Speeding on La Ronda and other SJC City Council News

Controversy continues among those who live off of and travel Camino La Ronda.

There are those who want the speeding in the residential area to stop, while others say the street – which actually has few homes fronting it – was built to accommodate speeds faster than the 30 mph limit posted.

Mike Johnson, who falls into the latter camp, came to City Hall Tuesday to complain that the crackdown on the speeders should end.

“When you have 85 percent of the population that goes over the speed limit, that means it’s safe,” Johnson told the City Council.

Johnson got those figures from an Orange County Sheriff’s deputy who was stationed on his motorcycle, looking to cite speeders, he said.

The city is conducting a study, but it does not comply with the requirements of the state vehicle code for adjusting the official speed limit of the study area, city spokeswoman Cathy Salcedo told Patch Wednesday.

in such a way that drivers would feel compelled to slow. The paint was just a first effort, with other more costly suggestions available should the council want to continue chipping away at the problem.

City Manager Karen Brust said the city will share the results of a recent traffic survey with the community in a meeting scheduled for October.

Johnson said he’s never received a ticket, so he didn’t come to the council Tuesday night with an ax to grind. He just thinks it’s a waste of city resources to try to curb an activity that’s safe.

According to “historical hearsay,” Johnson said, the only accidents he’s heard of on Camino La Ronda were drunk drivers hitting parked cars, something a speed-limit sign wouldn’t have prevented.

“I submit to you that that street is safe for 40 mph and we need to increase it,” Johnson told the City Council.

In other City Council news, council members:

• Hosted members of the Choir to sing the national anthem
• Recognized Taylor Samuelson, San Juan Capistrano’s newest Eagle Scout, for his  “We’re very proud of you,” said Mayor Larry Kramer.
• Honored the JSerra varsity ice hockey team for clinching the championship in the Anaheim Ducks High School Hockey League. The team presented a “commemorative” hockey puck to the council.
• Began the process to formulate . Resident Steve  Behmerwohld said he was concerned that ultimately, the city would end up with an electronic sign which would not be in character with the city’s old-town feel. But Miles Brandon of Capistrano VW promised the end result would be tasteful and a “win-win-win” for the community.
• Decided to advise the to sell the .