Why Don't We Have a Gate? Because the cost
would be prohibitive.
Investigation Project -- Gate Committee.
One of the projects of the board in 2005 was to conduct an
analysis of the process to make the roads and drainage system private so
a gate could be constructed at the entrance of LSC. There has
always been much talk by LSC residents about a gate, for example, the
HOA
Declaration states that a gate exists. Of course that is not
true, but that statement and perhaps what homebuyers were told by the
home-builder sales people has been cited by several people when they
ask, "Why doesn't LSC have a gate?"
So, in 2005 the board appointed a gate committee that
conducted its own analysis of the requirements, laws, and possible costs
of at least some of the elements of making the roads and drainage
private. Their
written submissions to the CDD board are linked below.
Costs Prohibitive. The gate committee reported
the costs of the vacation process to install a gate would be prohibitive. For example, the
cost of the just the title work which is just one element of the
application to the county to vacate the roads would cost about $100,000.
For comparison, the CDD's FY2005/2006 budget for the all of the Sheriffs
of Lake St. Charles off-duty program is $40,880.
During the CDD meeting at which the committee's report
was submitted in the fall of 2005, the CDD was told that during the
committee's investigation they made some general estimates of all
initial costs of making the roads private and installing a gate and that
they estimated the costs to be in excess of $500,000. -- That excludes
on going personnel costs of the CDD staff and guards.
Halt! Some distinctions will help, LSC's streets
and drainage systems are public. Under current law, public roads cannot be blocked with
a gate. Private roads can be blocked. Most often when people
mention a gate to me they refer to a physical gate across Lake St.
Charles Blvd. that can legally prevent, either by itself or in
connection with a security guard, the entry of unauthorized persons to LSC. An alternative is a guard on the side of a public road (LSC
Blvd.) asking people to voluntarily stop or watching as people drive in
(which is beneficial), but the guard would not have
the authority to prohibit anyone from entering LSC or to make them stop.
Report of Gate Committee showing a part of the
costs (PDF)
Procedures of County to Vacate Public Roads in
2005 (PDF)
Not the End of the Story.
My own opinion is that the CDD board is not opposed to a gate and
would begin planning for one if the board could come up with some plan
that was feasible. The board is always open to better ideas and
welcomes any creative thinking and suggestions from LSC Homeowners!
So, begin thinking. I have a couple of ideas that may be applicable down the road. And I
hope the CDD is able to have some form of a security-guard system at a
checkpoint (not an automated unmanned gate) in the future.
As you think about a gate, here's
a list of things to mull over:
1. Public or private roads?
2. If private, what is your view on whether 75% - 80% of the LSC
residents would consent to vacating the public road in front of their
home?
3. Cost of vacation process if roads are to be private?
4. Amount of special assessments to pay for maintenance of private roads
and drainage system?
5. Need for additional right of way?
6. Engineering and construction costs?
7. If only an automated gate, what is the estimate of additional CDD
personnel costs associated with the gate's operation and administering
the access codes or access cards and dealing with situations when the
gate won't open and people can't get in but would like to get in at
10:00 pm at night?
8. Guard or no guard?
9. If a guard, what is the schedule, 24 hours a day or just a portion of
the day?
10. Consider total annual personnel costs for guards.
11. Compare the above costs with the costs of other security alternatives such as
increased off-duty sheriffs or/and security cameras, lighting, and/or
fencing for Kensington and other access areas. For example, if a
24-hour guard would cost "X" annually, what type of a security camera
system could the CDD buy for just one year of that "X" cost?
In my opinion,
that same amount of money would allow the CDD to buy a security camera system that would be in
the running for an Oscar for best cinematography.
12. Factor in the percentage of crimes that are committed by people who do
not drive into LSC on Lake St. Charles Blvd. My rough estimate is
that a substantial percentage of crimes are from people who do NOT drive
into LSC. Thus, a gate may be a great idea for many reasons and
may stop a substantial percentage of the crimes, but a gate will not
prevent access by 100% of the bad guys. There will still be a
substantial problem with others who walk or ride in from adjoining
properties.
13. The effect of private roads on the bond's tax exempt status.
I believe the board may revisit the gate issue as additional or changed
information is discovered, but as of 2005, after an investigation by
some dedicated LSC residents, the board decided that now is not the time
to pursue gating the entrance of LSC.