Several members of the Fremont City Council and staff held a joint meeting with several Fremont Unified School District board members to discuss how to implement Assembly Bill 413, also known as the “Daylighting Law.”
The law would prohibit people from parking, stopping or leaving their cars in certain areas. Areas include in front of driveways, near sidewalks or crosswalks, and the area between a safety zone and a right-hand curb that can be marked with red paint. The state law took effect on Jan 1, 2025.
During the public comment, Linda, a Fremont resident, said she and other peers have already started devising a plan to implement the state law in schools. She said she has mobilized community members to possibly help paint the curbs red once they get permission from the city. Another ask was for money to help pay for the supplies. She also talked about a possible volunteer program for high school students who need volunteer hours.
School board member and board clerk Sharon Coco, Councilmember Kathy Kimberlin, and board member Vivek Prasad continued the discussion with questions about how they can create a consistent program for all schools to follow.
Councilmember Raymond Liu said, “Once we paint all the curbs and stuff, what’s exactly stopping people from still violating parking illegally?” He suggested police be present during drop-off and pick-up times in schools.
“It’s not necessarily ticketing, which hopefully might come down the road, but the main thing is the red curbs may deter and it may create that safety,” said Kimberlin.
City manager Karena Shackelford said she plans to have conversations with the public works department about painting the curbs and with the police chief about public enforcement.
Both entities have recommended staff to look into AB 413 enforcement and implementation. The topic would then be brought up during a future city council and school board meeting.
