Parents Tell City Council Redistricting Would Affect Entire Belmont Community

Nearly half a dozen parents spoke during the public comment portion of Tuesday night's city council meeting to express their concerns about the of the .

Traffic is the primary issue for the parents. Those who spoke strongly suggested that increasing the number of cars on Ralston Avenue and El Camino Real would affect the entire community.

The school district, faced with capacity problems, has proposed a number of redistricting solutions, including moving more than 100 students from Central Elementary to Nesbit Elementary.

"When they do move these children across El Camino and Ralston, we're going to need crossing guards," Belmont resident Bob Carrillo said. "We will have to change the timing on the lights, which would involve Caltrans," he added.

The entire city council has reportedly received a number of e-mails from concerned parents. Council Member Christine Wozniak - whose own kids attended Central - echoed the parents' concerns about traffic, and vowed to express her opinion to the school board and superintendent.

"The problems I see affect the community," Wozniak said. "I agree with the speakers who said traffic is a problem, and this will just exacerbate the traffic problem."

The only places to cross El Camino Real from west to east is at Ralston Avenue or Harbor Boulevard, she said.

"The trip is going to be especially hard," Wozniak said.

In terms of considering other possibilities, "There’s a lot of really good ideas out there and I hope that the school board listens to the ideas. I’ll make my opinion heard to the school board and to the superintendent."

Belmont resident Ben Schloss added that traffic isn't the only concern for parents regarding the possible redistricting.

"We have neighborhoods pitted against each other where they had never been before," Schloss said. "It seems as though this is more of a problem than solution."

Parents have packed each community meeting held to discuss the possible boundary changes.

The next school board meeting will be Thursday, April 14 at 7 p.m. at Nesbit Elementary School's multi-use room. The agenda includes both the boundary committee and alternatives committee.