BARRIER WILL RISE AT REAR ENTRANCE TO ADULT SCHOOL.

Byline: Teresa Jimenez Daily News Staff Writer

The City Council put smiles on the faces of Waverly Heights Drive residents, who piled into Tuesday night's council meeting hoping for an end to the steady flow of traffic past their homes to and from the Conejo Valley Adult School.

The council approved a street barrier to be installed immediately at the end of Waverly Heights Drive, closing off the back driveway of the school, which faces Montgomery Road.

``The neighborhood, in general, is very pleased,'' said Trudi Babich, among those who attended the meeting. ``We feel sorry for our neighbors on Montgomery because they're going to get the brunt of it, but hopefully it will pressure the school into lessening its traffic load.''

Neighbors have been complaining about traffic since the school was converted from one for elementary students into an adult school whose offerings include night classes.

Speed bumps have been placed on Montgomery Road, and the council approved putting such bumps on a nearby street, Colgate Drive. But Babich said residents of the equestrian neighborhood on Waverly Heights Drive did not want speed bumps because horses are jostled when their trailers go over the bumps.

The council also considered building a new road through Waverly Park to give students direct access to Janss Road or Avenida de las Flores, two major thoroughfares. But that solution would have been expensive and incompatible with the park, administrators said.

The barrier, which will stay up on a six-month trial basis, appeared to be the most practical solution, said Councilwoman Linda Parks. The proposal was made by Councilman Andy Fox.

``The intent is to force the school district to consider relocating,'' Parks said. She said she shares neighborhood residents' opinion that the site is better suited for an elementary school.

``In my view, we should let the neighborhood dictate what they think would be best,'' Parks said.