Cypress Village HOA

[latishaodell]

I realize that we have a posted speed limit sign and I'm grateful that we finally have that; however, Larrycrest and Patridge are thru streets til you hit the back of the subdivision and MANY of our residents drive over the posted speed limit.

We've asked about speed bumps, we've called the police-they sit outside the subdivision off Harkey but that does no good when the offenders are heading in to the subdivision or out really because the speeds happen closer toward the back part of Larrycrest and Patridge. There are many of us who have young children playing outside. I personally supervise my child while outside but I know that there will be a time, when a child forgets to look before going to get his/her ball or is riding their bike and forgets to look for a car.

Even as an adult, when I walk the subdivision, I walk facing the oncoming traffic and do my best to move over, stop and wait, etc... and yet they continue to fly through with no regard for their neighbors & their children.

We need to do something as a neighborhood, subdivision, etc...before someone is seriously injured or killed.

[Rob]

Latisha,

I agree with you. I wish we could have posted speed limits of 20 instead of 30, but those are the local regulations. I will see if PPD can put someone within the subdivisions for a time. I actually have a meeting with PPD later in the month with my daughters girl scout troop. Maybe a little face to face can get some action.
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Rob Nunez

[latishaodell]

Rob,

Thank you for your understanding. Why do we as a HOA not want speedbumps? I can understand CVI; however in CVII we have 2 thru streets. I really believe that having them placed on those 2 streets would curb the problem some.

Thanks again for your help.


Latisha

[Rob]

Latisha,

We can't put speed bumps as it hinders emergency vehicles. We have already explored this option and that is what we were told by the City of Pearland.
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Rob Nunez

[latishaodell]

Rob,

I have spoken to the Pearland Police Dept. and they said that speed bumps are an HOA decision not the city decision.

I think we need to come up with something-invite city officials and police to our next HOA meeting to discuss options, etc...

[ChadHammons]

To follow up on this, I've called the city of Pearland Engineering dept and the city of Pearland Public Works dept, who actually know the rules regarding roads in TX, and they said that speed bumps are only controlled by HOAs inside of a gated community, since those roads generally belong to the HOA. With us not being in a gated community, the roads are city roads, and the city is responsible for speed bumps, and as speed bumps would hinder emergency vehicles, we probably will not be getting any.

I also talked to them regarding speed limits, and they said more than just being set by the city, they're set by a state code. In order to change them, they'd have to do a traffic study and have some justification or qualification by the code to lower the limits. It seems unlikely, but they're going to look into it. They're also going to look into signs that say "slow: children at play," but those would not alter the actual speed limit.

Past that, there's not much we can do. It's beyond an HOA thing, and is really a city thing. I even asked if we had a petition from everyone who lived on that road, and they said even then, they could not lower it. It still has to go through the same process, and they have to have justification to lower it.

I will post here whatever the city tells me when they get back to me regarding a traffic study or the children at play signs.

[latishaodell]

Chad,

I'm not so much interested in lowering it as I am having the individuals who live in the back part of CV II actually drive the 30. We have clocked individuals driving down Larrycrest and Patridge driving anywhere between 40-50 before they hit the back part of those streets to turn onto Kale. That is totally unacceptable.

Many may not know my name but I'm sure they recognize me as the crazy witch who steps out into the road and hollers at those people speeding.


After one said incident of a lady doing at least 50, and I stepped out, she had to slam on her brakes to stop, and at that point, I called Pearland Police Dept. They sent an officer out and he told me he would ask for patrol but with short staff it probably wouldn't happen.

There is no reason, to go that fast down a community street. Kids outside playing or not, that is ridiculous.

[ChadHammons]

while I agree with you 100% that people drive too fast down larrycrest and patridge, it is 100% beyond the control of the HOA.

The HOA deals with deed restrictions, and what you're complaining about is a criminal moving violation on a city street. I highly recommend calling the city when you see people speeding. I'm sure you have it, but the non-emergency number to Pearland Police is 281-652-1100. They're very good about responding to calls.

I am curious what you're using to "clock" people, though? I usually drive 20 down larrycrest, and when I have seen someone that I know for a fact was only going 30 down larrycrest, it seems like they have just been flying down the road.

[latishaodell]

Chad,

We have a radar gun. I have called the police but unless they are sitting here clocking them, there's nothing they'll do.

[Standridges]

According to the Texas Municipal League, the city does have the authority to reduce the state established speed limit. But like you said they have to conduct a study to establish that the prima facie speed limit is unreasonable or unsafe for that road. Based on the inquiries already made to the city, I think it is unlikely that they will conduct a study on our behalf to prove this. If we want this done, our only course of action may be to continue to call, and write letters, and voice our ongoing desire in hopes that eventually the city will grant us this reduction.

Here is a good place to start as to what the city can do, and what steps they would have to take to reduce the state mandated speed limit.

http://tml.org/legal_pdf/SpeedLimits.pdf

I agree that increased enforcement is needed. I can't remember the last time I saw a patrol down my street nor an officer patroling the neighborhood. I think our most likely solution is going to be trying to get increased enforcement of our existing 30 MPH limit rather than getting that lowered.

I would like to see increased posting of that speed limit as well. I don't think it is posted at all on Mahogany Trail..and only in one place (near the turn in to the subdivision) on Patridge.
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James and Torre Standridge
3706 Mahogany Trail

[Standridges]

The city can lower the speed limit without a study according to TML.

"The only instance in which a city may lower a speed limit without a traffic study, to as low as 25 miles per hour, is if the road is in an urban district, is less than four lanes, and is not a state highway."

I could not find a clear definition from TXDoT of what constitutes an "urban district", but there are only two classifications, urban and rural districts. I would assume we qualify as being within an urban district. The question remains whether or not the city is willing. They apparently can lower it to 25...but will they?
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James and Torre Standridge
3706 Mahogany Trail

[Standridges]

This is Torre, and I wanted to comment on the whole speeding thing. I don't know if it can be addressed or not but there were a couple of instances where us and the neighbors on Mahogany Trl were socializing late in the evening on the weekends and we heard some tires screeching close by and here this car comes speeding around the corner from Patridge. Well the guy, after speeding down patridge and mahogany trl, stops at the end of mahogany trl at the corner of hillock and opened the hood of the car, did something under the hood and then took off again. We were going to confront the guy but he took off before the men could get to him and we still heard tires screeching on his way out of the neighborhood. PPD was called for this incident but never came out to investigate. A neighbor of ours has stated that it is that automotive shop right outside CVII that looks like a house and they use our neighborhood to test drive mustangs and or cars. If we could keep our eyes and ears open and have witnesses, (especially those who live at the entrance of CVII at patridge) seeing them actually doing this, then maybe we could call PPD and pay that shop visit and that could possibly cut down on speeding problems. There are several witnesses on Mahogany trl who have seen them speeding/screeching their tires but can't prove they are coming from that automotive shop. [/i]
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James and Torre Standridge
3706 Mahogany Trail

[latishaodell]

While I know of many instances of people speeding around those corners, often those I see are residents. Either way, we need to do something. I highly doubt that a reduced speed limit will help; although I agree it should be lower than 30 mph.

[Robinson]

Unfortunately, the speeders were running rampant in CV I over the weekend on Saturday and Sunday. Apparently someone called the police Saturday. There was one house on Dorsey Ln where they were visiting. I don't believe they are residents, but rather friends of someone who lives there. The cars were identified as a red Corvette, a silver Dodge Magnum, and a black Dodge Magnum with a flame design on the front. They were traveling over 50mph coming around the curve near the park at dusk while children were still in the area.

According to the officer, if you see anyone driving reckless, note the car and get the license plate number. Call the police and give them the information. The police will pay a visit to the owner of the vehicle to give them an initial warning to not drive through the community in a reckless manner. If they receive subsequent calls in the future, they may decide to arrest the person if a witness completes a sworn affidavit.

The more important issue as you all have touched on is that it is senseless to drive through a residential area at high speeds. Fast driving, coupled with cars parked on the street overnight (in violation of the Deed) will eventually lead to an accident no one wants to see.

For all who read these comments and who have driven through the community in this manner, please use common sense. To the owner of the home on Dorsey, if you read this, please have the individuals respect our community.

Thank you