Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) in Montgomery Village have seen an increasing problem with vehicles illegally parked on school properties overnight, according to the Montgomery Village Foundation (MVF).
Per the MVF’s report, the ongoing issue has created hazards and limited parking options for staff, visitors, and participants in evening school events. To address these concerns, MCPS will enforce stricter parking restrictions. Going forward, only MCPS staff and designated visitors will be permitted to park on school premises, and overnight parking is entirely prohibited. Vehicles parked in violation of these new rules will be subject to towing at the owner’s expense.
The article states that MCPS officials explained that each offending vehicle will be stickered and recorded, with the owner’s given a 24-hour grace period to remove the vehicle. In cases of repeat offenses, the vehicle will be towed immediately without any further warnings.
MCPS hopes that residents will respect these measures and refrain from parking on school properties outside of authorized times, thereby avoiding further conflicts and ensuring safe, accessible parking for all.
Specific schools were not mentioned by the MVF, but communication sent to the Whetstone Elementary School community by Dr. Loretta Woods (principal) states the following:
“Dear Whetstone Families, Please help me communicate to our community that MCPS is taking a hard stance on parking on our property. If you have contact information to the HOA please let them know. The community has been allowed to park there for many, many years and now they have to find another avenue. There is no parking after school hours or weekends anymore.”