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Residents press council on road safety, accessibility and a potential ban on gas-powered yard equipment
Summary
During public comment residents described a missed handicap accommodation during slurry-coat work, urged improvements at a hazardous La Paz/Marguerite intersection after a recent crash, and urged the council to consider banning gas-powered lawn equipment for emissions and noise reasons.
Several residents used the public-comment period to press the council on neighborhood safety, accessibility and environmental measures.
Stacy Holmes described a planned slurry coat for Paseo Rincon and said temporary handicap parking was not posted as requested under the "California State Lawn Code" she cited; she reported traveling over unrepaired bumps in an electric wheelchair to retrieve her car and asked the city to coordinate accommodations. Holmes said handicap signs were later promised when slurry work is applied.
Kathy Palmer asked the council to make the La Paz and Marguerite intersection more pedestrian friendly after a serious accident the previous day. She suggested flashing lights and other measures to improve sight lines and slow drivers, and said the crossing routinely endangers schoolchildren and volunteers walking to nearby facilities.
On environmental regulation, Michael Schlesinger urged the council to follow other cities’ examples and ban gas-powered lawn equipment, citing a Voice of OC article and a claim attributed to the California Air Resources Board that a gas-powered mower running one hour emits about the same as a car driving 100 miles; he also cited noise reduction as a benefit. Council did not take action on the request during open comment.
Other residents raised traffic-congestion concerns at the Oso/Felipe turn (asking for signal timing or geometric changes) and thanked the council for community events and volunteer efforts. Councilmembers acknowledged the safety and accessibility concerns and said staff would look into the intersection and slurry-coat accommodation issues.
