When residents own the streets

FOR Ventura County resident Peter Zinnato, sanctuary is living on a private street in the secluded community of Solano Verde Ranch in Somis. Here, 39 homes sit on 20-acre parcels, and long driveways lead to elegant mansions.

Privacy and safety drew Zinnato, 62, to the area four years ago. Peace of mind and a sense of community keep him here.

Roads privately owned and maintained by homeowners are popping up all over for one simple reason: As budget-strapped municipalities cut back on services, new developments have no choice but to go private.

Some cities won’t approve new subdivisions unless there is a plan for a homeowners association to maintain the streets, said Claude John “C.J.” Klug, a former city manager for La Mirada and Commerce who has run homeowners associations for 20 years.

Although new home buyers are increasingly encountering private-road communities, public roads are the norm in established neighborhoods. About 3% of the 6,500 miles of Los Angeles’ city streets -- about the same percentage as a decade ago -- are private. About 4% of the 310 miles of streets in Burbank are private. And, in Pasadena, which has added less than one mile of private streets since 1996, about 2% of the 350 miles of city streets are private.

From a home buyer’s perspective, private streets may mean more available parking, privacy, a safer and more closely knit community and a lack of cut-through traffic. But they also may drain homeowners’ wallets.

If a tree falls onto a public street, the municipality removes it, said Ken Pellman, a spokesman for the County of Los Angeles Department of Public Works. “But if that tree was on a private street and private property, the owner of that property would be responsible for removing the tree and paying for any damage.”

Without the ability to tap city services, owners on private streets have to reach a consensus about everything associated with maintaining a street, such as roadways and sidewalks, landscaping and trees, street lighting, gates and security, parking hours and speed limits, plus any number of unforeseen difficulties.

Chatsworth resident Jenny Sheng, 42, who bought a 5,000-square-foot contemporary home in Trammell Estates in 2001, said living on a private street is not like moving to Mayberry.

Sheriff Andy Taylor isn’t there to ticket speeders, and to date, Sheng said the community, which is responsible for hiring its own security and street maintenance, has been unable to agree on whom to hire.

For now, the owners are keeping the streets clean themselves.

If she moves again, Sheng said, it won’t be to a private street.

“Some people are controlling to the point that it’s ridiculous, and there are a lot of additional rules and regulations,” she said. “On a private street, you have to deal with that.”

For Lomita resident Anne Antletz, living on a private street has had its challenges. Antletz’s quiet road has four houses and little traffic.

There is no formal homeowners association, and Antletz, who has lived there for 30 years, said the neighbors just work things out.

Sometimes that’s easier said than done.

When the paved street started to deteriorate in the 1980s and one owner refused to share repair costs, Antletz and her neighbors took matters into their own hands.

“We only paved the road in front of our three houses,” she said. Over time, the unpaved portion of the road, which sits opposite Antletz’s home, has eroded. Some of the residents fill it with gravel periodically.

Though relations can get bumpy, owners say living on a private street can result in a sense of community. And in a city where some people never meet their neighbors, Zinnato said, unity can be an advantage.

When a wildfire destroyed one home, charred the landscape, melted sprinklers and water lines and resulted in the only water tank that services the community running dry in October 2003, Solano Verde owners banded together.

“The fire department sent two trucks, but all they could do was direct traffic,” he said. “There was no water.”

When the smoke cleared, the community rallied. Rather than wait for the management company to send a cleanup crew, some residents cleaned the streets and removed debris in the common areas not covered by homeowners’ insurance.

They also spent $70,000 replanting the hillsides to protect against erosion.

In Solano Verde, monthly dues of $390 provide a financial buffer for unexpected expenses, and the homeowners association maintains the trash, streets and parkways. But if there’s a problem, Zinnato said, they all pitch in.

Pitching in doesn’t suit everyone’s style. Those considering buying on a private street should find out what the developer proposed or the municipality granted during the permit process.

For instance, publicly owned storm drains and sewers should have an easement that allows the municipality access for maintenance. Without an easement, the responsibility for the infrastructure could fall to the property owner.

“You might think you are moving into a good deal, and two years later you’re putting in a new street that you weren’t prepared for,” said Zinnato, whose community association spent $700,000 from reserves to repave five miles of streets in March.

The average cost per mile to repave a street ranges from $175,000 to $200,000. And most California residential streets last about 25 to 30 years.

On most private streets, traffic and parking issues also fall to the owners.

City and county police agencies will typically patrol private streets and gated communities for criminal activity.

However, they will not provide traffic patrol on streets that are not up to the city or county codes, so on many private streets residents are on their own, said Thousand Oaks Police Sgt. Tom Bennett.

“We get calls from residents complaining that people are running a stop sign, but on a private street,” he added, “that street is yours. It doesn’t belong to the public.”

In Coto de Caza, a private-street community with 4,000 homes in Orange County, east of Mission Viejo, association dues of $200 per month fund $1.5 million annually for three guarded gates, one automated gate and 24-hour security patrol officers who issue traffic citations.

Owners installed speed bumps but removed them to allow for standard emergency response times, which officials say can be slowed by about 30 seconds per speed bump. Like many private communities, Coto contracts with the California Highway Patrol for traffic enforcement.

Still, the perception of exclusivity and greatly reduced through traffic can give properties on private streets added desirability, said Bill Podley, chairman of Dickson Podley Realtors in Pasadena. Of course, poor street conditions can have a negative effect, he said.

Something else to keep in mind if looking for a home on a private road: Don’t think the city will take back that private street, cautioned Edmond Yew, manager for the city of Los Angeles Bureau of Engineering.

“When private streets [get] older and require maintenance and repair, people come up with the idea to give the private street back to the city to avoid maintenance costs,” Yew said. “But the likelihood of that happening is pretty remote.”

Although Pasadena is willing to absorb some private streets upon request, city engineer Dan Rix said they’ve had no takers.

“We won’t accept a private street unless it is built to our standard or brought up to our standards,” Rix explained. “And once people realize the cost to bring a street up to a good state of repair, they decide to keep it private.”

Michelle Hofmann is a Los Angeles freelance writer. She can be reached at michelle hofmann@earthlink.net.