Hi Ridgemont neighbors,
Last month, we talked about our shared spaces, which include nearly 35 acres of woods, entrances, and common areas that all 245 of us help take care of. If you missed it, you can read the June newsletter on our website. We’d love to hear your thoughts as the conversation continues.
This month, as we promised, we’re returning to the topic of street safety. Below, you’ll find what’s improved, an update on speeding, and some friendly parking guidelines based on your feedback.
Short on time? Here are the highlights:
- Speeding: A speed monitor on Huntley Heights showed that about 70% of drivers were speeding, with 30% exceeding the speed limit by at least 10 mph. County Police are increasing patrols and will keep monitoring other spots.
- Parking Progress: We coordinated with the wiffle ball tournament hosts, and there were no complaints. We also worked with Ridgeview Place condos to solve their overflow parking on our streets.
- New Parking Guidelines: Since over 90% of you identified one or more parking concerns in our survey, we’re sharing some friendly requests (not rules) to help keep our streets open and safe. You’ll find them below and on our website.
Interested in more details? Keep reading!
Where Things Stand on Speeding
Many of you have seen the speed monitoring devices placed along Huntley Heights by the St. Louis County Police. The results showed about 70% of drivers were speeding, and over 30% were at least 10 mph over the speed limit.
In response, County Police will step up patrols in our neighborhood. Additional speed monitoring devices will be placed along Carman Valley in the coming weeks to help us see the full picture and plan next steps. We’ll keep working with the County and keep you updated.
Meanwhile, the easiest fix is something we can all do. With families going to the pool, kids playing outside, and summer here, let’s slow down and watch out for each other.
The Parking Progress We’ve Made
Most parking issues in Ridgemont stem from just a few trouble spots, and we’ve spent the spring working through them one at a time, including a neighborhood survey that yielded valuable insights.
The annual Memorial Day wiffle ball tournament on Carman Road has always been one of those trouble spots, with attendees’ cars filling our streets during the long weekend competition. This year, we met with the hosts and set up specific parking spots to keep traffic moving. It made a big difference. Cars were parked on one side, lanes stayed open, and there were no complaints. Thanks to everyone for working together.
The other recurring issue has been Ridgeview Place condo residents parking on our streets to circumvent their stringent parking rules. We reached out to their management company and Board and agreed on a cooperative approach. If you identify one of their residents parking on our streets, let us know. We just need the make of the vehicle and the license plate. With that information, we will contact the board, which will, in turn, contact the owners of those vehicles.
A bit of context on the issue: while it did not impact the entire neighborhood, it affected nearby residents and those traveling Huntley Heights to Carman Road. The condo streets are private and several feet narrower than ours and imposed a strict no-parking policy. Their on-street parking ban meant some of their residents’ vehicles ended up on Ridgemont streets, occasionally for days at a time. We’re grateful for Ridgeview’s Board’s willingness to work this out with us.
Parking Guidelines
After hearing several complaints earlier this year, we asked for your thoughts on parking in Ridgemont. Hundreds of you responded, and a few clear themes emerged. More than 90% of you shared at least one parking concern, so this is something many of us notice. On most days, over 30 cars are parked on our streets, so where and how we park really matters for visibility, traffic flow, and pedestrian safety. You also told us you’d rather the Board share neighborly expectations instead of strict rules.
The guidelines below are based on your feedback. They’re friendly requests, not rules, and simply ask for the everyday courtesy that keeps our streets open and safe. You can also find them on our website with expanded explanations.
- Use your driveway and garage first.
- Park where drivers can still see people crossing.
- Abide by county parking ordinances.
- Keep cul-de-sac circles open.
- Don’t park directly across from another vehicle. Leave your neighbors room at their own driveways.
- Park in front of your own home when you can.
- Don’t leave a vehicle in the same on-street spot for days at a time.
- Park only on paved surfaces.
- RVs and boats have their own indenture rules and are prohibited.
- On trash day, give the bins room.
- In winter, keep snow-removal routes open.
- Pass these expectations along to guests, contractors, and service vehicles.
Our governing documents charge the Board to keep the streets open so that no parking “prevent[s] or impair[s] the use of the Streets” by residents and their guests (Article VII). By following these simple courtesies, we can meet that responsibility together.
Thank you for looking out for each other. That’s what makes Ridgemont a great place to live.
Warm regards,
The Ridgemont Board of Trustees
[email protected] | myridgemont.com
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