DOVER, Del. - A proposed Dover ordinance aimed at improving traffic and pedestrian safety has sparked a debate over where children can safely play close to home.
Monday night, Dover City Council is expected to hold the final reading on an ordinance that would prohibit portable basketball hoops and other play equipment from being left unattended in the public right-of-way for more than 30 minutes.
The proposal also defines "play equipment" to include basketball goals, nets, ramps, swings, slides and climbing frames.
For Tabitha Sarver, the ordinance could have a major impact on her family.
About six months ago, she and her husband spent about $1,000 on a portable basketball hoop for their three sons. She says the hoop has become more than just a place to shoot baskets—it's where neighborhood kids gather almost every day while parents can keep an eye on them.
"We bought this about six months ago and we wanted a good place for our kids to be able to play where we could see them and know who they're hanging out with and making sure they're safe," Sarver said. "My oldest son is out here, I would say, three hours a day playing."
Sarver says the nearest parks with basketball courts aren't within a comfortable walking distance, and she doesn't always feel they're safe for her children to visit on their own.
"We definitely need this because there's nothing that I feel safe with them walking to," Sarver said. "We have this school park, but it's not monitored. A lot of times we go over and kind of check up on them if they do want to go, and we're like, 'We don't think that person's good to be around. We don't know that person.'"
She also worries complying with the ordinance would be difficult.
Her husband serves in the Air Force and is often away during the day, and with another child on the way, Sarver says moving the heavy basketball hoop every time it sits unused for more than 30 minutes isn't realistic.
Supporters of the ordinance say the proposal is designed to prevent dangerous situations before they happen.
Councilman Roy Sudler Jr., one of the ordinance's sponsors, said he backed the measure because of concerns about traffic and pedestrian safety.
In a statement to WBOC, Sudler said children chasing basketballs into the street—especially from behind parked vehicles—can create dangerous situations for both drivers and young pedestrians. He said the city should also continue looking for affordable recreational opportunities through its parks and recreation programs.
Councilman Dave Anderson says he understands both sides of the debate.
He noted that some roads carry significantly more traffic than others and believes the ordinance should reflect those differences.
"I've seen a child get hit," Anderson said. "Once you see it, you can't unsee it."
Anderson said he plans to propose an amendment that would distinguish between low-traffic neighborhood streets and busier roads with higher speed limits.
He believes the city can find a compromise that protects children while still encouraging outdoor recreation.
"Both sides, I think, have a valid point," Anderson said. "The people who don't want it at all because of safety, the people who want it because it will bring together community and make it safer in other ways. I think a compromise can be met."
If approved, the ordinance would prohibit portable play equipment from being left unattended in the public right-of-way for more than 30 minutes but would not prohibit children from playing basketball in neighborhood streets during the day.
