To the editor:
This issue of basketball hoops in the city’s right-of-ways sounds frivolous.
I do not live in Green Park, however I do not see any indication that the city prohibits basketball hoops on residential properties. Back when I was a real estate broker, I encountered a few area cities and several homeowners associations that did not allow basketball hoops even on private residential property in addition to standard prohibitions in the right-of-ways. However, Green Park had always allowed basketball hoops on residential property, therefore, since one can have a basketball hoop on their own property, it is not necessary to place basketball hoops in the right-of-ways.
This should not really be about basketball hoops. All personal property should usually be prohibited in the right-of-ways, not just basketball hoops. It should usually not be necessary to use the right-of-ways for anything other than vehicle operations and parking of vehicles. I grew up in Oakville, and my family had a basketball hoop that we used frequently. That basketball hoop was permanently installed within our property.
If there is a legitimate need for more space to play basketball in Green Park, the city could consider adding basketball hoops to its parks as a compromise.
Joe M. Garavaglia
South County