Sarasota County approves speed reduction, denies stop sign in Palmer Ranch

Palmer Ranch residents had a 50% success rate at Wednesday's Sarasota County commissioners meeting. 

The residents petitioned the county to reduce the speed limit on Palmer Ranch Parkway between Honore Avenue and Culzean Drive last year. The residents asked for a reduction from 40 mph to 25; however the Traffic Advisory Council recommended the speed be reduced to 30 instead. Residents also petitioned to get a multi-way stop sign at Scotland Way and Palmer Ranch Parkway.

Robert O'Conner, the former president of the Palmer Ranch Master Property Owners Association, said in the petition to the county that the 40 mph speed was too fast for this more residential section of Palmer Ranch Parkway. Currently, only the Glenridge and Village Walk subdivision are located on this section; however, Arbor Lakes on Palmer Ranch is under construction.

"For the people coming out of Glenridge, the (construction) truck are going by too fast," said Gary Wharton, current president of the Palmer Ranch Master Property Owners Association. 

No other area on Palmer Ranch Parkway has a four-way stop sign or a reduced speed limit, and there have been no accidents in this area, said Paula Wiggins, the county transportation planning manager. 

"It's in line will other fully-functioning access points," Wiggins said. 

Commissioner Christine Robinson said she would support the reduction to 25 mph, instead of 30 as the TAC had recommended; however she did not support the stop sign.

"I support going down to 25. It’s a more secluded area," she said. "But stop signs are not to slow people down, and there's a false sense of security with stop signs. If we approve this every community in Palmer Ranch will be asking for one."

The rest of the board unanimously supported her motion to accept the speed reduction to 25 mph and deny the stop sign request. Residents expressed a mixture of pleasure and continued concern for the safety of pedestrians and cars exiting the subdivions without the stop sign. 

Although no accidents have occured, Franklin Craft, former president of the Village Walk Homeowners Association, said the new traffic added by the Arbor Lakes development will only increase the danger of the Scotland Way, Palmer Ranch Parkway intersection, especially when more children and school buses were added to the mix. Craft helped submit the petition to the county.

"I'm partially pleased with the 25 mph—we're grateful for that," Craft said. "It's still a dangerous intersection."

Allan Miller, a Glenridge resident, was not surprised by the denial of the stop sign.

"I told our people a 4-way stop would not work," Miller said, adding he's never seen a stop sign on a double-lane street intersection with left and right turn lanes. The only other alternative, he said, would be a traffic signal which wouldn't be worth the expense.

He believes the speed reduction will work—but only if it is enforced. 

"They have to police it," Miller said.