Buena Park : Neighbors Accuse Car Dealer of Fast Driving

Employees of a car dealership in Buena Park are creating a dangerous condition by driving too often and too fast through an adjacent neighborhood, residents have complained to the City Council.

“We’re afraid the kids are going to get hurt or killed,” said Joyce Vrooman, a resident of Montana Avenue, one of three streets where neighbors banded together to demand changes by Campbell Motors Inc. of 6750 Manchester Blvd.

Vrooman and at least 20 other residents told City Council members this week that employees of the four Campbell lots take up their parking spaces and test-drive cars at fast speeds--complaints residents of Idaho, Montana and 10th Streets have made for two years, Vrooman said.

“I have skid marks in front of my house,” Vrooman said. “If they want to drag race, that’s fine, that’s wonderful. Go test your car and see how fast it can go, but go do it on the freeway.”

Bruce Swanbom, general manager of Campbell Porsche/Audi Volkswagen, said that after the council meeting, he asked his 62 employees not to test-drive through the adjacent neighborhood. Swanbom said he can’t order the employees not park on neighboring streets, but the company plans to lease a lot about a block and a half away for a parking lot.

“I don’t think we’ve intentionally tried to be bad neighbors,” Swanbom said.

Pat Brown, Buena Park’s acting city manager, said that co-owner John Campbell agreed to the requests of the neighbors. “I don’t think it’ll be a problem,” Brown said.

Vrooman said the issue of parking may go before the city’s transportation and traffic committee during its meeting May 14. A proposed parking-permit program, however, is not what the neighbors want, she said.