Portable basketball hoops have been a staple in neighborhoods for decades.

Instead of complaining about basketball hoops being out in the front of a house, you should be thankful there are some families who encourage their children to play outside and get off their phones/tablets.

Your comment shows just how grumpy and out of touch you are.

Slow down, it does get dark early BUT I'd rather those children be playing hoops rather than teaching themselves to cure boredom by breaking in to homes. Try talking nicely with your neighbor about placement. Maybe they don't realize it's in the way.

Get over it. They do not protrude into the street close to what space a parked car takes so you must be driving very close to the curb? Promote healthy activity instead of finding reasons to limit it. Be flexible and look at the bigger picture - can you deal with some basketball hoops against the curb for the sake of the kids in our community?

My issue with these is that the placement and attention to the needs of others is often neglected. The one in our culdesac is right next to the owners mailbox and the USPS driver must get out of his vehicle to put mail in the box. It blows over frequently and is down for days at a time. From blowing down to the pavement so often, the backboard is at a 45 degree angle, smashed to a trapezoid & fractured, the support welds broken and the plastic disintegrated from sun rot. And yes, the kids won't play with such a dysfunctional hoop set that somebody should fix for them, they are inside on the X-Box.

OK folks, you are losing your focus. I don't think Amy has anything against getting our youth off their backsides. I do think she asks a very legitimate question and brings up an even more legitimate issue. We are a society of laws and a respect for those laws. Amy is merely asking a question. Are portable basketball hoops in a public thoroughfare legal or not? If they are legal on the street / curbside then case closed and we can all move on. If they are not legal then our public servants have the responsibility to enforce the law and see that they are removed. It may be an undesirable law whatever the fact but it is what it is. If the facts reveal an undesirable outcome then you have a proven method to resolve by using the public process to either alter or change. If there is a law forbidding placement of these devices in the public thoroughfare then enforce it. If we are not going to enforce it then use the process to eliminate it.

I'm going to go to bat for Amy on this one, too. Personally, I've got nothing against basketball stands that are being used and enjoyed by kids, but I've seen too many (including one on our court) which are apparently abandoned and never used. No net on them, and no appearance of them having been used in ages. Doesn't appear that the owner of this particular one has any interest in taking the time and effort to have it carted away, and since it is either in the street or on the sidewalk it is a public issue. Would like to hear what the rules or laws are concerning basketball stands which are no longer used.

Amy,
You are a big part of the problem in Ptown! Many of us move the Ptown because it was a great place to raise a family.

Now all I here are people like you complaining about the kids and the activities for kids.

People like you complained about the Ice shaking rank. (no more ice skating)
Then the PPIE rune to raise money for the schools.

Then the noise from Amdor during a Friday Football game

Just Maybe you should look at what has made Ptown a great please to live and just maybe is has something to do with the kids you hate to see on Main St.

We are luck in Ptown for the most part we have a great group of kids.

Some find something that matters to complain about.

Grew up in Pleasanton before people like the OP ruled the landscape. Played countless games of basketball and street hockey with no complaints / accidents. Of course, that was the days before people could run to the Internet to complain about the things like basketball hoops in the street that make like so miserable. News flash, you live in the suburbs with big wide streets and plenty of parking for everyone, including basketball hoops. If you can't drive down the street without hitting a basketball hoop, you should put down the cellphone.

And, if you don't like looking at a hoop in the street, perhaps you should move to a place like Maine where the landscape is wide open and you can avoid such eyesores?

If your neighbors hoop is really trashed and sitting in the street and getting no use, perhaps you should talk to the neighbor in a friendly way versus running to the government to pass a law?

Most kids are playing, that's their job!

ta-ta

Signed,

Cholo Pololo Mololo

HOOPY HOOPS KEEP YOUNG FOLKS HEALTHY!

Mitch wrote: "If your neighbors hoop is really trashed and sitting in the street and getting no use, perhaps you should talk to the neighbor in a friendly way versus running to the government to pass a law?"

You of course realize that a responsible neighbor wouldn't leave his or her trashed and disused basketball hoop out on the public streets in the first place, right? Also, since the issue is properly a matter between the neighbor and the city, there is no need for any neighbor to talk to the owners of the offending basketball stand. Just inform the city. They can then decide whether to have a friendly talk with the owners or not.

How about you quit ranting and call the city to educate yourself regarding the ordinance that allows basketball stands in the street and forbids them on public sidewalks? Here's the city's number: 931.5677

It's true that basketball stands are not allowed on public sidewalks. Here's a City of Pleasanton web page dealing with code enforcement: Web Link

It states "Basketball standards placed on public sidewalks" as a code enforcement problem. However, that doesn't mean that basketball stands are unconditionally allowed on the streets, either, because it also says that another code enforcement problem is "Junk and other debris visible from a public street". I would say that some of the disused basketball stands that I've seen are appropriately labeled as "junk". And they're not just visible from a public street. They're actually on a public street or sidewalk.

Again, I've got no problem with basketball stands which are used and are in good repair. However, responsible owners should take care of properly disposing old basketball stands once they fall into a state of disrepair.

Why not put the hoop in the driveway or the yard?

Mike

I tried putting the hoop in my front yard, but the kids complained because they weren't able to dribble very well on the grass and through my rose bushes. Then I tried putting the hoop in my front driveway, but my driveway is at a 13% slant and the ball kept rolling out into a busy street at the end of my cul de sac.

I'd put it in front of my house, but I park there now because my garage is so cluttered. So, now I'm thinking about asking some of my neighbors if I can put the hoop in front of their homes. I think neighbors should be willing to sacrifice for one another, just like the Good Book says.

Amy states "With it getting late early".......?? Too busy ranting to check the text perhaps?

It's an illegal encroachment of the public right-of-way as defined in the City's Municipal Code section 13.04.050 Prohibited Encroachments, which states: "The following encroachments are specifically prohibited, and no applications will be accepted nor permits issued therefor:
G. Construction or placement of any fill, wall, pipe, column, pole, fence, tree, shrub or any other item within any right-of-way, or which would constrict and reduce the capacity of any watercourse to carry stormwater."

Before you start the bashing, my mother was nearly killed while walking down the sidewalk when a hoop in the street blew over and landed on her.

Call the City. End of story.

Here's a solution. Have your neighbor put reflectors on the backetball stands so it's clearly visible when you are driving.

I seriously don't understand how a simple question regarding the laws of our wonderful city is interpreted as whining but I guess each to their own. However thanks to those who provided us all with the formal code / law dealing with this issue. It speaks for itself and has nothing to do with anything personal or hateful. The devices that are placed on sidewalks and in the street are illegal. It would be nice to hear from some of our public officials on this subject and what they plan to do about it. I'm sure they read this publication. If not I would suggest that the publication send them a copy of all the responses for their review and COMMENT... Amy, kudos to you for bringing this issue to our attention.

Why don't owners put the hoops away when not in use? Unless they are being used daily, I am sure the far majority of the time, even during daylight hours, the hoops are not being used. Most hoops probably get used less than once a week, some more of course, but the majority are just an eye sore and left out for no reason at all times even during the night when they are more dangerous for drivers. If people on culdesacs want a hoop, they can ask for a permanent one to be put in which has the pole off the street, and follow the necessary approval channels for that.

Other than on culdesacs, I don't think it's responsible for parents to condone letting kids play in the streets. If you don't have room on your driveway or in your backyard, have the kids go to the park where there are hoops.

Additionally, this causes interference with city services, such as street cleaners, garbage trucks, and USPS delivery.

I also have a sister who was nearly killed by a falling basketball hoop. In fact, research shows there to be a .000000000001 chance on any given day of dying from a falling basketball hoop. Careful out there, folks. You're risking a lot just by walking to the mailbox.

Amy, please move as far away as possible from Pleasanton. I'm 40 years old and have been here my entire life. I have three kids that love to play outside and love to shoot hoops. Leave my children out of your pesky little complaints.

Old guy, not only are you old, but you're wrong. Basketball stands in the street are not illegal. If they were, countless citizens would be cited and the practice would stop. Call the city office tomorrow on your rotary dial phone and educate yourself while you still can.

It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood;
a beautiful day to be neighborly.
Won't you be my self-centered neighbor?

It's interesting what has come out of this discussion, the lack of respect, kindness, and relationships with neighbors. It seems to me the issue is not really with the hoops, but rather the state of our community that no longer communicates with their neighbors. I wasn't raised this way, were you?

My son's hoop was on the sidewalk and we were cited- the notice just asked that we move it from the sidewalk to the street.

Please do everyone in Pleasanton a favor. If you don't like it move as far away as possible. I heard Antarctica has no basketball hoops and its quite pleasant this time of year.

I love Pleasanton, but have moved away due to the petty entitled "know nothing" crowd that has over run the town. Basketball hoops are a sign of success to Pleasanton that there is still trust in the neighborhood, civility amongst the kids and neighborly citizenship between the houses. It sounds like some of you would like to use the city name of Pleasanton as a status symbol, rather than lifestyle choice. Pleasanton was a community that cared for it's kids and unfortunately Amy makes it unbearable to even look at moving back due to the fear that she would file charges for "trespassing" when coming over to introduce myself and family as the new neighbors. Not coming back.

Dear Right,

Are we playing opposites? Because Mr./Ms Right in this case is wrong. The city was asked (see call the city response above). These devices ARE illegal when placed on the sidewalk or in the street. Not only are they a danger to us humans they also as noted in the code can block drainage, hinder refuse pickup and deter a law abiding citizen from parking. The fact that our city rarely enforces this code does not make it right. I understand and support individual property rights however yours and mine stop at the property line. By the way I'm sure we are all patiently waiting on some brave public official to chime in regarding this issue.

@ Clare - I gotta say I loved both of your posts; great sense of humor!

For all you people that have lived in Pleasanton all your lives I highly doubt that any, or at least most, of you had basketball hoops in the street. You had to go to the local school or park to play, or you used the one tacked to your garage or in your backyard. People everywhere have turned into such self-centered and self-important jerks who feel they have the right to do whatever they want no matter how it impacts others for the simple reason that it's BECAUSE I WANT TO OR I WANT THAT AND JUST STUFF IT EVERYONE ELSE!!! Oh, and Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas, Happy Chanukhah, and Happy Kwanzaa!!

Nothing wrong with basketball hoops sitting nicely next to the curb. It's out of peoples' way and not causing problems. What is an eye sore, is the basketball hoop across the street from my parents house that has been on it's side and literally in the middle of the sidewalk, for over a month.

BTW, if you can't see the hoop when you're driving/parking at your house because it's getting dark, there is something called headlights.

There are seven portable basketball hoops on my street, which is about a 1/4 mile in length. One is actually on the owner's property and only overhangs the sidewalk. One has been facedown, blocking the sidewalk since the wind storm a couple weeks ago, and the others are either in the street or on the sidewalk. They have wheels on them and the owners could actually move them so they aren't blocking public property and access...but they don't and as such, the equipment is actually a public nuisance. None of the comments have said kids shouldn't have fun or they can't use them, just that they need to be stored out of the way. Plenty of fine folks in this town however, just want to tell their neighbors to "shove it". I'm looking forward to moving away from here after this having been home for over 40 years.

Someone just asked a very simple question regarding an ordinance.
Streets are dark and someone can potentially run into one of these hoops and get hurt. Not all of us have 20/20 vision.
Kids can continue play while having these hoops on the driveway. We have many parks in this town.
Why are some people so closed minded asking people to move away just because they pointed out an issue that they may not agree with it.
This is a good example of a dysfunctional society. Now you wonder why congress is in such a mess!
Just get along and be respectful. You can disagree but don’t be nasty.

My point being that one's property should be kept on one's property. We set our hoop up in the back yard. Sure, it gets in the way of some other things that I might want to do back there, but I sleep better at night knowing that I'm not getting in your way.

Mike

Max: "Not all of us have 20/20 vision." And you're presumably driving a motor vehicle, at night, no less? Basketball stands should be the least of our concerns with drivers who have inadequate vision to propel a rolling weapon. I'm keeping my basketball stand in the street in front of our property, as it may slow your progress onto the sidewalk and into our front yard.

ANYTHING placed in the street is unlawful, this includes the plastic "children playing" signs. Streets are considered state highways and the person placing an object in the street may be cited . Call PPD to report as they pose a danger to motorists and cyclists.

Also, anyone placing such an object in the street is liable for damages, both personal and property.

re: basketball stands in the street. Here is the thing. We paid taxes to build the streets and roads. what is in the street? cars. what do cars do? They go fast and can hurt people. What do parents do? They are supposed to watch their kids and keep them from harm. Letting kids play in the street is not protecting the kids. Put a goal over the garage like responsible parents do and protect your children from harm and not teach them to break the law by putting the goal in the street and taking advantage of other people's rights. Parents who put the goals in the street are irresponsible and lazy. they do not want to mess up their lawns and landscaping by allowing their children to play in their own yards but expect the public to be aware of kids playing in the street where they should not be thereby making the public responsible for keeping their kids safe. I think the Pleasanton Police should issue citations for these violations and then maybe these slobs will stop infringing on the rights of the public.

What k.d. and other nimbys and non sports inclined nerds fail to grasp is that basketball stands
are in the street to take advantage of the space required to play either half or full court basketball games.
Maybe k.d. has room for a full court game in his spread, but most citizens of this city don't.
Complain as you might, no one will be deprived of their ability to play basketball in the street in front of their home based on your whining. It's your right to complain endlessly, but you're just wasting your breath and space that could be occupied with something positive.