Kate Sessions Elementary administrators want to make it safer for parents to drop children off to school and are considering installing a drop-off lane that would force them to relocate parking next to the baseball field. But some neighbors say the drop-off lane will increase traffic along Beryl Street and not make it any safer for students. Community members and administrators will meet for a “walk-through” of proposed plans in front of the school on Thursday, March 26, from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. Principal Susan DeVicariis said installing a drop-off zone that enters and exits the school along Beryl Street would make it safer for children crossing Noyes Street and other parts of the neighborhood as they walk to school. Parents often illegally park or drop off children in the surrounding neighborhood. DeVicariis said it’s dangerous for children crossing the street. Although no accidents have been reported near the school, DeVicariis said the topography reduces drivers’ visibility as they near the school. The school sits atop a small hill along the 2100 block of Beryl Street. The street has grown into a main thoroughfare for cars in recent years. Senior Traffic Engineer Gary Pence shares neighbors’ fears that the drop-off lane may increase traffic along Beryl Street. “There was concern about the amount of storage area for vehicles waiting to turn from [Beryl] street [into the school],” Pence said. To make room for the drop-off lane, the school plans to build an estimated 50-car parking lot and lighting in the rear of the school. The school is home to a baseball diamond used by Bishop’s School, 7607 La Jolla Blvd, in La Jolla. According to a 1996 agreement between the San Diego Unified School District and Bishop’s School, Bishop’s School students and parents can use the diamond and the faculty parking lots for evening games and practice. Bishop’s School parents now park in the faculty lot and at the Pacific Beach Community Church parking lot on Beryl Street. Debborah Hubbard, assistant to the athletic directors, said the school pays for the field’s maintenance. “We pay the water bill and we go mow the lawn…there’s a huge monthly bill,” she said. The original contract called for setting aside an initial $7,500 to pay for water and electricity to use the field. It is unclear how much Bishop’s School currently pays for maintenance. Neighbor Larry Recht said current plans for additional “school subsidized” parking hasn’t been well thought out. A parking lot in the rear of the school, complete with lighting, high school students and loud car alarms during baseball games, concerns some neighbors, he said. He added that a drop-off zone would increase the number of cars in the area, making it more prone to accidents. “I’m in favor of a smart drop-off/pick-up site for children but what’s [planned] now would be extremely dangerous,” he said. While safety of the children is the top priority for all, neighbors await a traffic study of the area to outline specific problems and potential solutions. School district officials said the study isn’t finished, according to Cynthia Reed-Porter, spokesperson for the school district’s Facilities Management Department. “We’re a little bit in a holding pattern,” she said. “At this point the exact improvements haven’t been determined as yet.” Neighbor Peter Rubens has been working with the community and school administrators since November to keep the neighbors informed. “The school district has indicated with the adjacent community members, and we’re taking them on their word, that they’re going to make it a win-win for everybody. We’re going to hold them to [it],” Rubens said. He said other designs for a drop-off zone should be considered by the school district. But while some neighbors may not like the current plans they may have few options. The project sits on a list of identified and approved capital improvements attached to Proposition S. San Diego voters approved the school district’s facilities improvement bond in November 2008. The list of projects slated for Kate Sessions Elementary includes restroom renovation, wireless network installation and other building repairs.