Wall danger for condos as boardwalk narrows road
Shore Club condos on South Sound Road
(CNS): The construction of two huge new houses on South Sound Road, opposite the new boardwalk, has left neighbouring residents at the Shore Club in fear of a major accident because the high wall built between them blocks the view for drivers turning into a now narrower road. With the $1.3 million boardwalk now close to completion, South Sound Road is not only much narrower, to accommodate the 1,500 foot deck, bike lane and jogging path, but it is also now some four feet closer to the properties on the opposite side of the road.
Because of the narrowed road, the high wall built between Shore Club and the two new properties now runs right to the fringe of the roadway, with no sidewalk, instead of the previous 4-foot setback. Local residents claim this wall is putting them in great danger and is in contravention of the 2005 Roads Law, which states no structure creating an obstruction of view to a road can be built above two feet high.
A spokesperson for the Shore Club strata said it is now extremely dangerous when exiting the Shore Club onto South Sound Road because the wall completely obscures visibility of traffic to the left, so residents are taking their lives into their hands when exiting right as vehicles stream into town from the east.
Where the problem could escalate into a potential traffic fatality, they said, is through motorists speeding and overtaking along that narrow section of the road.
Local businessman and the developer of the Shore Club, Stefan Baraud, said he has witnessed a number of near misses due to the obstructed visibility when exiting the condo development.
“When we exit Shore Club heading east we can’t see the traffic. People are constantly overtaking and it’s only a matter of time before an accident will occur, possibly resulting in a fatality,” Baraud said. “The planning department, NRA and the ministry will be negligent if something happens. It’s simply not a matter of ‘if’ but ‘when’ an accident will happen.”
According to the Shore Club strata, no notifications were received from the government about their intentions for the boardwalk. It was also stated that no notification was provided about the wall built between the Shore Club and the new houses, which stands some six feet high at the front and up to 12 feet further back.
The two new properties are being built on a joint lot by architect Derek Serpell and investment fund director Martin Byrne. According to Cayman Contemporary Construction, which is building the two
houses directly opposite the ‘flip flop tree’, the Serpell residence will be 6,021 square feet, over three
floors with 20-foot-high retaining walls, while the Byrne residence next door will be over 10,900 square
feet.
Serpell, who is named as project manager for both houses, declined to comment on either the plans for construction or the safety concerns raised by the Shore Club.
Baraud said that a simple solution would be for Serpell to reduce two rows of blocks from the wall,
reducing its height by 16 inches, which would then allow exiting drivers to have a clear view of the
road in front of them.
CNS reached out to officials at the Ministry for Commerce, Planning and Infrastructure to explain the notification process for neighbouring residents for the boardwalk project, however no response was forthcoming. There was also no explanation regarding how the boardwalk construction had reduced the setback from the road of the properties being constructed opposite, as that section of South Sound Road has shifted inland.
Further complicating matters for Shore Club residents is that they say the wall in question is now leaning dangerously towards their complex, with cracks appearing. Additionally, it does not extend all the way to the back boundary, they said, so rainwater runoff is now spilling into their property.
Click on the images of the condo exit below to enlarge.
Category: Business, Construction, Local News
As you can see by the photo, that is the exit lane. On the other side, where the visibility is much better, is the entrance lane. Switch them and problem solved – unless there is something behind the building that requires traffic to go in a specific direction (highly doubtful)
wow a $5 million dollar house and $2 landscaping!!!!
there should be a shoulder no ifs ands or buts
Road Safety Conference being hosted by the National Roads Authority . ISN’T IT IRONIC????
Manufacturing companies have safety guidelines. Should there be a risk to public safety there would be a recall. Recall the wall – tear it down and build one that is safe to commuters.
Planning does the same thing that they are doing with the dock fiasco ! Make a mess of things.
Last time I drove past here the traffic averaged about 1/2 an mph. How dangerous can it be?
If you don like a little close call death when you drive, you should leave.
All I know is; last weekend the Mrs. and I started the Naked Boardwalk Challenge; strip off then walk / jog / run from one end to the other – at night, of course.
Quite the rush!
– Who
#nakedboardwalkchallenge
* Extra points for social media shares!
I should take you up on that, with my fugly self though they may build the wall higher.
Lol!
Fugly or not – all are welcome.
Come as you are!
– Who
Peek a boo and can still see over the wall
Derek, I expected better given your experience as an architect. You and the Byrnes ought to lower the wall. It’s unsafe.
And Baraud built a condo complex whose infinity pool looks out on a busy road, so now you can say hi to the commuters as that sit queuing adjacent to the pool every evening. He also built it on a swamp that still holds mosquito infested water for most of the year. Solution to this idiocy, don’t buy one, simples!!
Lol
Seems fine to me. No private sector builder would ever put lives at risk.
Duly approved by the public sector.
One would expect, after this article, the road closure and redevelopment. Hazardous road conditions must be fixed Asap. And a traffic officer stationed there to ensure traffic safety.
Over react much?
What does planning do? WHy build a sidewalk to nowhere and get runover when the sidewalk mysteriously just ends…
dah wha unna get