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Some cities friendly to street hoops
Some cities friendly to street hoops
By Tony Bizjak - Bee Staff Writer Last Updated 6:07 am PDT Monday, July 16, 2007 Story appeared in METRO section, Page B1 http://www.sacbee.com/101/story/274593.html Portable basketball hoops planted in the parking lanes of residential streets have long been lightning rods for controversy. A reader brought up the topic recently, saying he was tired of dodging people as he drove down his street. Street hoops are dangerous, disrespectful to drivers and send the wrong message about what a street is for, he argued. There is an equally ardent argument to be made in the opposite direction, we think. People who put them up will tell you they are a wholesome slice of Americana, a tradition like apple pie (but without calories). Plenty of people have grown up playing hoops or other sports in the street in front of their houses, and they survived and seem to respect cars enough to get out of their way. The philosophical divide is unlikely to be resolved. But there is a real question of what's legal. We checked with several local cities and the county of Sacramento, and found that rules differ. Most local ordinances ban basketball baskets, skateboard ramps, tetherball poles and other sports stuff from the street or sidewalk. There are some interesting exceptions we'll get to in a moment. Candy Armstrong, a code official for the city of Elk Grove, offers her city's straightforward view on its ban. "We stress public safety," she said. "We don't encourage people playing in the street." The city has parks for that, she pointed out. Safety isn't the only reason for bans or why people complain about street hoops. The hoops take up parking spots and are unsightly in some neighbors' eyes. Folsom and Roseville officials have a different -- shall we say laissez-play -- attitude. In those cities, you are allowed to have a basketball basket -- or other sports equipment -- in the street as long as you are using it. When the game's over, you have to cart it off the street and onto your property. Folsom city spokeswoman Sue Ryan said she isn't sure why her city is more lenient, other than that Folsom is a sporty, "family-friendly" kind of place. "It just hasn't posed a problem," she said. Roseville has the same rule as Folsom. Spokesman Jason Probst said Roseville officials are trying to strike a balance between safety and neighborhood livability. "We want our residents to enjoy activities in front of their home," Probst said. "You see (hoops) more in cul-de-sacs and streets where people are driving residential speeds, 15 to 20 miles per hour." He suggested hoops on residential streets may even serve as a traffic calming device, causing drivers to go slower than they otherwise would. One thing's definite: No hoops allowed on sidewalks. There isn't enough room for them and for people with strollers, wheelchairs, walkers, etc. Officials around the region say hoop owners generally obey the rules without problem when told. If you live in the city of Sacramento and don't obey, they'll call technical foul -- and cart the hoop away. This hoops discussion stems from last week's column -- where we left some unfinished business. We wrote that the city of Sacramento allows RVs to be parked in the driveway for only two days, or on the street 72 hours. A bunch of readers asked: What about in the county? The county has no specific RV rules. You can park them in the driveway as long as you want, as long as they are operable. But no vehicles are allowed more than 72 hours in one spot on the street. |
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