News 03/23/11

Westport’s Swing Set Rules Get Second Look

Rules regarding placement of swing sets and play sets in Westport will be examined Thursday night.

Photo credit: Courtesy of Flickr User Darth Maul

Rules regarding swing sets and play sets in Westport will go under the microscope Thursday night at the Planning and Zoning Commission public hearing. A proposal was filed to make them exempt from current setback and coverage requirements.

The text amendment, made by resident Cary Moskowitz, seeks to change the definition of a structure to exclude swing sets and play sets, thus, making them an exception to setback and coverage regulations. Currently, swing sets and play sets are not allowed within 50 feet of property lines.

In the application, Moskowitz said that eliminating play sets and swings sets from the definition of structure would "legalize literally hundreds of swing sets and play sets that are illegal by virtue of their encroachment upon side yard and/or front and rear yard setbacks."

The news of this review caught the attention of The Associated Press. The public hearing will begin at 7 p.m. in Town Hall Room 201/201A.

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What do you think about the current rules regarding swing sets and play sets in Westport? Please share your comments below!

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Comments

naiveinternetpeople:

I'm ging to assume by the comments that none of you live in area near or in Westport.
Rest assured the swing sets in question are NOT the ones pictured above. many "swingsets" would rival your home, in size and cost.
Please refrain from commenting on the internet in the future until you have been fully informed. Do not be an Obama.

Submitted on April 23, 2011 - 4:26pm.

Knuckles McFinn:

Swingsets are considered play STRUCTURES. They are structures by definition. It is reasonable to assume that the original intent of the planning and zoning regulations was to address buildings and other occupied structures. So, making exceptions or changes because of swings shouldn't be a controversial subject.

In my opinion the foremost pressing issue regarding swings is safety - not the nuisance factor. As long as residential swingsets conform to CPSC pub 324 and ASTM standard F1488-09 (CPSC 325/ASTM F1487, for public swings), which states that a clear and free use zone shall extend 2xHeight of crossbar in either direction, residents should be able to plant the swingset wherever as long as the use zone is unobstructed and does not encroach on the neighbor's property.

Submitted on March 25, 2011 - 9:20am.

bryan_delaney:

It is easy to pass judgment on laws and regulation. There must have been some problem years past in order for someone to create the 50' rule. Also, you might be surprised by the silly rules that exist on any towns books. I suspect the 50' rule is being looked at because somebody does not have a large enough yard to allow them to have a swing set, or some silly official had nothing better to do than go around town with a 50' foot tape.

Yes I saw this on Drudge, and I am a Tea party person

Submitted on March 25, 2011 - 7:07am.

RP McMurphy:

Here come the DrudgeTards, posting ridiculous comments without even reading the news article.

Guess what, guys... the town is discussing DEREGULATING swing sets. Yes, that means exempting them from setback requirements. Yet you all read a headline on Drudge Report and come here and make fools of yourselves by talking about completely irrelevant stuff like Obama and Communism. Learn to read and you might discover that this article has to do with less government, not more! Ugh...

Submitted on March 24, 2011 - 7:14pm.

SoTM:

Hey, did you get some kind of prize for being the first idiot to state the predictable "drudgetard" comment?

Hey, stupid....the fact that this even has to be deregulated shows it was already a requirement, does it not? The fact that it was already law kind of justifies what those" drudgetards" were saying. You are just another typical internet jerk off.

Submitted on March 24, 2011 - 10:55pm.

RP McMurphy:

Learn something about standard zoning laws and you'll see that Westport wasn't employing anything out of the ordinary. Good on them for trying to make an exemption... sometimes laws have to be amended. But you DrudgeTards and your predictable nonsense have no interest in the actual story, you're just here to bash "libs" and "commies".

Submitted on March 25, 2011 - 12:12am.

Moonbat Masher:

Shaddap McMurphtard, shouldn't you be at a union meeting or disrupting something someplace?

Submitted on March 24, 2011 - 7:55pm.

RP McMurphy:

Nope, not a union member, just sick of you know-it-all Tea Partyers tainting the internet with your political cognitive dissonance. FWIW, setbacks are a fact of life in about 99% of towns with Euclidean zoning laws. But you DrudgeTards don't care about that... you'll take any opportunity to bash the president and "libs", regardless of how irrelevant it is to the actual story.

Submitted on March 25, 2011 - 12:09am.

Leavemealone:

Apparently your "leaders" have too much time on their hands. Here we are in 2011 and we have nothing better to do than to harrass people about what? Crime? No my friends....swing sets!

Submitted on March 24, 2011 - 4:45pm.

Osamas Pajamas:

The problem with "law-makers" is that they think that they should there and "make laws." Let's REPEAL a few billion laws, and throw these clowns under a bus.

Submitted on March 24, 2011 - 4:05pm.

aaron burr:

I think we should let Laurence Bradley, director of Westport's Planning and Zoning Department, know what we think about the proposed swingset ordinance by calling him at 203-341-1030; or fax at 203-454-6145.

Submitted on March 24, 2011 - 3:49pm.

Doubltap:

Gee, I just don't know where to start. Got here from Drudge, which always highlights stupid little towns that have officious pin-headed bureaucrats for elected officials [no doubt elected by pin headed dweeb-brained east coast liberal morons]. Wow! You are making a fuss over the placement of swing sets and you arrest people for throwing snow balls! Don't you dick heads have anything worthwhile to DO?

For all you Westportians [Westporttoonians?] [Whatever!] who are sick and tired of yer bitch nanny local, county, and [probably] state government, come on out to Kansas! We throw our snowballs with impunity [because it's just good old winter fun!], we put our swing sets where we damned well please, and we shoot the crap out of home invaders, burglars, car jackers, armed robbers, and any other lowlifes that threaten our existence - all without a bit of worry about some liberal DA trying to prosecute us for killing murderous thugs. Y'all come on over! The freedom is FINE!

Submitted on March 24, 2011 - 3:47pm.

ChasVoice:

Only in Yankeeland!

For the child's safety before and while swinging there should be a local ordinance requiring a certified safety guard from the town. Similar to a school crossing guard. Furthermore, the town should require the homeowner to pay a tort fee to the town for any lawsuits.

Before utilization of *any* playground utilities a permit should be required from the town following an inspection and fee payment.

Additionally, only scheduled hours is a good remedy for supervized safety. The assigned supervisor must be within 15 feet of any approved playground utilities. A minimum child age should set by the town with individually assigned picture IDs which can be demanded to show at any time by the certified safety guard at any time. A modest fee of $50 for this ID for each PERSON on site to ward of pedophiliacs - relatives, parents, and friends are NOT EXCLUDED.

We'' discuss first aid, and fire safety suggestions as an appendage.

Happy Life to the Child Swingers!

Submitted on March 24, 2011 - 3:44pm.

The Geezer:

I find it amazing that crime is so low and all the past crimes have been resolved to the point where you have the police resources to devote to enforcement of swing set building codes. What is next? Girl Scout cookie food inspections? Fines for failing to spay and neuter the family gerbil? Crop circle zoning permits? Driveway parking meters? Toilet paper tax? You are missing so many opportunities to be petty bureaucrats and thug enforcers. I would suggest that the next time the city budget is lean and you are looking for places to make cuts, the Codes Enforcement department might be a good place since they obviously have nothing to do.

Submitted on March 24, 2011 - 3:08pm.

Jacobb G.:

Next up: Regulating breathing!

Submitted on March 24, 2011 - 1:48pm.

BlabberMouth:

This is ridiculous! Just Westport being Westport, it seems.

Too much money, not enough to do.

Submitted on March 24, 2011 - 1:46pm.

Go, Team!

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