County Judge Wants Mailboxes Moved Away from Roads
Last updated Wednesday, November 12, 2008 11:45 PM CST in News
By Christopher Spencer
THE MORNING NEWS
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FAYETTEVILLE - When a car hits a mailbox, the mailbox should never win, Washington County Judge Jerry Hunton said.
The judge will propose an emergency ordinance today to the Quorum Court requiring mailboxes on county roads be built at least 2 feet back from the road and made of materials that can't stop a car.
Emergency ordinances take effect from the moment of passage.
The ordinance would ban masonry mailboxes - a preferred construction technique on high-end rural homes. Existing mailboxes would not be affected.
"I'm shocked to hear about that," said Lisa Johnson, owner and president of Crowne Designs of Fayetteville, a company that builds homes with masonry mailboxes. "I can't even imagine that they would spend their time worrying about that."
Masonry mailboxes are often built because they are required by neighborhood covenant in rural subdivisions, she said.
Liz Mitchell moved into her home in the Overton Park subdivision between Fayetteville and Goshen about two months ago. The home features a red brick mailbox adjacent to the curb of Maywood Road.
She said the judge's proposal adds unnecessary regulation to residents in the county.
Lisa Ware lives on North Gulley Road near Mitchell. Her stone and cement mailbox is part of a line of such mailboxes along a straight-away where motorists often break the speed limit, she said.
"I think people need to stay on the road. Sorry," Ware said. County officials should do more to enforce speeding laws in the area, not force landowners to build weaker mailboxes, she said.
Ware walks around her neighborhood and said she sees people, especially younger drivers, talking on their cell phones and driving too fast for the occasional sharp turns that pop up on the road. She said she has seen neighbors' masonry mailboxes shifted off their foundations in the past, presumably after being struck by a car.
Hunton said the ordinance is meant to prevent injury or death to a driver or passenger who might strike one of these fortified mailboxes. He said he is sympathetic to those whose mailbox has been vandalized in the past, but thinks the safety issues outweigh those concerns.
The ordinance requires mailboxes be built with light sheet metal or plastic and the structure be only strong enough to support a mailbox. The only reflective material allowed on the mailbox will be the address. Outside of the county's right-of-way on county roads, the homeowner is free to build as they wish.
"We're doing this with the smallest hammer in the shop," Hunton said.
MEETING INFORMATION
Washington County Quorum Court
When: 7 p.m. today
Where: Washington County Courthouse, 280 N. College Ave., Fayetteville
Reader Comments (22 comment(s))
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NWAHOGALUM wrote on Nov 13, 2008 7:36 AM:
whatthe? wrote on Nov 13, 2008 8:08 AM:
riptide wrote on Nov 13, 2008 8:12 AM:
BCR wrote on Nov 13, 2008 8:55 AM:
If you don't want to smack up your nice car, slow down, stop talking and drinking coffee while you drive, and do your very very best to try and stay on the road. "
lesnparts wrote on Nov 13, 2008 8:57 AM:
of mail boxes? how much special interest money is in this and who's the most recent idiot pulling your chain? Or maybe its really been this long since you landed back on earth!
have you heard of the united states postal service...a little higher on the food chain than graesy valley judge. "
BCR wrote on Nov 13, 2008 9:08 AM:
wldflwr wrote on Nov 13, 2008 9:08 AM:
Capo-Di-Tuti-Capi wrote on Nov 13, 2008 9:21 AM:
How is the Postman supposed to deliver mail to a box 2 feet back from the road? So, now, the county right of way of 12 to 15 feet was not enough, you want MORE of MY land that I paid for?
Dear Judge,
Enough is enough. You need to know when to say stop, not keep asking "Please sir, may I have another."
As my dear dead grandmaw used to say, "Give em an inch" "
willybill wrote on Nov 13, 2008 10:01 AM:
BCR wrote on Nov 13, 2008 1:44 PM:
JumboJet wrote on Nov 13, 2008 3:07 PM:
"Daddy, mom just ran over my bicycle again!".
"Look son, I told you to stop leaving your bike on the porch!" "
cybertech wrote on Nov 13, 2008 3:08 PM:
I dont live in out on a county road but have driven my share of them and watched how some people drive on them.
If someone hits a mailbox its not the mailbox's fault nor is it the fault of the owner of the mailbox, its the fault of the driver whom was most likely not only driving way to fast and not paying attention.
Whats next, they start ticketing owners instead of the people the hit the mailboxes????
I will tell you this much, if I did live on a county road, or in a place where curbside mailboxes were allowed, I, as a taxpaying property owner would build the mailbox how ever I dang well pleased!
Its time that these officials realize who the heck pays their salary and stop trying to pass bogus legislation and wasting taxpayer money, enough is enough already! "
cybertech wrote on Nov 13, 2008 3:13 PM:
Beware of Mailboxes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It has been confirmed that there is a new bread of jumping mailbox that has become a cause of great concern for motorists!!
These mailboxes not only jump right out in front of your car they also put up a danged good fight and usually win!!!!!!!
LOL
This judge is a real dolt!!!! "
cybertech wrote on Nov 13, 2008 3:14 PM:
sunflowerboat wrote on Nov 13, 2008 3:35 PM:
ozarks wrote on Nov 14, 2008 1:11 PM:
cybertech wrote on Nov 16, 2008 9:22 AM:
They must have bounced off that armored mailbox in the picture! LOL "
Gramps wrote on Nov 16, 2008 12:29 PM:
Not already registered?
JumboJet wrote on Nov 13, 2008 7:14 AM:
Who is the 'county'? The people! It is time government entities step back and realize where the power comes from.
People will save lives when "they" drive responsibly. There are other hazards on county right-of-ways that potentially can take lives also. Are you removing all of those? "