City Of American Canyon Online Community Forums

Well, not here, not yet.

Recently, I informed the Council of the growing issue of portable basketball courts.

Most of these courts are blocking public right of ways, like sidewalks, and city streets. It is not at all safe to have children with their attention on a basketball game playing in the street. This is why was spends millions of dollars to created public parks.

The day will come when some child is injured or run over by an unaware motorist while playing in the street, and then the stupidity of having kids playing basketball in street with motorists driving by will be looked at for what it is- an accident waiting to happen.

I remember when bicycle helmets were a big issue. When I think of the lifes they have saved, it specifically reminds me of a schoolmate lying on the street with his head cracked open, unconcious, bleeding from the skull, and a number of us just looking at him and his bicycle laying nearby. I was 11 years old. I never forgot it. These and other accidents like it lead to MANDATORY helmet laws for all children. Well done, I say.

Personally, I would not like to re-live the accident I saw, in our city.

Less an argument, but just as valid, is the blocking of sidewalks for elderly, handicap, and especially very small children who may be riding tricylces and such. Shall all these individuals go into the street as well?

Speaking of the street, the right of way for public cars, motorcycles, and bicycles, these courts are also a potential hazard here too.

Further, they keep the street cleaner from doing thier job as they must drive around them.

Most of these courts are as well unsightly, several are in disrepair, and a good number are held up with bags of concrete, cement blocks, or some other unsitely wieght.

And finally, the majority end up living right where they are put up- day after day, month after month, year after year.

Recenly, I was in Rocklin Ca, looking at some open homes with my nephen. On just one street, I counted 14 individual basketball courts. 14 on one block!

My view is that these courts are not safely located on city streets and sidewalks, and in fact, just don't belong there.

They clutter the community, and are often never moved. Imagine if no one brought in their garbabe cans, and we all left them sitting in the street week after week. That would look lovely in your new nieghborhood, wouldn't it.

I suggested at the last council meeting that these courts should be banned on city streets and sidewalks, as they are in some cities now.

Hopefully, the council will take some action on it. Our community will be better for it, and the children of this community safer because of it.

I recently wrote an article for the Napa Solano post on this issue, and in the last issue, mentioned it in the article entitled " neighborly manners".

It would be helpful if others who feel the same would contact thier council members or bring it up at the next council meeting at the public comment period.



Paul Maguire

“It’s always been an issue of safety,” said Sgt. Terry Whitfield of Novi, which passed its ban in 1978 and handles complaints with warnings, not citations. “You don’t want kids playing in the street. I don’t care how careful they are, a car can come.”

The trend to prohibit childs’ play in the streets has picked up elsewhere, too. Communities in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Kentucky, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Oregon and Maryland have passed measures to prohibit sports equipment in streets.

“This is going to be a nationwide problem,” said Matthew Candland, town manager of Sykesville, Md., which banned outdoor sports equipment in public streets in 2003. “These things are everywhere.”

Candland said a study conducted in his community of 1,000 households found that more than 100 had portable hoops. “Jurisdictions are going to have to deal with this. This is just the beginning.”

Troy, named the best sports town in Michigan by Sports Illustrated magazine this year, bans street games that interfere with the flow of traffic. Police advise kids to look for dead-end streets or use the city’s recreational services.

Recognizing that kids are often barred from playing hockey and other sports in the city’s many business parking lots, Troy built a skate park and established a roller hockey rink that’s open during summer, Sgt. Robert Kowalski said.

Still, the number of complaints about kids blocking traffic with sports equipment has remained steady over the years — just a few each summer month, Kowalski said. Kids sometimes prefer the convenience of playing in the streets over traveling a few miles to a park, rec center or aquatic center.


Dearborn debate



In Dearborn, officials say the problem with sports equipment is that some children playing ball in the street refuse to move when cars approach, angering motorists.

The issue of banning equipment could be on the Dearborn City Council agenda as early as its April 20 meeting. The council was set to approve the measure March 16, but backed away after public pressure. The ordinance would prohibit portable basketball hoops, hockey nets, skate boarding ramps and other sports equipment on city streets.

The proposal to ban sports equipment from the streets already has been sent to the city’s youth commission, which recommended placing equipment off streets and at least 10 feet from curbs.

Another recent article on this issue

Citing safety concerns, communities in Kentucky, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oregon and Pennsylvania have banned the placement of portable hoops in or around streets. Others are shooting to do the same.
No one, it seems, is against a friendly game of two-on-two.
The problem is that portable hoops have become permanent fixtures, according to municipal officials who say they pose hazards to emergency vehicles, trash trucks and the players themselves.
"We all want to be Mayberry, but no government official can look a parent in the eye and say `It's OK for your children to play in the street,"' said Police Chief Kenneth Ridinger.

So you want to ban basketball hoops from the street. Do you honestly think this will keep kids from ever playing in the street? What is next? What about touch football? roller blading? riding bikes and scooters? skateboarding? playing catch? hitting a tennis ball? have you ever played kick the can on grass in the front yard? I played in the street in front of my house, and my kids do now. Is it totally safe? Not always. But is going to the park always safe? There can be fights, kidnappings, drive-bys. It seems the only ones that complain are the ones who dont have kids, or their kids are grown. I agree the hoops block the street sweeper, and should be moved on these days. But the hoops do not take up anymore room than a parked car. So if your going to ban basketball hoops, then I think you should ban all playing in the street. Which is kind of ridiculous. I think we all did it. How about having the drivers, slow down while in residential neighborhoods. The streets can be dangerous, and the kids need to be cautioned. I just cant see how playing basketball in the street would be illegal, but you can throw a football or baseball around all you want. Where does it stop?

American Canyon has parks available for kids? Not everywhere, I live on the "other side of the traks" and we do not have a park, hoop or even a way to ride your bike or walk to the nearest one. Furthermore the Veterans Park that will be on this side will not have any hoops (the same bozos who are complaining about the hoops in the driveways fought against having them in our park). What are children to do? I agree with the reader above, ban the broken cars, boats, people parking on the streets, this will be the first step toward safety. Second patrol the streets for cars driving to fast down residential areas. Third remember this is a family community, be a mentor to our children, stop judging every kid as a hoodlum.

I guess I will comment as well.

I grew up in AmCan, in a small court full of crazy kids like myself. We played cops and robbers, one kid had a basketball hoop always outside, we rollerbladed, we played hide n go seek, we played baseball, we played hockey. Not one person was ever injured and the only people who ever got mad was an old couple that just hated children.

Although you made some valid points I wouldnt back any resolution to ban hoops. I think its ridiculous really, my neighbor was warned several times for leaving it outside, to the point that they were forced to carry this heavy metal hoop up a hill and into their garage every night.

I for one am very upset with how agressive the local enforcement of codes is, growing up in a small court, almost everybody had a problem or was fined for doing something against the city codes. One neighbor because their dog barked too loud, another for leaving a hoop outside, another for parking their car frontways instead of sideways at the edge of their own driveway, another for not wearing a helmet while riding a bike in their court, and one time the cops came to complain because about 10-15 of us were playing hide and go seek at 11:00pm in the summer time with some parents outside on the lawn chatting.

Yes, you can argue in each case we violated some code or law, but isnt there a point when its too much? What are kids suppose to do when everything they do somebody is complaining about them. I know for adults, who were once kids, its hard to put yourself in a kids shoes, but I wasnt a kid that long ago, I still remember being a kid in AmCan, and I say let the children be children, but be a parent and teach your own kids the manners, dont let the city decide. Its everybody's neighborhood, not just yours you know, some people just dont understand, they dont own the neighborhood, just because you dont like something doesnt mean you run up to the council and whine about it. "Oh, neighbor X parked 2 inches from the curb, it doesnt look good when everybody else is 1 inch from the curb and his car is sticking out!" This is my opinion, blunt as always, criticism welcome as always!

Paul: I look forward to reading your article in the Post, will look for it and see what you have to say. Thanks for you input as always!

This has been a battle between the city and citizens for many years...I agree that my child should be able to play basketball at home if her/she wants...Personally I got tired of the noise from the hoop hanging over the garage( which we all grew up with) I refused to buy a free standing hoop because of the asthetics...As stupid as it sounds, I don't like the look of them but appreciate the value of having your children playing in front of your house instead of "out of sight". As the city grows it seems to me that more hoops are disappearing. Paul, I have always felt that a hoop in the street is an accident waiting to happen...

Paul has hit the nail right on the head. It is not that any of us want to PREVENT kids from playing in our front yards... quite the contrary.... it is a good sign of an active vibrant neighborhood and has an effect of keeping crime away. Kids can play in front of my house anytime.

The hoops blocking sidewalks and the inconsiderate owners who let them rust and become public nuisances are the problem. I would suggest the two have NOTHING to do with each other. I would support the City doing active enforcement to cite the owners. Let's get rid of the eyesores. See the Neighborhood Preservation Ordinance!

I would suggest the two have NOTHING to do with each other.

Good point! We shouldnt be going after the hoops, we should go after the people who dont care for them.

Rules, regulations, ordinances- a PIA- sometimes, yes- But often for the greater good. Do you give up some freedoms to live in a community- absolutely. For the greater good of everyone who lives there.

I have no objection to kids playing hoops- who would, I love hoops. But can our city officials actually support kids playing in the street? NO. Especially, in a town like ours, that has commuter traffic going down side streets to get home- tired from work, not paying attention, talking on cell phones, etc- then to have kids playing in the street, thier attention into the game- it IS a disaster waiting to happen.

The vast majority of these hoops are blocking sidewalks and streets, sitting there, day after day, week after week, month after month. In our city, you can leave your car on the street for 72 hours, then it is subject to towing. There doesnt seem much objection to that? But apparently, it's ok to leave your portable basketball court, with blocks or cement bags on it, on the sidewalk or in the street for months at a time.

It make NO SENSE at all.

Kid friendly this city is not. Look at the infrstructure on Broadway where the sidewalk ends, and you have to walk on the street to continue due to the overgrown weeds. Where is the bicycle lane? How are kids suppose to cross AC road to go to grammer school. Sure, there is a plan to fix it, but in the meantime, I guess kids just are not suppose to walk in that direction? No recreation activities planned in the veterans park- and no bathroom facilities in new "town center" as I understand it? I guess with all the landscaping, you can pee behind a bush, if your a kid, right?

Frankly, failure to include restrooms in public parks, failure to include recreation faciilities in the veterans park, approving a wal mart without an environmental impact report- hey look, I ran, I didnt win, you will have to talk to the powers that be. FOr the most part, I think the city has done well with the resources they have- but even so, these are oversights that are unfortunate.

I am not anti kid. I am pro kid. IN fact, when I ran for council, I agreed to donate my pay for the first year to the boys and girls club of AC. ANd I would have.

This is not an anti kid issue at all. This is a SAFETY issue, a handicap issue, and an aesthetic issue.

With regard to people running down to the council and whining about stuff, well, I guess people do that from time to time.

As far as safety at Parks, I think that when you look at the overall use of hte parks, it is minimal. But if you look the overall use of these basketball courts, it is even less.

Mentoring kids, heres an idea- dont play in street and get run over by some drunk idoit! Mentoring kids, how about put your stuff away. Mentor kids, hey, think of others and dont block the sidewalk for those who cannot walk, or need a cane to get around. All these are good mentoring messages- and no one said anything about kids being trouble makers or criminals-

Ok, so maybe we dont ban em, I can live with that-lets compromise- but at least lets agree to keep them off the sidewalk and off the street, and put them away when not in use- they do have wheels. Perhaps we have a 72 hour ordinance, the same as cars. But something needs to be done about it- thats my view of it.

Paul Maguire

Now were getting some where. I dont like the ban idea. But I hate blocked sidewalks and cluttered gutters as well. Parents put the hoops away when not in use. And a 72 hour ban sounds good.

So Paul, what is your recommendation for eliminating this "accident waiting to happen" and eyesore?

Thats an easy one. Put the cars in the garage or on the curb, and put the portable basketball hoop in front on the garage, or too the side so the kids are in the driveway shooting, not in the street, as most of them are set up.

As an alternative, put the hoop base at the end of hte driveway near the sidewalk, with the hoop facing towards the house, so again the kids are not in the street. If they miss and the ball goes into the street, then they can stop , look, and enter to get it. Currently, if they miss, the way most are set up, the kids are in the street, and the ball lands in the front yard.
The idea would be to get the kids out of the street.

And how about this- they have to be put away after dark, or 9 pm, or after 72 hours( a good weekend) or some other timeframe, so they are not sitting there. They should be kept off sidewalks and streets, always.

The city can work out whatever motivation they need to get residents to comply- letters, fine, confiscation, whatever. I would suggest that the city ALWAYS ask in a polite and friendly way first, then if there is no compliance, go from there to other measures.

The city recreation department could sponsor a tuesday or friday hoop jam session, at the park- pick up games, etc say betwwn 4-7 , have some music going kids like, create a contest , or some other game of it. The whole idea would be to get the kids to start using the park, and have it at a different park on different nights.

That would be my recommendation to solve it.

You mentioned See the Neighborhood Preservation Ordinance! WHere is this located at? ONline or at the city? THanks Paul

Without getting into a rant about the "Colcleaser Era" after 1996, the Ordinance is/was in the books in City Hall and was started by the Planning Commission under Tom Orlando/Rick Mahanay to address the problem of RV parking in the streets that was blocking line-of-site thru the intersections. We, too, were waiting for the "accident to happen" when a child would ride a bicycle thru the intersection and a car would strike the child because the driver couldn't see beyond the RV. The ordinance may have been "watered down" by Colcleaser/Luporini (her name was Maples in those days) et. al. but it had many of the things you wanted to see in your excellent article in the papers.

Back in 1986, this was arguably a different community with different needs. If you look at the needs of 5000 or so folks living in town, and 20K , its a much different looking city with a different make up demographically.

My call on it is that there are some ordinances that would have worked fine and may have been the right decision for the time, but today, would not be workable or the right decision for today.

I have no wish to second guess but rather to move forward from here with workable ordinances that are straight forward and simple, known by the community, and allow everyone to live in general harmony together.

For example, if you look at some of the paint colors of homes in older communities, or the complete change of a neighborhood look and feel by a homeowner, or the disrepair of a neglected house on a nice street, or the broken wrecks sitting in some driveways year after year, its hard to argue against some ordinances that help keep the city looking good. SUch ordinances maintian property values and set up rules that when followed, keep nieghborhoods looking good, and maintain property values for everyone on the street.

I remember a few times in fixing up foreclosures of painting a neigbors property for free, just so I could sell mine, as they did not maintain theirs. The rule was though, as we fixed up a house, others would soon fix up their own, because they forgot it could look so good. Paul

Paul, have you thought about moving to a senior housing development, where kids are not allowed. This might be easier then dealing with portable hoops in your neighborhood.

Your post is an example of taking a personal shot at me, rather than discussing the issue. This is a waste of time, and I would suggest to you, unproductive.
Lets talk about the issues-pro and con, and avoid criticism or personal shots which don't do much but cause discord and division.

I brought this issue up because it is an issue- u can see from the thread and the postings that others agree, some disagree, but most likely there is some middle ground to resolve the concerns here.

In the interest of all involved, I am looking for our community to take action on it in the near term, and I think that we may be able to get a workable ordinance that is favorable, improves safety, and is reasonable and fair.

Whats wrong with that? Isnt that the way it should be.

This is not a matter of hating kids and not letting kids have fun. There may be slightly safer streets than others in this whole town..but we cannot judge and say kids can play on x street because it is a cul de sac but not there because it is a busy intersection.

I live in a gated community, so the streets are not that busy except for our homeowners and vistors and kids run, bike, walk and play in the streets all the time. They are lulled into a false sense of security here because it is gated and we don't have busy public traffic..BUT they are still public streets that shouldn't be played in. Some kids had a standard up on a corner lot this past Sunday afternoon and were playing in the streets on the intersection of two streets here..cars are coming in, the sun can be blinding at that time and kids do not always pay attention..even when you are going slow. Why don't the parents concrete their back yards and put the hoops back there? Some of my neighbors have done that and others think it okay for their kids to be in the middle of the street during the hours that people are coming home from work and driving through.

I agree..do we just wait for the first kid to get injured or killed because they were playing in the street..or do we do something about it? I feel for the kids not having parks and spaces to play other than the street..that is the problem with the tightly packed developments we all moved in to that don't leave space for small parks or public courts and of course tiny back yards but we also have to consider that public sidewalks should never be obstructed by ANYTHING that forces people to have to sidestep into the street or off a curb or something to get around them. I was even hit by a ball when walking down a street..kids were playing and the standard was on the curb just to the side of their driveway. I walked around the standard..behind it..and the kids saw me..but they went ahead and shot the ball to the hoop..missed...maybe on purpose..and hit me with the ball instead as I walked by..no harm, no foul..but still...what if someone was pushing a baby carriage and it smacked the kid?

Anyway..there are two sides to this..I err on the side of safety BEFORE something happens..

I agree with the last guests comments. Perhaps we will see something acted upon at the city level soon. Paul

I was making a turn on Oriale Court this past Sunday and as I came around the corner, there is this young kid right in front of me in the middle of the street with a basketball in his hand- he looked about 5 or 6, little guy- it was mid day, but there he was, and I thought, this is exactly what I am talking about. He just froze there for a moment totally surprised, I stopped and waiting for his shock to end, and he moved off the street. This is a dead end court, but his house is the second in, just out of the line of site of the turn.

There was an open house across the street that day too, which brought additional cars to the area.