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GRF agrees to test new gate system [The Orange County Register](Orange County Register (CA) Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) Oct. 08--LAGUNA WOODS -- The Golden Rain Foundation board agreed Tuesday to install a new gate system as a pilot program at Gates 5 and 6 and set aside $363,000 for the project. The vote was 6-2, with 2 abstentions. The system will use a single visitor management and access control database, which will be integrated with the current software database. It will rely on radio frequency identification (RFID) and license plate recognition to allow access through Village gates. The board also approved spending an additional $45,000 to purchase new RFID tags for resident and GRF vehicles and $33,200 annually for software costs. Margaret Klein, chair of the Security and Community Access Committee, said she believed the projections were higher than what the actual project will cost. Gates 5 & 6 were chosen, Klein said, because that area has the highest population density in the Village and the gates are among the busiest in the community. Those gates are used to access Emeritus classes at Clubhouse Four, so nonresident usage can also be monitored, Klein noted. Still to be determined, Klein said, is whether the duration of the pilot project will be 12 or 18 months. Director Dick Palmer opposed the project, saying the community has a low crime rate with the existing gates. "I don't see spending the money if we don't need to do it." Klein countered that the crime rate is low, but that could change. "To think that this community can stay in the bubble of paper being our system, I think is just unrealistic." In 2006, GRF updated the computerized access control system with new visitor management systems to ease gate traffic congestion and to computerize access control tracking functions for vehicle decals and gate passes. In 2007, the closed circuit television surveillance camera system was replaced. In 2008, a new card-swipe system to monitor and allow access to some GRF facilities and gates was installed. The systems help control almost 10 million vehicle and pedestrian entries into the community annually. IN OTHER ACTION The board voted to convert an area of the Village Equestrian Center being used as a horse stall back to a hospitality room, with costs not to exceed $15,000. The board unanimously agreed to extend the hours at Pool 5 to 9 p.m. through October. The costs will be capped at $2,200, and existing staff will be used. The board voted to set aside $38,650 to modify the Aliso Creek walk path and $18,700 to replace the bridge guardrail. The board also approved a plan to install LED lights in 26 fixtures at Clubhouse Five parking lot for a cost of $6,644. If lighting coverage is inadequate an additional 15 LED lights will be installed at a cost of $3,975. ___ (c)2014 The Orange County Register (Santa Ana, Calif.) Visit The Orange County Register (Santa Ana, Calif.) at www.ocregister.com Distributed by MCT Information Services |