Fifth traffic accident in Coto de Caza in as many months within ½ mile of Golfer Crossing Signs

Posted By CotoBlogzz

Coto de Caza, California - Another month, another damaged fence.  That makes it the third one in as many months, right at what CZ Master Association board member Mr. Phil Mitchell claims are CalTrans and NTSB compliant “golfer crossing” signs placed right in the middle of the most dangerous curve in the community.

Third Accident in three months right at "NTSB-compliant" Golfer Crossing Sign!

 But as the board and Mr. Mitchell say, "traffic safety is a two way street.  The association makes sure that the roads are repaired and in good order.  The signage is CalTrans and NTSB compliant.  

What Mr. Mitchell and the board do not say is that its side of the road is dirtier that a typical street in the Bronx:

This Bronx street may be cleaner than the CZ Master's "side of the street"

First, a cause-and-effect has been firmly established over the last ten years:  The proactive traffic patrol falls below 520 hours per quarter and the accident rate goes up.  The association continues to fail in this regard.

To add insult to injury, the property manager "forgot" to re-certify the main streets as "traffic worthy" so that the CHP could legally patrol the streets:  While Hillsboro district delegate Robert Bellamy in 2007 exhorted Coto parents to get involved, he  writes “I believe that it is time for the residents of Coto de Caza to unite and very aggressively do what we as individuals can do to help secure proactive traffic enforcement from both the CHP and the OC Sheriff. Well placed telephone calls to CHP officials, Supervisor Wilson and Sheriff Carona will go a long way if we present a united front and maximize the political clout that residents here possess" - Instead, the  CZ master association let road certification expire, meaning that the CHP was not able to operate.

Mr. Mitchell also says"  Unfortunately we are not a city and State law precludes us from contracting with the with the OC Sheriff" - however, the Orange County Register reported Senate Bill  298 was signed by Gov. Jerry Brown in 2013 allows  homeowners associations to contract with other cities or the county to patrol privately owned streets.  Is the Orange County not telling the truth, or is the board stretching the truth again?

Leadership is also directly related to public safety:  When local governance creates a culture of respect for law and order, and promotes pro-safety regulations and ordinances, the community is much safer. As we have written so many times, we subscribe to 

CHP Captain Elzig’s pro-active traffic control formula: 

Effective pro-active traffic controls must include: 

1. Awareness campaign – In the past, Lt Deck and Captain Elzig have communicated with the CZ board and volunteered to launch such campaign. She has even volunteered to attend CZ Master Board meeting and discuss the issue with residents!  

2. Visibility – simply having a CHP or Sheriff’s patrol car around the most dangerous roads minimizes speeding – even if the vehicles are un-manned - most accidents occur in three roads within Coto – hence these are not “accidents”.  

3. Community patrol – as shareholders we have the duty to enforce the corporation’s rules. Neighborhood watches need to be coordinated with the other security initiatives. 

4. Issuing citations – A strong deterrent – All violators should then be held accountable for their actions. This does not mean that only certain violators are cited. If socially challenged Country Club and Concert patrons, and others, do not have the self-control to hold their liquor or any other drugs, cannot or will not obey traffic laws, AND they are targeted, they should then be held accountable, just like and speeder or gate runner: 

5. Monitoring – by monitoring relevant statistics (as compared to the useless data collected by Securitas), and communicating with the Nationhood watch, the community is best able to determine what adjustments are necessary. 

The so-called "CalTrans and NTSB-Compliant" signage claim is simply a ruse:  How can anyone in their right mind encourage golfers to cross the street right at the most dangerous curve in the community, when the alternative is to cross the street right at the properly marked pedestrian intersection only one 10th of a mile away?  For starters, the last time I checked, San Miguel has not been certified as traffic-worthy.

While not a gambler, I would bet a cup of coffee that San Miguel, with the current golfer-crossing sings cannot be traffic-worthy certified.  And if so, whoever certifies it should be terminated immediately for incompetence.

Using Mr. Mitchell's logic, the signage below, all could be construed as "CalTrans and NTSB" compliant

Using the CZ Master Association's board logic, this sign is NTSB-compliant

Using the CZ Master Association's board logic, this sign is NTSB-compliant

Using the CZ Master Association's board logic, this sign is NTSB-compliant

So, now the tally is a total of two near-missed fatalities and three damaged fences for a total of five accidents in the last five months months, in addition to the three traffic fatalities listed below:

1. Rhianna Woolsey, 15, December 2005
2. Morteza Manian, 75, March 12, 2006
3. Franz Nalezny, 22, January 31, 2014

People used to say, lie to me and make me feel good.  Mr. Mitchell and the board now say, just run a Zillow report and it will tell you how wonderful it is.

RELATED

3rd traffic death in Coto de Caza in this board's watch – Time for CZ Board of Directors to step down

Request for immediate action and or CZ board resignation - An open letter to the CZ Master Association Board of Directors

Fourth Traffic Fatality in Coto de Caza's History Barely averted - Update 3/21/2016

Coto de Caza Traffic Accident Rate at all Time High After one Fatality

Coto de Caza Accident  Rate is at all time high and CHP patrol is down 25% from lawsuit mitigation strategy, while CZ Master Association Board of directors encourages additional traffic. Ladera Ranch Traffic Accident Rate inches upward

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