Northwood Hills POA

Meeting with Mayor Chip Johnson

September 24, 2007

MEETING WITH MAYOR JOHNSON

Art Gandy, Mike Norris and David Criger of the Northwood Hills Property Owners Association (NWHPOA) Board of Directors met with Mayor Chip Johnson in the Mayor’s Office on September 24, 2007 to discuss several issues involving Northwood Hills Property Owners.

Introduction: We started the meeting by presenting the Mayor with a brief overview of what was going on with the NWHPOA with regards to electing a Board of Directors and the current status of our property owners association. We advised the Mayor that we had conducted our first board meeting, elected officers, and mailed out our first newsletter to all property owners making them aware of the Officers on the Board of Directors, and an e-mail address and a post office box number where property owners could send their correspondence. We also advised the Mayor that we were in the process of setting up a Web Site on the Internet where we will continually post information that we believe to be beneficial to all property owners. The Mayor was very appreciative of the board’s efforts in getting things moving forward with our property owners association.

Inadequate Traffic Signs: We provided the Mayor with a copy of NWHPOA Point Paper Number 1 (attached) which summarized the board’s concerns with the small number of speed limit signs and children-at-play signs posted on the streets within our neighborhood. The point paper also advised the Mayor that with the significant increase in through traffic expected from Robertson Place and Robertson Road the main streets of our subdivision will be unsafe unless adequate traffic signs are posted and speed is monitored by law enforcement personnel. The Mayor shared our concerns and indicated that he would meet with the Chief of Police within the next few days to discuss our concerns. He also ensured us that the Chief would take the action necessary to resolve this safety issue. The Mayor also indicated that it might be appropriate to post a somewhat different speed limit sign on Northwood West Drive at the entrance of our subdivision. He indicated that he would discuss this concept with the Chief.

Street Paving: We also provided the Mayor with a copy of NWHPOA Point Paper Number 2 (attached) which summarized the board’s concerns with roads surfaces within our subdivision. The point paper points out that home construction within our neighborhood was completed approximately two years ago and that once construction was completed the developer should have applied a finishing layer of asphalt to the roads. The Mayor indicated that road paving from the Highway 51 to the stop-sign at Timber Lane E had already been completed. All of the remaining streets of our subdivision are scheduled for re-paving within the next year.

Construction Vehicles: NWHPOA Point Paper Number 2 also summarized the board’s concerns with heavy duty trucks using Northwood Hills Drive and Northwood West Drive to make deliveries of building materials to Robertson Place. Additionally, this point paper advised that safety concerns must be taken into consideration as these heavy duty trucks must navigate up and down the steep hill at the entrance of Northwood Hills Drive. The Mayor shared our concerns and indicated that a sign would be posted on Highway 51 at the entrance to Northwood Hills Drive indicating “NO COMMERICAL VEHICLES ALLOWED”.

Pick-Up of Grass Clipping/Tree Limbs/Other Refuse: We advised the Mayor that grass clipping, tree limbs, and other refuse placed on the street in front of our homes sometimes stayed there as long as a week before it is pick-up. We advised the Mayor that if a pick-up date was established and promulgated for our neighborhood we would work with property owners and encourage them not to put these materials on the street until the evening before or the morning of the scheduled pick-up. The Mayor shared our concerns but, given current resources he is unable to comply with our request at the current time. The Mayor indicated that he currently has a shortage in manpower and equipment. The City has requested bids on trash pick-up. However, those bids have to be opened and studied by the Mayor and Board of Aldermen before a winner is selected. The Mayor indicated that once all this has occurred the City might be able to designate specific pick-up days by neighborhoods. The Mayor also pointed out that the City charges an extra fee for pick up of large items put out on the street such as furniture, appliances, large tree branches and etc.

Weather Sirens: Based upon a suggestion by a property owner we inquired about the possibility of additional weather sirens. The Mayor indicated that the City now has three active weather sirens that were procured by the City under a special grant. However, that grant no longer provides funding to cities. The Mayor indicated that he has been working with the county and hopes that the city will be getting funds in the near future that will allow him to procure and install more weather sirens that should give the city full coverage. The Mayor also advised us that the Weather Siren in the vicinity of City Hall is tested every Thursday at 12:00PM.

NORTHWOOD HILLS PROPERTY OWNERS ASSOCIATION (NWHPOA)
POINT PAPER NUMBER 1

ISSUE

The three 25-MPH speed limit signs and one children-at-pay sign posted in our neighborhood are inadequate given the amount of traffic and the number of children in our subdivision. With the significant increase of through traffic expected from Robertson Place and Robertson Road the main streets of this subdivision will be unsafe unless adequate traffic signs are posted and speed is monitored by law enforcement personnel.

DISCUSSION

There are 232 homes within the Northwood Hills subdivision. A new road has been opened that runs from Robertson Road through the new 80-lot subdivision (Robertson Place) being constructed adjacent to our subdivision. Traffic exiting Robertson Road and this new subdivision can take Northwood West Drive to Northwood Hills Drive. A right turn onto Northwood Hills Drive will take this traffic through the center of our subdivision to Highway 51. Traffic returning to Robertson Place and Robertson Road can take the Northwood Hills Drive exit off Highway 51 to Northwood West Drive. A left turn onto Northwood West Drive will take this traffic to Robertson Place and Robertson Road. We expect that most of the traffic from Northwood West Drive will use Northwood Hills Drive to get to Highway 51. However, some of the through traffic may elect to use Timber Lane E., and Walters Drive/Ludlow Drive to exit our subdivision.

There are a total of three 25-MPH speed limit signs and one children-at-play sign posted in our subdivision. The speed limit signs are posted at the entrance to our subdivision on Northwood Hills Drive, on Timber Lane East and on Timber Way South. The only children-at-play sign is posted on Timber Way North. Only the one speed limit sign posted on the right-hand side of the road as you enter Northwood Hills Drive will have any impact on this increased traffic flow.

Questions regarding this point paper should be directed to the NWHPOA Board of Directors, P.O. Box 863, Hernando, MS 38632 or NWHPOA@bellsouth.net.

RECOMMENDATION

In the short-term a new speed limit sign and children-at-play sign should be posted on Northwood West Drive at the entrance to the Northwood Hills subdivision. A new stop sign should be posted at the intersection of Northwood West Cove and Northwood West Drive. In the interest of safety, additional speed limit signs and children-at-play signs should be posted on Northwood West Drive and Northwood Hills Drive as needed. In the long-term a traffic study should be initiated to determine the impact of additional through traffic on Northwood Hills Drive and Northwood West Drive. New traffic signs should be posted, as needed, based upon completion of this study.

NORTHWOOD HILLS PROPERTY OWNERS ASSOCIATION (NWHPOA)
POINT PAPER NUMBER 2

ISSUE

Several roads within the Northwood Hill subdivision are starting to show wear. It appears that a finishing coat of asphalt was not applied by the developer once home construction was completed.

Another concern to Northwood Hills Property Owners is the projected wear and tear on Northwood Hills Drive and Northwood West Drive that would be caused by heavy duty trucks that use these two main roads to make deliveries of building materials to Robertson Place. Safety concerns must also be taken into consideration as these heavy duty trucks must navigate up and down the steep hill at the entrance of Northwood Hills Drive.

DISCUSSION

Home construction within the Northwood Hills subdivision, Section A through G, was completed approximately two years ago. It is our understanding that once construction was completed the developer should have applied a finishing layer of asphalt to the roads. These roads include: Timber Cove; Timber Lane E.; Timber Way S.; Timber Way N.; Northwood Hills Drive from Timber Lane E., to the point where it ends, Northwood Hills Cove; Timber Creek Drive; Timber Creek Drive S.; Timber Creek Drive N.; Northwood West Drive; and Northwood West Cove. Northwood Hills Drive from Highway 51 to the stop sign at Timber Lane E., was repaved within the last year or so.

With respect to truck traffic several property owners have recently stopped these trucks on Northwood Hills Drive and informed the drivers that they were not to use the roads in this subdivision as a short-cut to Robertson Place. One of our board members has informally made this request to the planning department.

RECOMMENDATION

The City needs to determine whether the developer (Jim Kimberlin and/or Reeves/Williams) is responsible for applying the final coat of asphalt. We have been advised that if there is still a bond on the roads, they can be paved and paid for from those funds, unless the developer is willing to do it. If the bond on the roads has been released, then the question would need to be raised as to who okayed that the roads were not in need of a finishing layer of asphalt.

Recommend that the city put up signs at the entrance at Highway 51, No Construction Vehicles Permitted.

Questions regarding this point paper should be directed to the NWHPOA Board of Directors, P.O. Box 863, Hernando, MS 38632 or NWHPOA@bellsouth.net.