Lake Arrowhead & Crestline Communities

Speaking of keeping the peace, wasn't it a lot more tranquil, day and night, when Arrowhead Villas Rd was closed for repair? Yes, it was a pain to go all the way around via Kuffel to get in but Villas residents were the only ones driving in and few drove 50 miles an hour using it as a short cut. About 12 years ago, there was an effort to gate Arrowhead Villas on both ends. The County was willing to "give" us Arrowhead Villas Rd at no charge as long as we would maintain it and give access to all services. There was no additional cost to shareholders and just as they do in a good number of gated areas in Lake Arrowhead, all services have access. It would reduce the wear and tear on A.V. Rd., reduce accidents and property damage from drivers going too fast, reduce traffic and noise and pollution, increase property value, and lend an air of exclusivity of a private community that might just clean up Sunderland Crt. Any supporters out there?

I would love that!!!!! Anyone that owns in the Villas should too. It wouldnt need to be attended, just coded, carded or via remote. If its correct about county allowing it we would then be responsible for all repairs to the road as well. Good thing they allready fixed Kuffels entrance. I support the idea 100%. Whats are next move? Board members, put it on next months agenda!

Just be advised that having to punch in code, or swipe a card, and all of that gets very old quickly. Also, gates malfunction and you can be locked in or out as a result, until the gates are repaired. Another thing too - gates give the notion of security, and people often let their guard down as a result. In Redlands, for instance, police have told me that the nice, gated apartment communities often had the highest rates of vehicle theft.

Ah...yah pushing a button can be soo tiring. All gates have an emergency release. No one is going to get traped. And a comparison to Redlands, does anything really need to be said about that?

I'm not sure that older residents would want to get out of their cars during snowy/rainy weather to find the emergency release (an emergency release that I guess any person, resident or otherwise, could find). Also, I'll let you be the one to tell Jose that one of his new responsibilities will be dealing with problems that arise on these 2 gates.

its called an emergency release. Not " get out of your car daily and release the gate" lever
Also, the release is set well within the interior gates footprint.
As for Jose, less people trafficing the Villas is less work for Jose.
Thinking this through...we cant get people to pick up thier trash, respect thier nieghbors and not treat the streets as parking lots, how can we think they can look at the big picture. Homeownership is too big a concept for people that are used to renting in say, Redlands.
The issue however, is bigger than you and I. There would have to be turn-arounds for cars not granted access, the connection to homes to "buzz" guests in etc. So lets work on the internal issues of the villas and when thats perfect we can focus on the external.

It sure was nice when the road was closed....

Don't give up on your "great" idea so easily - keep the faith. The only problem is, if we did put up gates, people might start confusing us with Cedar Ridge. So Elizabeth would have to keep some Mapquest flyers on hand to give these people directions to the "real" Cedar Ridge. But, seriously, take your idea to the board and see what they think. Something tells me that the person you really want to talk to would be Helen. She probably has the most experience living in a gated community.

I have a file somewhere on the gate proposal - all the county Depts involved, - the challenges, county road laws etc. if it helps. Working out the answers to the challenges before they become objections is a big part of it. Getting support behind the idea bigger than against it helps. At a time when our property value has suffered, sales are stagnant, this could be a positive turn. Everything can be worked out if the majority want it. Jose supported the idea back when.

Well... I checked with a board member about the gate ... here's some info that makes sense, and sounds like it will never happen:

1. Who would like their fees raised by several hundred $ per year to maintain entire Villas Road.
2. What happens when there's a power outage and the gates don't work
3. Imagine the severe hill on the entrance to Kuffle from Villas road with cars backed up and skidding around in the snow waiting for gate to open
4. Imagine the back up at Rt. 18 waiting to let cars in or out 1 at a time
5. Imagine the gate being stuck in deep snow.
6. Imagine waiting for Jose to plow your road because he would have to plow Villas Road first. Quite a chore.

Showme - Thank you !

Those sound like pretty compelling arguments, Showmefinnian. I'm also assuming there would have to be some sort of call box system set up at the entrance and in each home for visitors to signal their arrival. That too would complicate the system.

Good point about the call system ... and, imagine a gate in the fog!

Board Meeting tonight

All of the objections stated below are old news -- they were the same scare tactics used 12 years ago. If these were all legimate problems, there would be no gated communities in Lake Arrowhead -- to some of the most expensive, accommodating-demanding home owners on the mountain. Do you know there are 8 (eight) gated communities in the Lake Arrowhead proper alone? They all have full time residents and all enjoy a higher property value for it. They have managed to conquer all the concerns, real and imagined. For instance, all electric gates have a manual system for back up in case the electricity goes out. Who would have thought!!! Deep snow still allows gates to open side to side....every gate across a road is on a street - Imagaine the back up on North Bay Rd!! I could go on and on addressing these concerns but like I said before, where there's a will, there's a way.

PS: Calculation of AVMSC maintaining Arrowhead Villa Rd. instead of the County was figured before at pennies/day.

BBLady - Give it up. I'm sure you're not highlighting elements present in these other gated communities that the Villas lacks. I'm sure none of them are right off of a major freeway, like we are. I certainly do NOT want to be attempting to go left off the 18 into the Villas during slippery weather, and have gates (or someone maybe? waiting to get through the gates) to scale also. Everyone knows what that corner is like. There's a blind turn turn there as it is. In perfect weather, without gates, you have to make a decision to step on it before a car comes around that blind turn looking towards Sky Forest. There are too many other logical actions that can be taken to improve the impression of the Villas - besides gates.

I'm not an engineer, but I'm sure to install call boxes at the gate and at each residence is a tall order. I'm also sure that it wouldn't be for free. I can also barely get cell phone reception where I am, how is the gate call box going to work?

Being fairly new up here, and a "weekender" at that, I guess I need to understand what the problems are. Is traffic really that heavy? Our place is rather out of the way, so I guess these issues haven't really manifested themselves where we are. Maybe someone can clear it up for me.

I think a better idea would be to take over Villas road from the county and make it a toll road.......

Good one Waterboy!

If you liked arrowhead villas when the road was closed for repair, then close one entrance and have it open only for a emergency. You don't need a gate and traffic will be reduced, besides I live in ArrowHead Villas but close to HWY 18 and we don't use arrowhead villas to get home, so would we get a gate up here, don't think so, and don't need it.