Cars associated with drop-offs and pickups at Chara Christian Dance Academy park on Hunters Lane, a residential street. Residents of Hunters Creek Estates have spoken at multiple City Council meetings about the safety and congestion concerns this causes, particularly the potential for crashes involving children or the inability to exit the neighborhood in an emergency. They have advocated for signs prohibiting parking or the creation of a fire zone along the street.
Friendswood police Chief Robert Wieners presented the city’s response and solutions to these concerns during the April 3 council meeting.
City data shows 10 crashes have occurred at or near the intersection of FM 518 and Hunters Lane since October 2019, less than 1% of all crashes occurring in the city over a three-year period. This means there is not enough of an issue to warrant regulatory action, Wieners said.
“What I’m seeing more than anything is the low incidence rate. We’re not talking about a whole lot of incidents in a year,” Council Member Robert Griffon said.
Residents had also expressed concerns about emergency vehicles’ ability to pass by parked cars. The city did a review of clearances for fire trucks and ambulances and found those vehicles were able to pass through safely, Wieners said.
In response to concerns, the city presented a number of steps it would take in collaboration with businesses and the homeowners association to improve the safety of the street. City Manager Morad Kabiri said the city would remove large landscaping rocks along Hunters Lane to allow passengers to load and unload on the grass rather than the roadway.
He also said the city would send a certified letter to the Hunters Creek Estates HOA, asking it to repair or upgrade landscape lighting in the median on Hunters Lane. The city also recommended Chara Christian Dance Academy upgrade the lighting in its parking lot and will consider installing a streetlight at the eastern end of the Hunters Lane median.
“I think that we have some smart people here. We have some homeowners that are really interested in doing the right thing; we have a business owner really interested in doing the right thing,” Council Member Trish Hanks said.
