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LAKEWOOD RANCH, Fla. (AP) — A homeowner's association in Florida is prohibiting children from playing in the street.
ABC Action News in Tampa (Lakewood Ranch new rules prohibit children from playing on the street) reports the Miramar at the Country Club Homeowner's Association passed a new bylaw last week, saying that children can't play in the street due to safety reasons. Association officials told the TV station that there's one narrow, windy road through the community and drivers often speed.
It's impossible to ride bikes, rollerblade, play street hockey, or draw pictures with chalk in an open field.
I'm sure she's happier in an AARP community.
They weren't riding bikes, rollerblading, or drawing pictures on the pavement. They were playing football, baseball, and softball in the street and on the front lawns of the townhouses, all encouraged by the parents. If they weren't going to use the fields for play, the association should have sold the land to developers.
I looked at Lakewood Ranch and, although it looked beautiful and had nice amenities, I found their numerous rules and restrictions to be a bit much, so this story didn't really surprise me. They want their community to look pristine, so speed bumps and children playing in the street wouldn't be acceptable. Of all of the communities I researched I found their HOA rules and regs to be the most restrictive. (They even have an approved plant list of what you are allowed to plant in your own yard after you submit a site plan and get permission to garden.)
As someone else alluded to, the news here is that children play outside in this location. Wow! What next, building forts and tree houses? King of the mountain? Tag? Pile on? The very thought of it is chilling.
A town in this area passed a similar ordinance a while back and caused quite a debate. Personally, I have no issues if kids that are being responsible play in a cul de sac, which is a street and covered under the ban, but on a through street, its just too dangerous, IMO. At the very least. of the town or HOA bans it and people still do it, they are limiting their liability in case something tragic does happen.
I don't even get the kids playing in cul de sac thing. Having spent many years delivering pizza and other stuff to residential areas including to many cul de sacs, that was one of the most irritating things. Getting yelled at by the little delinquent's parents for driving too fast, even though I was well within the speed limit, running over toys left laying in the street, difficulty turning around because the end of the cul de sac was blocked off with road cones, ropes, or other barricades so the kiddies could use it as a playground. It's a totally inappropriate use of a public right a way.
I don't even get the kids playing in cul de sac thing. Having spent many years delivering pizza and other stuff to residential areas including to many cul de sacs, that was one of the most irritating things. Getting yelled at by the little delinquent's parents for driving too fast, even though I was well within the speed limit, running over toys left laying in the street, difficulty turning around because the end of the cul de sac was blocked off with road cones, ropes, or other barricades so the kiddies could use it as a playground. It's a totally inappropriate use of a public right a way.
God forbid the pizza delivery drivers are inconvenienced.
There is no worse governance than a Florida homeowner or condo association. Don't make the same mistake I did a long time ago - avoid these like the plague.
That was my first thought. Senior citizens being annoyed by kids playing.
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