Resident creates hoop-la at trustee meeting

I’d like them removed. I’d like village government to use your leadership and to do what I think is right, even when you think you may get pushback from the community about this.”

Burt Diamond Rockville Centre resident

One Rockville Centre resident is calling a foul on street basketball hoops.

A frustrated Burt Diamond addressed the trustees for almost seven minutes during the Nov. 7 meeting and challenged the village to act on the hundreds of basketball hoops that he says are illegally facing community streets.

Diamond called the structures “visual noise” and said they were a danger to both children and motorists.

“I dare say they’re about over 800 of these things in Rockville Centre. I’d like them removed,” he said. “I’d like village government to use your leadership and to do what I think is right, even when you think you may get pushback from the community about this.”

The longtime resident has sent letters to the Herald and trustee Ed Oppenheimer voicing his concerns, the latter going unanswered. Oppenheimer acknowledged receiving the letter and not responding.

Diamond once considered purchasing a street hoop years ago. He said he contacted the village to inquire about what would happen if he placed it in the street facing traffic.

“I was told summarily that I would get one warning and if I didn’t remove it from facing the roadway, it would be taken from us,” he recalled.

Diamond said one of his neighbors cemented their hoop into the curb grass facing the roadway and another has theirs sitting in the street for about three years rusting away and without a backboard. He has seen other bases held down by sandbags and bricks.

“If you’re going to turn the other cheek, then you have to decide whether you’re going to ask people to apply for a permit or you’re going to send a letter around to every resident in the village or put a recording, like you do when there’s a 5-10k race, giving the homeowners a chance to remove them or put them back on their property,” he said.

Diamond was especially concerned about children or adults darting into the street without being seen by unsuspecting motorists or those that are driving under the influence. He claimed that the code only allows hoops to be on people’s property, driveways and patios.

“If you don’t stick to this code, what’s to say that somebody’s going to decide to just put an addition on their house without getting a permit or violate another code,” he said. “Where does it stop? You can’t set a precedent like this.”

Diamond, who said he never attending a village meeting prior to that night, had already left the building when trustee Michael Sepe commented on his speech later that evening. Sepe said the village was advised that there may be an ambiguity in the village code and needed to be resolved.

Sepe commended Diamond for presenting his views to the village, but disagreed with his opinion.

“I, for one, happen to disagree with the speaker, although I’m very grateful he brought the issue to our attention,” he said. “I personally think these things are not an eyesore. I personally don’t think they’re a safety hazard and I, myself, would vote to resolve the ambiguity in the code to make it clear that such basketball hoops would be permissible.”

After the meeting, Oppenheimer said he agreed with Sepe’s statement when asked about Diamond’s concerns.