Last month, the Argyle Town Council approved an agreement to allow The Oaks subdivision to install a limited-access gate on Cook Street.
During the council meeting, staff noted that this kind of request is unusual because Cook Street is and would remain a public street, and The Oaks HOA was not trying to change the neighborhood into a private, gated community.
For years, representatives of The Oaks have addressed Town Council regarding concerns of excess traffic, parking, speeding and other nuisances. In late 2018, the council approved a parking ordinance that residents wanted because students of the nearby Argyle High School were parking in their streets instead of the school parking lot. Now, you have to have a parking sticker to park in the street in The Oaks during the day on a weekday.
Access rights to the gate will be provided to all mail and delivery services, Argyle ISD school buses, emergency vehicles, public and private utility operators, as well as the residents of The Oaks. The gate will have a Knox box and remote access panel to open/close the gate, according to the town. The Oaks HOA will be responsible for the installation, maintenance, repairs and liability associated with the gate. It will be located between Hwy 377 and the roundabout. Public access will still be available via Myrtle Lane and FM 407.
In its written proposal to the council, The Oaks HOA said its residents are “highly involved, proactive,” and their safety and quality of life is threatened by high traffic and high speeds by vehicles that “are primarily going to or from the Argyle High School parking lot.” The letter claims cars have been recorded going 72 mph in the 25 mph zone.
The council voted 4-1 to approve the agreement. Mayor Don Moser said the decision had been discussed for months and was not taken lightly, and it was based solely on public safety.
.jpg)
.jpg)
