By LYNETTE HAALAND, Four Points News
The homeowners association in Steiner Ranch is dealing with vandalism of community property from the drivers of high powered e-motorbikes. The HOA is also getting a lot of calls from residents about the e-bike using the local streets, and all of this comes at the same time another injury accident was reported.
Two people were accidentally injured when an e-bike and pedestrian collided on a sidewalk off Quinlan Park Road on May 21. In October, two boys were driving e-bikes and crashed into each other and had to be airlifted from Towne Square Park. Prior to that there was another collision involving an e-bike.
“We’ve had a kid with a broken arm (last summer), and then two kids airlifted out of the community. Now this (the May 21 collision),” said Amy Yukich, Steiner Ranch Master Association president.
“I don’t know how to describe the level of frustration we are dealing with,” Yukich said. “It’s such a waste of resources.”
A recent case of vandalism will cost thousands to repair. Homeowner dues will likely have to go up to cover these repairs, she added.
Yukich shared that the HOA’s game cameras captured at least four young e-bike riders who built ramps and jumps in the greenbelt. They excavated and cleared out about a third of an acre near the entrance of subdivision Lakewood Hills.
“(We have) the video of them digging and audio that went with it. It is $13,000 worth of damage,” Yukich said. “Trash was strewn about. Shovels were left there.”
The boys took shovels and destroyed two cameras but they didn’t take the SIM cards, she said.
“We reported it to the sheriff’s and we’re going to press criminal charges,” Yukich shared. Work to rehab the third acre started in late May.
The Steiner Ranch Motorized Vehicle Policy went into effect last year on July 24 and includes a $500 fine per incident for violators. Most recently it’s referred to as the Motorbike Policy and fines do not exceed one per day.
The policy states that motorized vehicles are not allowed on the trails or HOA property including parks, grass, fields, sidewalks, basketball courts, and tennis courts. Using motorized vehicles in these areas is trespassing and is punishable by law including tickets and fines, according to the SRMA board.
The SRMA board and staff of the community have fielded many calls about young people riding motorbikes. Additionally the SRMA has had several long workshops and spent many hours going over these issues.
Yukich encourages the community to keep calling the sheriff’s office and to keep sharing photos. “Keep sending in photos to us, we’ll identify which kids are which,” she said.
TCSO advises not to follow the kids on motorbikes but to call the sheriff’s office.
“It is crucial for the public to put pressure on” this issue, Yukich said.
One resident told Yukich that she confronted a group “very nicely” but then she was followed home by eight motorbike drivers who did donuts in the street in front of her house. “Now she is terrified.”
“So many residents commented that if it was a split second” different, there would have been an accident between their car and a youth on a motorbike, she added.
Yukich shared that the board has authorized $100,000 worth of landscaping projects that are on hold because “the kids keep going through the flower beds.”
The board members have to deal with the motorbike issues rather than focus on other areas that need their attention.
“We have other projects that need to happen but can’t get to them and have to deal with this,” Yukich shared. “We’d rather be building parks right now and putting in landscaping.”