10.B) Amendment to the Frederick County Code, Chapter 158 Vehicles and Traffic, Article IV Law Enforcement of Private Roads and Streets, by the Addition of Section 158-18.1, Lake Frederick Subdivision.
The Purpose of this Proposed Amendment is to Designate the Roads and Streets within the Lake Frederick (Shenandoah) Subdivision as Highways for Law Enforcement Purposes.
This proposal should be considered an HOA matter, not a county or police matter. Our Law Enforcement personnel have far more important matters to address than watching speeders in a private gated community on one street that is a 25 mph zone. How about we as an HOA decide what is best for us, given we all pay a good sum of money each month for the services we have and we are also provided the power to decide what is best for our community. This is a gated private community, emphasis on private. We need our law enforcement personnel, and I suspect they would prefer as well, to be on the main public roads managing bigger traffic matters and more importantly enforcing the law against those who are committing felony’s, we need our police to protect our children at schools, dealing with domestic dispute issues, serving warrants, etc. How this matter has got to this point is beyond many of us and is a total waste of the Board of Supervisors time. We as a community can enforce the 25 mph speed limit by having speed bumps installed, digital speed limit trackers as seen in Berryville and other places, more speed limit signs and ‘Go Slow’ children type signs, as examples. Please let the HOA take care of this matter. Thank you!
I live on the east side of the community in a Ryan home. Yes there is a speeding problem on Rachel Carson. This poses a danger to walkers on the walking path as well as those whose backyards are along that road. The developer did not put a wide enough buffer or berm between the road and pedestrian traffic.
Also the developer did not put in wide enough streets so we are now told we cannot park on our street in front of our homes and should use RCarson as overflow. This is also a dangerous situation with speeding cars along that road.
I don’t think there has been enough discussion yet, however, to come up with a solution that fits this development.
People are afraid that speed enforcement will not be just on Rachel Carson but will also include parking tickets, not being allowed to drive golf carts etc.
(I see an accident waiting to happen with a golf cart vs speeder coming over a hill, so I do think we need a solution to the speeding). Those who say it’s not a problem or it is just the construction trucks must not see what we see. Self policing isn’t working - and I’m not sure what that even means.
I would like more studies of the problem/resolutions and see if we could incorporate alternative solutions such as speed bumps.
District 29. I am a resident of Lake Frederick. I would urge the board of supervisors to reject this proposal for the following reasons:
1. The residents of the Shenandoah HOA have not been well informed of the intent or consequences of this proposal. It was raised by one individual and does not speak for the majority.
2. This is a quiet, private residential community where we “bought into” the private gated community atmosphere. I am not interested in changing that.
3. The speeding problem that has been referenced was limited to one street, and largely due to construction traffic that will be short-lived.
4. The Sherif’s office must have more important things to do with our tax dollars.
The proposed action is unnecessary. I live two houses off of Rachel Carson Drive and walk my dog frequently. The majority of the community and the drivers are "self policing" and do obey the speed limit. Rachel Carson Drive is also hilly and I have observed cars on the downgrades do pick up speed then slow down when leveling out. Thus, speeding (Speed Limit +10) while it does occur IS THE EXCEPTION and not the rule. Lake Frederick - Shenandoah is a quiet private community and we'd like to keep it like that. Frederick County Police have much better things to do than set up speed traps in what is for the most part, a retirement community. Allocate police patrols and tax dollars on other priorities of greater importance. Thank You!
This resolution was put forward without the prior Knowledge of the residents of this community, I reside in this community and believe the Home Owners Association did not act in my best interests. I oppose this resolution.
District 29 - I believe this amendment would be a bad idea. Traffic on the neighborhood streets in Lake Frederick is very light and respectfully slow. I believe that the number of violations would be so few as to waste the time and effort of LEOs who would have to monitor the neighborhood. Furthermore, as pointed out by Mr. Wilkening in another comment, unlicensed vehicles are indeed used regularly in the community, and that would have to be taken into account. The community is gated, and there is not an avenue for through traffic.
Someone in the community has stirred up a tempest in a teapot and has taken things too far. I urge you to reject the proposal.
I am in Managerial District 29, Opequon.
It should be noted that the Shenandoah Home Owners Association has been informing and allowing the use of unlicensed vehicles, specifically golf carts, within the community. I refer to the "DECLARATION OF COVENANTS, CONDITIONS:
RESTRICTIONS AND RESERVATION OF EASEMENTS. SHENANDOAH HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION, INC." section 6.8 as follows:
"Golf carts are a permitted form of transportation within the Common Area. Golf carts may only be powered by electric engines and with the exception of any paved walking/biking trails on the Property, are only authorized to drive on paved surfaces. When driven on the roadway a golf cart is considered a vehicle and is required to obey all traffic regulations including stop signs. Anyone operating a golf cart must have a valid driver‘s license. All carts operated on the property must be registered with the Association and are required to be insured."
After reading the Virginia Vehicle Code, it is apparent that unlicensed vehicles (and pedestrians) are not permitted on Virginia regulated highways, roadways and streets. Furthermore, there have been no incidents of injury. This is nothing more that a knee-jerk reaction to a few cranky old people (of which we have plenty in a 55+ community).
Please reject this proposal until a real traffic study can be completed by the State of Virginia to assess any real safety issues.
P.S. There is no way for people who need to use the golf carts to get around without using the roadways. Plus, regulating this area is a waste of the Sheriff's Office resources.
Opequon Magisterial District
This proposal should be considered an HOA matter, not a county or police matter. Our Law Enforcement personnel have far more important matters to address than watching speeders in a private gated community on one street that is a 25 mph zone. How about we as an HOA decide what is best for us, given we all pay a good sum of money each month for the services we have and we are also provided the power to decide what is best for our community. This is a gated private community, emphasis on private. We need our law enforcement personnel, and I suspect they would prefer as well, to be on the main public roads managing bigger traffic matters and more importantly enforcing the law against those who are committing felony’s, we need our police to protect our children at schools, dealing with domestic dispute issues, serving warrants, etc. How this matter has got to this point is beyond many of us and is a total waste of the Board of Supervisors time. We as a community can enforce the 25 mph speed limit by having speed bumps installed, digital speed limit trackers as seen in Berryville and other places, more speed limit signs and ‘Go Slow’ children type signs, as examples. Please let the HOA take care of this matter. Thank you!
I live on the east side of the community in a Ryan home. Yes there is a speeding problem on Rachel Carson. This poses a danger to walkers on the walking path as well as those whose backyards are along that road. The developer did not put a wide enough buffer or berm between the road and pedestrian traffic.
Also the developer did not put in wide enough streets so we are now told we cannot park on our street in front of our homes and should use RCarson as overflow. This is also a dangerous situation with speeding cars along that road.
I don’t think there has been enough discussion yet, however, to come up with a solution that fits this development.
People are afraid that speed enforcement will not be just on Rachel Carson but will also include parking tickets, not being allowed to drive golf carts etc.
(I see an accident waiting to happen with a golf cart vs speeder coming over a hill, so I do think we need a solution to the speeding). Those who say it’s not a problem or it is just the construction trucks must not see what we see. Self policing isn’t working - and I’m not sure what that even means.
I would like more studies of the problem/resolutions and see if we could incorporate alternative solutions such as speed bumps.
District 29. I am a resident of Lake Frederick. I would urge the board of supervisors to reject this proposal for the following reasons:
1. The residents of the Shenandoah HOA have not been well informed of the intent or consequences of this proposal. It was raised by one individual and does not speak for the majority.
2. This is a quiet, private residential community where we “bought into” the private gated community atmosphere. I am not interested in changing that.
3. The speeding problem that has been referenced was limited to one street, and largely due to construction traffic that will be short-lived.
4. The Sherif’s office must have more important things to do with our tax dollars.
The proposed action is unnecessary. I live two houses off of Rachel Carson Drive and walk my dog frequently. The majority of the community and the drivers are "self policing" and do obey the speed limit. Rachel Carson Drive is also hilly and I have observed cars on the downgrades do pick up speed then slow down when leveling out. Thus, speeding (Speed Limit +10) while it does occur IS THE EXCEPTION and not the rule. Lake Frederick - Shenandoah is a quiet private community and we'd like to keep it like that. Frederick County Police have much better things to do than set up speed traps in what is for the most part, a retirement community. Allocate police patrols and tax dollars on other priorities of greater importance. Thank You!
This resolution was put forward without the prior Knowledge of the residents of this community, I reside in this community and believe the Home Owners Association did not act in my best interests. I oppose this resolution.
District 29 - I believe this amendment would be a bad idea. Traffic on the neighborhood streets in Lake Frederick is very light and respectfully slow. I believe that the number of violations would be so few as to waste the time and effort of LEOs who would have to monitor the neighborhood. Furthermore, as pointed out by Mr. Wilkening in another comment, unlicensed vehicles are indeed used regularly in the community, and that would have to be taken into account. The community is gated, and there is not an avenue for through traffic.
Someone in the community has stirred up a tempest in a teapot and has taken things too far. I urge you to reject the proposal.
I am in Managerial District 29, Opequon.
It should be noted that the Shenandoah Home Owners Association has been informing and allowing the use of unlicensed vehicles, specifically golf carts, within the community. I refer to the "DECLARATION OF COVENANTS, CONDITIONS:
RESTRICTIONS AND RESERVATION OF EASEMENTS. SHENANDOAH HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION, INC." section 6.8 as follows:
"Golf carts are a permitted form of transportation within the Common Area. Golf carts may only be powered by electric engines and with the exception of any paved walking/biking trails on the Property, are only authorized to drive on paved surfaces. When driven on the roadway a golf cart is considered a vehicle and is required to obey all traffic regulations including stop signs. Anyone operating a golf cart must have a valid driver‘s license. All carts operated on the property must be registered with the Association and are required to be insured."
After reading the Virginia Vehicle Code, it is apparent that unlicensed vehicles (and pedestrians) are not permitted on Virginia regulated highways, roadways and streets. Furthermore, there have been no incidents of injury. This is nothing more that a knee-jerk reaction to a few cranky old people (of which we have plenty in a 55+ community).
Please reject this proposal until a real traffic study can be completed by the State of Virginia to assess any real safety issues.
P.S. There is no way for people who need to use the golf carts to get around without using the roadways. Plus, regulating this area is a waste of the Sheriff's Office resources.