The Town of Woodside Ordinance 2022-628, which prohibits large vehicles, specifically school buses, from traveling on Kings Mountain Road, from Entrance Way to the Town Limit needs to be repealed to allow accessibility and equity to Huddart Park for San Mateo County youth.

Huddart Park holds significant value as a cherished recreational space for our community members, providing opportunities for outdoor activities, educational experiences, and natural exploration. The quietly passed ordinance restricts the access limiting the ability of various groups, including school programs, youth organizations, and community events, to conveniently and safely transport participants to this invaluable resource. 

This ordinance was written and adopted to specifically target organizations that serve our communities' youth, in particular summer camps and school field trips. It is clear from the Town Council Minutes that the Town of Woodside made little-to-no effort to contact and engage other stakeholders who would be adversely impacted by the adoption of this ordinance, not even the San Mateo County Parks Department.

The ordinance is severely impacting accessibility and equity. By prohibiting standard full-size school buses from accessing Kings Mountain Road, the Town of Woodside has created barriers for individuals and groups who rely on organized transportation to access Huddart Park. Students from local schools, youth organizations, and community groups, especially those from marginalized communities, have faced and will face increased challenges in accessing the park due to limited transportation options. Over 250 youths have already been impacted in just 3 weeks of the ordinance being in effect.

The standard school bus would use the portion of King’s Mountain Road regularly and routinely throughout the year. In 2019 (and years prior) a bus used the road between Entrance Way and the Town Limit 360 times within the two weeks of the Peninsula Girl Scout Day Camp. It is estimated that a standard full-size school bus uses the road between Entrance Way and Town Limit 1,000 times a year, school buses can and have safety used the road for several decades. No incident reports involving a school bus causing damage to a car, bike or person were found for this portion of King’s Mountain Road.

In addition to accessibility and equity considerations, allowing school buses on Kings Mountain Road can significantly contribute to reducing traffic congestion and enhancing overall road safety. School buses are a proven and preferred mode of transportation for students due to their stringent safety standards and experienced drivers. By facilitating the use of school buses, we can potentially remove a substantial number of private vehicles from the road during peak traffic hours, thus alleviating congestion and enhancing the safety of all road users.

The Town of Woodside Ordinance 2022-628 is a direct attack on all youth organization and needs to be repealed immediately. 

Details can be read on our website peninsuladaycamp.org or in our announcement 1, announcement 2, announcement 3