SAN CLEMENTE : Residents Back Plan to Control Speeding

A plan to put radar guns into the hands of citizens concerned about speeding along their neighborhood streets was strongly backed by planning commissioners and residents this week.

About 30 residents attended the Planning Commission meeting Tuesday night to voice their support for the Neighborhood Speed Watch program, a city-backed proposal that would place radar and an electronic speed display board in communities with traffic problems.

“I was very impressed by the program,” said Planning Commissioner Howard Revie. “It’s probably the best way to control speeding in San Clemente.”

The Planning Commission unanimously supported the proposal, which city officials said should go before the City Council for approval next month.

Neighborhood volunteers would be trained to use the radar guns and display boards placed in highly visible locations on residential streets. The volunteers would take down license plate numbers of speeders and send them to City Hall, which would then mail warning letters to the offenders.

City officials emphasized that no citations will issued by either the city or the residents.

Mehran Sepehri, a city traffic engineer, said the program will be relatively inexpensive, costing about $3,000 for equipment and publicity.

“Several of the residents (Tuesday night) said they wanted us to buy more than one unit,” Sepehri said. “I think we would want to wait and see how this one does.”

The traffic engineer and several police agencies say this is one of the first times they have heard of the program being used in California. The idea was brought over from Renton, Wash., by City Manager Michael W. Parness.

Sepehri said several traffic engineers from other cities and private firms have contacted him about the Neighborhood Speed Watch since the program was publicized.