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Resident asks council to let neighborhood basketball hoop remain after zoning notice; neighbors testify in support
Summary
Residents told the Cherry Hill Council that an in‑ground basketball hoop on Francine Drive was privately funded, supported by neighbors, and benefits local children; Mayor Fleisher said staff would work with the resident to identify a solution.
At the June 8 meeting a Francine Drive resident asked the Township to help resolve a zoning issue raised over an in‑ground basketball hoop installed on the dead‑end street.
George Hutchinson of Cherry Hill said the project "was funded privately, had the support of neighboring residents," and was intended to promote safe outdoor recreation and community engagement for local children. He told Council he was surprised to learn the Zoning Board did not have authority to grant the variance he had requested and asked the Council for assistance in finding a resolution.
Several neighbors — Anne Marie Eggink, Bonnie Kabat and Marisa Snyder — spoke in support of keeping the hoop, saying it encourages children to spend time outdoors, does not interfere with traffic or municipal services, and provides a convenient recreational option for a resident's special‑needs son.
Mayor Fleisher responded that the concern "appeared to involve the manner in which the hoop was installed rather than the hoop itself" and said Township staff would work with the resident to identify an appropriate solution. No formal variance or waiver was approved at the June 8 meeting; the Mayor indicated staff follow‑up would be pursued.
