which will be replenished by tax dollars.

That seems like a lot for a parking lot...

According to Steve Barna, who recently ended his term as the president of the Board of Education, the parking lot would require extensive civil engineering to be properly constructed.

The area slated for the parking lot gets damp and collects water easily, and a parking lot would need to have enough drainage to keep stormwater from spilling over onto private properties near the high school. This is why any difference in the funds available for the lot's construction could directly affect how many spaces are built or whether a lot is built at all.

I've heard the parking lot could cost more than $400,000.

According to Board President Tom Belding, it is possible to have varying opinions on the cost of a project like this because of the civil engineering required. However, he said that the board used "certified professionals" to come up with the estimate that was included in the budget. He said he is confident that any expansion to the parking lot can be kept inside the $400,000.

How many spaces will the parking lot expansion add?

Board members have said that the lot would add approximately 50 spaces to the parking lot. The current lot has 253 spaces, 96 of which would be available for student parking in the 2011-2012 school year.

The district predicts 303 seniors in the 2011-2012 academic year, and more growth in the student population in the years following. Chatham High School's policy is to assign two students to share a parking space. A minimum of 55 spaces are needed to fill this quota just for the upcoming academic year.

Are there other options?

The district does have an agreement with Chatham Township to allow students to park at Colony Pool, which is located approximately half a mile from Chatham High School. While members of Colony Pool and Tennis, as well as members of the Chatham Township Volunteer Fire Department, can park in the field and under the power lines near the tennis courts, students from Chatham High are only allowed to park in the designated parking lot at Colony Pool.

The lot is unpaved and unmarked. Chatham Patch asked Brian McNally, the director of Chatham Recreation, Greg LaConte, the Chatham Township Clerk, and Jim O'Neill, the superintendent of Chatham schools, how many cars could fit in the lot. None of them could give a definitive answer.

Under state law S2314, commonly known as Kyleigh's Law, drivers under the age of 21 are forbidden from driving with more than one passenger, plus dependants. According to a statement from New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission, siblings are not considered dependants. This means that, for example, triplets in their senior year would need two cars to drive to school.

The restrictions for drivers with permits or probationary licenses put the onus for carpooling on parents instead of teenagers.

One suggested alternative is that students use on-street parking on nearby roads. Chatham Township has several ordinances passed that limit onstreet parking to two hours on school days on several roads near the school, including Maple Street, Yarmouth Road, Plymouth Road, Falmouth Road and Lenape Trail. At least one of these ordinances, the one regarding Maple Street, was passed to prohibit students from using the street as a parking lot.

Biking and walking to the school are other options. Several of the roads near Chatham High School, including Floral Street which is along the walking route from the Colony Pool parking lot, do not have sidewalks.

Is the parking lot definitely going to be built?

No, says Belding. By putting the lot in the budget, the district has the option to build it but is no obligation to do so.