Last week PelhamToday reported on four private condominium development streets that exit onto Port Robinson Road, near Rice Road, without stop signs in place, leaving open the potential for collisions with oncoming traffic.
Lavender Fields is a townhouse development under construction by Grey Forest Homes Limited, scheduled for completion later this year. It features a total of 87 units, sized at just under 1500 square feet, with an average cost of about $900,000. Saffron Estates, by Mountainview Homes is the other build, featuring dozens of both single detached units and townhomes.
Jason Marr, Pelham’s Director of Public Works, told PelhamToday that Ontario’s Highway Traffic Act only requires stop signs where public roads meet. Since the intersecting streets in question are technically private roads and part of a condo corporation, stop signs are not required by law.
It’s the same as exiting your driveway in any urban development, said Marr, who indicated that it was up to the developers to place appropriate signage should safety be an issue at the intersections.
Lindsey Granton of Mountainview Homes said that her company had acquired lots from the developer, Hert Incorporated, of Fenwick, and had not been involved in the design of the road configuration or traffic control within the subdivision. Richard DeKorte, Hert’s general manager, said he “certainly will not be” installing stop signs, “as we sold that land to Grey Forest Homes. They now have a condo board in place, including a property management company, to make those decisions for their community.”
Ron Berard, a spokesman for Grey Forest Homes, was contacted for comment last week, specifically being asked whether the company will place stop signs at the four exits. No response has been received as of this writing.
PelhamToday noted last week that the Victory Garden condominiums, in downtown Fonthill, have stop signs at each of the property’s exits onto the public roadway.
Mayor Marvin Junkin expressed surprise at the lack of signage in East Fonthill.
"Although it certainly seems strange that there are no stop signs at these intersections, I have noticed that there isn’t a stop sign at the subdivision of Davis Heights, again per Highway Traffic Act regulations," said Junkin.
