A public hearing – and an initial reading on proposed legislation – regarding whether the city should allow installation of gates for certain private residential streets is scheduled for Sept. 8.
The Wildwood City Council, during a work session on Aug. 25, approved holding the public hearing and having a first-round vote on draft legislation by a vote of 12 to 3, with Glen De Hart (Ward 1), Marc Cox (Ward 4) and Randy Ladd (Ward 2) opposed and Katie Dodwell (Ward 4) absent.
The Planning/Economic Development/Parks (PEP) subcommittee had voted unanimously in August to forward draft legislation to the council. The subcommittee, over the past three months, has been considering possible changes to the city’s current prohibition – in all but a few limited circumstances – of gated communities. Their involvement came after a resident of the Lafayette Crossing subdivision told councilmembers about her problems with unrestricted access to her property off Hwy. 109.
In June, a subcommittee public hearing was held on the issue of potential benefits and concerns about gated subdivisions. But Councilmember Debra Smith McCutchen (Ward 5) protested that not enough people knew about that hearing, resulting in the need for the additional hearing.
Director of Planing and Parks Joe Vujnich countered by saying that information on the issue had been placed on the city’s website, Facebook page and Twitter feed as well as in the city newsletters..
“I think it’s prudent to let all residents have an opportunity to express their desire to have or not have gates,” McCutchen said. “I don’t think it was appropriate to invite only those people who have asked for gates and ignore the rest of our residents.”
A previous mailing had gone only to affected property owners.
Councilmember Greg Stine (Ward 7) agreed with McCutchen.“We have a responsibility to adhere to our master plan, and I don’t see private gates as necessarily matching that. These gates could change the nature of this community,” he said.
He and McCutchen asked for the Sept. 8 public hearing on the proposed legislation.
Features of the proposed legislation include that gates: would be considered only for those living on private streets; would have to be reviewed and approved by emergency service providers as well as the city’s Architectural Review Board; must be able to be opened in the event of a power failure; would have to be located at least 60 feet back from any adjacent, intersecting road; and must provide access to postal carriers, Rockwood School District buses, trash haulers, city workers and emergency providers. A minimum of 75 percent of lot owners with access through a gate also would have to approve of each installation through their signatures on a petition.
Cox called the ability to have gates “a personal property rights issue.”
“We’re not forcing gates down anyone’s throat,” he said.
But McCutchen countered that “this is Wildwood – not Gatewood.”
And Councilmember Dave Bertolino (Ward 5) said he feared that residents of some streets that are publicly maintained now could ask to change their street over to private maintenance so they’d be allowed to have a gate.“Residents could ask for that, as long as they realize they’ll have to accept all future costs and liability for their street,” Vujnich said.
In addition to setting a meeting time, the council approved allowing funding for a citywide notification mailing of the hearing.
During the regular council meeting on Aug. 25, two residents spoke in favor of allowing gates.
Jeff Tottleben, of Wardenburg Farm Drive, said gates should be an option for residents who are facing safety, crime and unwanted traffic issues.
“Above all, it’s a private property rights issue,” he said. “I don’t feel Wildwood will become a community of gated streets.”
Lisa Waterbury Allen, of Kennedy Crossing Court, said a gate on her street would help ensure the safety of her children.
“Since we’ve moved in, there’s been constant traffic, and some people have even approached my 5-year-old son on our backyard swing,” she said. “We’ve had people park nearby and walk in our back yard to take a look around.
“People from Lafayette High School park here when the school has football games. A line needs to be drawn. I don’t want strangers to be able to randomly come on to my property.”
