Town Ordinance Prohibits Clayton Children From Playing In Streets

The law has been on the books for 30 years, but several people did not know about it.

Sharon Carey could not believe it when a police officer told her that her son, Joseph, was not allowed to play basketball anymore in her cul-de-sac.

"I don't want him hanging out at the mall or the street corner or at someone else's house," Sharon says. "I like having him here where I can look out and see him playing with his friends."

Joseph says he would rather be playing basketball outside instead of surfing the Internet inside.

"Stopping kids playing basketball in a cul-de-sac, I mean, come on, that's kind of ridiculous," Joseph says.

Town Manager Steve Biggs says the officer was just following up on a complaint. He says the ordinance is to protect people and not to harass them.

"If we had a situation where a child was to be run over by a car that was in the street, that would be a tragedy," Biggs says.

The Carey family received a warning, but if the children are caught playing basketball in the streets again, they could receive a $50 to $100 fine.