Security Update 

After a brief mention about the Coastal Bicycle Touring Club (CBTC) assisting with our Courtesy Safety Inspection event in September’s Security Update, I received several requests for reminders about bicycle safety. I found a few excellent resources that provide plenty of helpful information. The League of American Bicyclists website (bikeleague.org/ridesmartvideos) offers various videos and in-depth safety reminders. Another great resource is the Bicyclist Pocket Guide published by Georgia Bikes (georgiabikes.org/resources/bicyclist-pocket-guide). It provides some good statistics and information about Georgia bike laws.

After some recent observations in our community, I had the following notable takeaways:

• Some cyclists (and golf cart drivers) continue failing to stop at stop signs.
• Some cyclists under age 16 are not wearing helmets. Personally, I support helmets at any age.
• Cyclists must ride in the same direction as traffic on roadways.

In the past, drivers had no affirmative duty to change lanes when overtaking a cyclist. However, lawmakers amended the law (O.C.G.A. §40-6-56) as of July 1, 2021. The new statute states that when passing a cyclist, a driver must move over into the adjacent lane if it is safe and legal to do so. If unable to change lanes, the driver must slow down to a speed limit that is either 10 MPH below the posted speed limit or to 25 MPH, whichever is higher. Once the driver has reduced speed, they must maintain at least three feet of room between their vehicle and the cyclist when passing. Georgia lawmakers gave teeth to this new requirement by punishing noncompliance as a misdemeanor carrying up to a $250 fine.

Short-term rentals were a hot topic several years ago. Although the discussion has fizzled out, the subject remains on our radar. As a reminder, Landings residents may rent their dwelling for residential purposes only. Rentals for hotel purposes, timeshare, or fractional ownership purposes are not allowed under The Landing Association’s Covenants. In May 2017, the Board formalized the definition of hotel purposes as meaning fewer than 30 days. Renting through services such as VRBO and Airbnb is not a violation of our Covenants unless the rental is for fewer than 30 days. Security staff continue to monitor these sites. If a property is listed for fewer than 30 days, we try to identify the property so we can educate the property owner and fine, as necessary, to gain compliance.