Updated:  08.20.25

PROJECT STATUS

City Council authorized the award of a construction contract on March 20, 2024. Prior to the start of construction, it was discovered there were fledglings of Cooper’s hawks near the project location. Construction was put on hold until it was confirmed that the fledgling raptors cleared the nesting site in late July.  Project construction resumed in mid-August through September 2024.  In late June, 2025, the contractor remobilized to install a meter pedestal establishing the power connection to the gate.  The project was completed in July and City Council accepted the Notice of Completion in August 2025. .

ABOUT THE PROJECT 

The project consists of a new emergency access gate between Wales Drive and Crest Drive and pavement replacement throughout Wales Drive. The replacement of pavement consists of grind and overlay of the previous emergency asphalt pavement installation, and the intersection between Lake Drive and Wales Drive.

BACKGROUND  

In February 2023, a heavy rain event undermined Lake Drive causing a sinkhole and temporary closure of Lake Drive between Sea Village Way and Wales Drive for emergency repairs.

This required the opening of the junction between Crest Drive and Wales Drive to allow emergency ingress and egress for the residences along Wales Drive.  Temporary paving was installed in the emergency access area, which had been closed since the area's original development in the 1970's. 

Staff held community meetings on May 17, 2023, July 31, 2023, and October 16, 2023, to explore design options, including consideration of returning the area to the pre-project conditions and opening the road permanently to through traffic.   

The options and feedback were presented to City Council on January 17, 2024.  City Council determined that a remote access fire gate would maintain consistency with the original condition of the approved subdivision and would best meet the needs of the community to provide a safe, quick and efficient method of emergency access, and authorized staff to continue with the design and installation of a permanent emergency access gate.   

Construction was expected to be begin in Summer 2024, however a family of nesting raptors was located immediately adjacent to the construction site, so the project was placed on hold until the raptors had left the nesting site, which was confirmed in July 2024.