Thomas Catri
Have you ever wondered after looking at the street signs throughout the SunBird community about why there’s a color of yellow at the edge of the sign? That type of street sign with that color marker indicates that the streets in SunBird are private streets. Our streets are private roadways because they’re inside a private gated community. The streets are not considered public because they are not City of Chandler owned. And, as a result, they’re not patrolled by the Chandler Police Department or basically any law enforcement. Criminal matters are still investigated by law enforcement in SunBird; however, a couple of traffic laws are not, such as speeding and stop sign violations. The City of Chandler Police cannot enter SunBird to enforce some civil traffic issues on private property, so it’s up to the Homeowners Association to police themselves by enforcing speed, stop signs and some other generally-recognized rules of the road.
So, can the SunBird Homeowners Association really issue a moving violation citation for speeding or running a stop sign? The answer is simply, yes. It is the duty of the SunBird Patrol to enforce all the traffic regulations within SunBird. All owners, tenants and their guests, along with other visitors, including contractors, are obligated to obey all Arizona State vehicle laws while within the boundaries of the HOA and may be issued a citation for failing to do so. The speed limits on SunBird streets is 25 m.p.h. on most streets. In Unit 1A and Unit 5, the speed limit is 15 m.p.h., and around the clubhouse, it is 10 m.p.h. The stop sign was not invented to take all the fun out of driving. It was out of concern for safety. Let’s all be conscious of the traffic rules and be extra careful when driving to keep SunBird a safe community to enjoy!