Sheriff and county officials pledge steps on truck bans, stop signs and noise ordinance changes

Residents at a District 4 forum pressed county officials about truck traffic, speeding, stop signs and noise caused by shooting; Sheriff Tim Pounds and county staff described enforcement tactics and an ordinance change to give police clearer authority.

Sheriff Pounds described how his deputies vary enforcement locations along Post Road to address speeders and trucks and urged residents to report problems. He said the department will keep working the corridor and that enforcement has included placing officers in different locations so drivers cannot predict enforcement.

On truck restrictions, Pounds described a practical enforcement issue: judges were dismissing some citations when signage or advance notice was not visible to drivers. He told the meeting, "What I need you to do is get a sign at the top of Post Road when they get off on that X‑ramp that says no trucks on Post Road," saying that clear signage makes citations more likely to stand up in court. DOT and sheriff's staff agreed to coordinate on targeted signage and legal criteria to improve enforceability.

Commissioner Alcarez and DOT staff also said they are reviewing the county's noise and shooting rules after residents reported frequent, high‑volume shooting in rural areas. Alcarez said the ordinance language currently referenced a 500‑foot limit and that the board supports modifying the code to treat persistent or excessive shooting as a nuisance that law enforcement can address.

Residents pushed for stop signs and other traffic calming on St. Andrews Parkway and nearby streets. DOT staff explained that installation of stop controls follows warrant criteria such as traffic volumes and sight‑distance; they said counts run at some locations did not meet the technical criteria for stop signs. Officials discussed alternative calming measures and pledged to meet with the sheriff's office, the traffic captain and neighborhood leaders to identify enforceable remedies.

Speakers encouraged continued community reporting and follow‑up at county meetings. Officials said some short‑term signage and engineering changes could be deployed quickly while longer changes would follow formal review and warrant processes.