The mayor of Lady Lake has suggested sealing off the gate at the Village of La Zamora could solve traffic problems on Chula Vista Avenue.
Commissioner Ruth Kussard, a Village of La Reynalda resident, on Monday night called for a special meeting to discuss the ongoing traffic headaches on Chula Vista Avenue.
“We need to discuss this. We need to do something. We need to do something about the speed. We need to do something for the residents,” said Kussard.
She said many residents have complained that they can barely back out of their driveways onto the busy thoroughfare.
“It’s a cut through. (Drivers) don’t want to go down Rolling Acres Road because it’s a failed road. They don’t want to go down Morse Boulevard because of all of the backups,” Kussard said.
As bad as it is now, it’s only going to get worse, she said. A new 300-unit apartment complex is being constructed at the intersection of County Road 466 and Cherry Lake Road. Although the apartments are technically located in Sumter County, Lady Lake leaders have acknowledged the town will carry a heavy traffic load. In addition, the cow pasture on County Road 466 across from Spring Arbor Village is slated for housing and commercial development.
The traffic from County Road 466 pours through the La Zamora gate and down Chula Vista Avenue, which is a town road.
Mayor Jim Richards said the most effective way to control traffic on Chula Vista Avenue would be sealing off the Village of La Zamora entrance from County Road 466. He said the town has the authority to close off the gate.
“The only solution is to close off the Chula Vista gate,” said Richards, a resident of the Historic Side of The Villages.
He admitted that residents, “probably wouldn’t like that.”
Commissioner Dan Vincent, a resident of Water Oak, said the Developer of The Villages is to blame for the problem.
“My people should not pay for the problem. The Developer has lots of money. He can afford to fix it. We didn’t cause the problem,” said Vincent.
He noted that all roads within Water Oak are private and paid for by residents of the gated community.
“My people don’t want to pay for roads over there,” Vincent added.