COUNTY OF ALBEMARLE

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

BACKGROUND:

The County has received a request from the Camellia Garden Homeowners Association (CGHOA) to install a “Watch for Child Playing” sign on Albert Court (Attachment A). Albert Court is located off of Whitewood Road, near the intersection of Whitewood Road and Greenbrier Drive. Camellia Gardens is also located adjacent to Charlotte Humphris Park. 

STRATEGIC PLAN:

3.1 Make the County a Safe and Healthy Community in which citizens feel secure to live, work and play.

DISCUSSION:

The County has developed criteria for reviewing a “Child at Play” sign installation request. The criteria and staff comments are provided below.

1. “Child At Play” signs shall only be considered on secondary roads.

Albert Court is in the Secondary Road System (Route 1491).

2. The request must come from a Homeowner’s Association where applicable.

This request has been made by the Camellia Garden Homeowners Association (Attachment A).

3. There must be child activity attraction nearby for the sign to be considered.  

There is no established tot lot, playground or recreational area within the Albert Court neighborhood. However, the neighborhood is located adjacent to Humphris Park and residents and children will cross the road and cut through lots to access the park.  There are fifteen residential duplex structures and there are children residing in the neighborhood.  Albert Court is a “U” shaped curved road with poor sight distance. Sidewalks are only located on the inside “loop” of Albert Court. Staff believes that “Child at Play” signs will give notice to the traveling public that children may be in the area and using the road to get from one home to another or to Humphris Park to play.  Due to the proximity of Humphris Park, staff is of the opinion that this request meets the intent of this criterion.

4. The installation of the sign shall not conflict with any existing traffic control devices.

The proposed location of the signs will not conflict with any existing traffic control devices.

BUDGET IMPACT:

The average cost to install a sign is approximately $125. VDOT will utilize the County’s secondary road maintenance funds to install the signs.

RECOMMENDATIONS:

Staff opinion is that this request meets all four evaluation criteria and recommends that the Board of Supervisors adopt the attached resolution (Attachment B) supporting the installation of “Watch for Child Playing” signs on Albert Court.

ATTACHMENTS

Attachment A – Letter from the Camellia Garden Homeowners Association requesting a Watch for child Playing Sign

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