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Summertime Sports

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As the weather warms and many enjoy outside activities, sport and play items come out of the garage and people start looking for places to put them. A common violation reoccurs as people are forced to negotiate around illegally placed basketball hoops. Many people do not realize the liability to themselves and their assets if a person is injured on their property. Legal repercussions for settling an injury claim can be quite costly. In addition, placing items in the street, planter strip, or on the sidewalk is illegal. These areas, also known as the right-of-way, are not intended for storage. They are intended for pedestrian and vehicular travel. As well as the hazard obstructed streets and sidewalks cause for many, there are increased risks to the elderly, persons with disabilities, persons with children in strollers, and the sight impaired � many of whom report these violations as the safety hazard they are.

What can you do to encourage summertime play? Some ideas for basketball include:

Mounting the hoop to your home.
Cementing the hoop in your driveway.
Putting a mobile hoop in your driveway next to your home and using the driveway as the �court�.
Putting a mobile hoop in your driveway just behind the curb skirt (the area of sidewalk that slopes so you can drive over it).
Leveling a small area in your landscape, just big enough for the mobile hoop to stand flat in an otherwise sloped yard.
Putting the hoop in the backyard and using the deck or patio as the �court�.
Bringing the whole family to the park for a day of sports and relaxation fun.

Obstructing the right of way is a Class 1 violation, with potential penalties of $250.00 per day. If items in your neighborhood are blocking the public right-of-way, start with the friendly step and talk to your neighbors. This usually results in a pleasant alternative, and keeps the neighborhood at peace. If however you have a neighbor who does not feel they need to abide by the code, fill out the online Code Enforcement Compliance Inquiry Form or contact Code Enforcement at 503-639-4171 x 2441 to inquire about a potential code violation. Enforcement action is complaint driven. You will need to provide the actual address of the property you are reporting. All complaints are public record; anonymous complaints will not be accepted. For your convenience, you may also review the Tigard Municipal Code online.