County approves temporary traffic signal agreement to allow Starbucks opening at Avenue 12

The Madera County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday approved an agreement with MR Avenue 12 Partners LLC that lays out reimbursements and conditions for constructing a traffic signal at the intersection of Avenue 12, Jason Court and Fernwood Drive.

Dominic Tybursky, director of Madera County Public Works, said Legacy Development is building a Starbucks at the northeast corner of Avenue 12 and Jason Court and must realign Jason Court and install a permanent traffic signal as a condition of approval. Procurement delays for permanent signal equipment led the developer to request permission to use a temporary signal so Starbucks can obtain a certificate of occupancy and open on schedule.

Public Works and the building department drafted an agreement that allows Legacy to obtain a certificate of occupancy for Starbucks based on the temporary signal being in place and functioning, plus completion of ADA‑compliant walkways and required parking and circulation. Occupancy for the Camarena Health building at the same site will be withheld until permanent on‑ and off‑site improvements are completed to the satisfaction of public works and the building official.

Tybursky told the board the developer’s fair‑share contribution for the permanent signal was calculated at 8 percent using the traffic engineer’s methodology; most of the signal’s cost will be eligible for reimbursement from the county’s road impact fee program. He estimated the full permanent signal could cost close to $1 million and the county’s reimbursement exposure would be roughly $920,000 of that amount initially, to be replenished from incoming road impact fees as development occurs.

Supervisors asked about the safety and reliability of temporary signals. Tybursky said the temporary unit proposed for the site is hardwired (not solar) and will be reviewed to ensure proper placement and functionality; he said temporary signals are used elsewhere in the county and generally function comparably to permanent signals. He noted that temporary units can default to flashing red if they fail, creating an operational concern when they do.

Board members also raised potential liability questions if a temporary signal malfunctioned; Tybursky said legal counsel would address liability specifics but reiterated that the county would not pay for the temporary signal and would require inspections and approvals for the temporary operation.

The board approved the agreement and authorized the chair to sign on a roll call vote of 4–0.