The borough is working to make sure kids can still have fun playing on their neighborhood streets, but in a safer way.
Haddonfield commissioners unanimously approved an ordinance on first reading at their meeting on Tuesday, May 10 about game equipment and other objects being prohibited in the streets. The commissioners wanted to be clear the ordinance is not banning play in the streets, but objects of play being left in the streets.
“We want the kids to be outside playing, but we want to do it safely,” Commissioner Neal Rochford said.
This ordinance amending the borough code came about because of people leaving items such as sports nets and trashcans in the street. According to Rochford, this is a safety concern for cars, sweepers and snowplows.
“It has come to our attention that people are putting out basketball courts on the road. We are OK playing with them on the road, as long as the base remains on the park strip. What has been happening is that people are putting the base out in the street, and we are concerned about cars, sweepers and snowplows,” Rochford said.
According to the ordinance:
• A basketball pole, basket and backboard assembly, whether stationary or moveable, is prohibited at any time from being placed in a public street or public thoroughfare utilized by motor vehicles.
• Game equipment, such as hockey goals or soccer goals, utilized to play games in the public street or public thoroughfare must be removed after the game has ended, and in no event may this type of equipment remain in a public street or public thoroughfare overnight.
• Other objects such as trash receptacles, storage containers, recyclable containers, construction materials, demolition materials, tools, equipment, non-registered vehicles, landscape materials, toys, shrubs, branches, vegetation and other such objects are prohibited at any time from being placed in a street or public thoroughfare utilized by motor vehicles.
Police Chief Ted Stuessy said this ordinance is consistent with other communities’ ordinances.
Rochford wanted it to be very clear that play is not prohibited; it is just the objects being left in the streets.
“We really don’t want anything left in the street, so we are prohibiting any type of items; but still, at the same time, allow the kids to play in the street. They can do that, but they have to remove the equipment immediately. We are just trying to make it safer for everyone,” Rochford said.
The public hearing and second reading of this ordinance will be at the next commissioners meeting on Tuesday, May 24 at 7:30 p.m. in Borough Hall.
In other news:
• Commissioners approved the Partnership for Haddonfield 2016 budget on second reading. The budget is $381,350. Last year’s was $372,300. This increase would be funded by budgeting of the higher Craft & Fine Arts Festival results seen in 2015 at $49,000 and a carryover of unspent marketing and administration money. Copies of the budget can be picked up at Borough Hall.
• The annual Haddonfield fireworks display for the borough’s Independence Day Celebration was approved by commissioners. A permit was granted to the Haddonfield Celebrations Association for the display to be set on July 3 with a rain date of July 9.
• The borough will be auctioning its 1990 Fire Pump Apparatus at www.govdeals.com.
