Seattle man fighting city to save his sandbox
SEATTLE -- A Seattle homeowner who was told to remove a sandbox from outside of his house took his case to City Hall Tuesday morning.
The city has threatened to fine Paulo Nunes-Ueno $500 every day until the box is removed, but he said the it's used by neighborhood kids and isn't hurting anyone.
Nunes-Ueno originally built the sandbox at the end of his driveway so his own two young kids could play in it, but he said it has since become a gathering spot for the entire street in his Wallingford neighborhood.
All was well until the city received an anonymous complaint that the box violates city rules about play structures being too close to the street.
"The fact that there's a sandbox there doesn't mean kids won't play there. Kids live here. This is their house and this is their neighborhood. They're going to play, play on the sidewalk. What, are we going to put a fence between the sidewalk and the planting strip? It doesn't make any sense," Nunes-Ueno said.
Neighbors actually say the sandbox is safe and a benefit to the community.
"It works on the street. There's enough people around that cars slow down because they see there's a presence," said neighbor Nancy Bird.
Nunes-Ueno said he wants the city to be more flexible with what homeowners can do, especially if it emphasizes being more neighborly.
"We really have an opportunity as a city to really knit our communities more tightly if we can just loosen up on these rules a little bit," he said.
He made his pitch Tuesday at a City Council Transportation Committee meeting. The committee is considering the plea, and in the meantime Nunes-Ueno doesn't have to pay the $500 a day fine.
The city has threatened to fine Paulo Nunes-Ueno $500 every day until the box is removed, but he said the it's used by neighborhood kids and isn't hurting anyone.
Nunes-Ueno originally built the sandbox at the end of his driveway so his own two young kids could play in it, but he said it has since become a gathering spot for the entire street in his Wallingford neighborhood.
All was well until the city received an anonymous complaint that the box violates city rules about play structures being too close to the street.
"The fact that there's a sandbox there doesn't mean kids won't play there. Kids live here. This is their house and this is their neighborhood. They're going to play, play on the sidewalk. What, are we going to put a fence between the sidewalk and the planting strip? It doesn't make any sense," Nunes-Ueno said.
Neighbors actually say the sandbox is safe and a benefit to the community.
"It works on the street. There's enough people around that cars slow down because they see there's a presence," said neighbor Nancy Bird.
Nunes-Ueno said he wants the city to be more flexible with what homeowners can do, especially if it emphasizes being more neighborly.
"We really have an opportunity as a city to really knit our communities more tightly if we can just loosen up on these rules a little bit," he said.
He made his pitch Tuesday at a City Council Transportation Committee meeting. The committee is considering the plea, and in the meantime Nunes-Ueno doesn't have to pay the $500 a day fine.
Apparently the benevolent bureaucrats of the city deem it better for children to play inside their own homes, or, perhaps, in the streets, than to allow such an egregious violation of written rules. Rules are rules and must be obeyed!
Call it a "Kitty Litter" box and be done with it.  If the "play structures being too close to the street" police say anything, tell the kids "you know that's the kitty litter box, and you should play there"... untill they [play structure police] leave.
The person complaining is probably the same old man screaming "stay off my lawn"!
I guess common sense isn't that common until a child gets hurt or killed. At least put it by your front door.
It looks to me from the video that there isn't much front yard space to put the sandbox, which is probably why he built it on the parking strip to begin with....not to mention I'm sure the parents of the other kids that are over playing in the sandbox appreciate it being in view rather than up behind some bushes in this guys yard.Â
One complaint against how many kids & parents? I say majority rules - the sandbox stays. All too often these days many people let themselves get trampled on by the minority.
While I agree with the government intrusion angle, until I watched the video I didn't realize how close this was to the street. It is on the utility access and is built right at the end of a driveway. While a car was parked there during the video, is there always going to be a car parked right there to cutoff direct access to the street by the children? Another poster talked about how a person hit a neighborhood child in her area while under the influence. That could happen as well in this neighborhood if a drunk driver weaves off the road and runs into this sandbox. I am going to have to with the city on this one. Relocate the sandbox in your yard if you are so proud of it and how the neighborhood kids like to play there. I see it as a little dangerous where it is located.
 @jaker The kids could be hit by a DUI while tossing a baseball on the sidewalk, or riding their bicycles. If there is a moral imperative to prevent all risk, then the city should require that all children stay inside and play games that cannot lead to injury. After all, backyards could have rusty nails, or misplaced garden implements, or a really dangerous dog could dig under the fence and grab one of the children.Â
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There's a lot of risk in this world. Parents are far more likely to be concerned about their own children than you are, or a bunch of bureaucrats.Â
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I have to agree with the city on this! It really is too close to the street...especially if it is an attraction for all the neighborhood kids as well. Why can't he put it in his backyard? Or at least more in his yard? He says kids are going to play in the driveway and sidewalk anyway. He's just rationalizing his poor decision with that type of thinking. Rules are rules, buddy and safety is the first rule! Sure, nothing has happened...yet. But it only takes once! His "cute" little posters and petitions signed by children in colorful markers shows he's not taking this issue seriously. Does he really think that is going to support his case against the city? DUDE!! Quit being belligerent and just comply with the rules that have already been established. You're not going to win this!
And what's with those glasses you're wearing? Get serious with life, dude!! Â Â
@NW Resident, I agree. The Sandbox is a great idea, but its too close to the street. Even with the car parked in front of it and adults in the area, kids are fast and dart out between parked cars to the street. Its a recipe for a totally avoidable disaster.
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 After all is said and done, when, not if, one of the kids is seriously injured or killed, will this man and his neighbors realize that they endangered the children, hold themselves responsible or will they care? And what about the driver of a car, minding their business, when a child runs out in front of them and they can't stop - they will have to live with the death of a child on their conscience for the rest of their lives.
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It seems like ego to me, especially when there are plenty of alternatives. Â
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I could be wrong but I thought that the parking strips belong to the city even if the homeowner is required to mow the grass.Â
 @NW Resident And you clearly failed to see the part in the article where his neighbors completely agree with him, because cars have indeed slowed down. I think it's you who needs to get serious.Â
 @StevenRosenow His neighbors aren't the LAW, are they? As a parent, would you want to be responsible for your kids and the neighbor's kids playing that close to the street, if something were to happen? Why not be safe rather than take a risk?
 @NW Resident I think you are clearly missing the point.When I was in my youth we rode our bikes on busy county roads in rural Kitsap County and never got hurt. As long as we had responsible adult supervision then there was no issue. This "it's for the children!" nanny-state mentality (such as what Seattle is pulling here) is sickening and is a key factor in the decline of our society.Â
 @StevenRosenow The point is - why can't he move it to a safer area?Â
Besides, I wouldn't want my child supervised by an adult who actually thinks he looks good wearing those ridiculous glasses....LOL, LOL !
 @NW Resident If they're being supervised by an adult then I really see no issue.
I live on a cul-de-sac with no sidewalks. I let my daughter ride her bike in the street. She knows if a car comes she is to move to the curb and stop completely to let them by. I don't see a difference in her doing that and these kids playing off the curb. These kids are not running in the street and it is known they are there. The box is covered every night to keep cats and other critters at bay. There are gardens on the same strip, are you going to tell me that kids don't help garden? It doesn't say if there are parents around or not, but this seems like my neighborhood where everyone watches out for everyone's kids. Plus the sandbox was built for his kids, and now the neighborhood kids use it. Sounds like historically there have been no issues. Let them keep the box and the neighborhood police it's self.
What a bunch of anal retentive control freaks. Get a life and mind your own business. Oh and in the meantime wash your hands every 2 minutes and don't forget your breath mint and wet wipes for after you have your nonfat nondairy decaffeinated latte that you had with your fat free pseudo-chicken substitute. Children need to play so they don't end up being uptight socially inept killjoys who want to bully innocent people for being happier than you are capable of due to being a pathetic woosy boy. Build yourself a big bottle and seal yourself in for OUR safety. Bet yo mama never let you play with the other dirty kids huh?
We live in a historic rural town that has one main road in and out of town and that road is 20 mph or otherwise posted.  There are about 575 people that live out here.  A couple of years ago, one of the neighbor kids was struck by a vehicle while she was riding her bike home on a side street.  She ended up in a full leg cast for numerous months, and required surgery.  Just because one stupid person decided to be a twit and drive down a street that is barely even a 2 lane road, while on drugs, with no insurance, and had there not been a police officer already over on that street checking out the neighborhood, the woman would have driven off.  She started to drive off and then saw the police officer and decided it wasn't worth going  to jail and stopped.  She was also under the influence of drugs, and doesn't live in this town.
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The moral to this story is:
All it takes is one person to ruin a child's day, cause emotional distress to a family, sadden an entire close-knit community, and cost the taxpayers money since we do not have our own police department, we have an unmanned fire station, and the child had to be taken by ambulance all the way into Tacoma. Â Taxpayers also footed the bill for the medical, and for court costs since there was also no auto insurance involved.
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In this case with the sandbox, I sure hope that he's got a huge umbrella policy that will cover a lawsuit should a child be killed, abducted or hurt. Â It's another story entirely if there is an adult present at all times. Â But somehow I doubt it. Â Lock it up when it's not in use by a child should the city end up losing in this battle. Â I mean, for crying out loud, if a person MUST have a locking fence around an in ground swimming pool that is clearly on their property, there clearly needs to be some common sense in this. Â Yes, he should be fined $500/day. Â It's ridiculous for it to be there.
And of course kids like to play there. Â Kids loved playing at John Wayne Gacy's house too! Â However kids have parents...parents that should be looking out for their best interests. Â The more I think about this, the more I fear for these kids... Â
 @John Eugene And apparently you failed to read this part of the article: "Neighbors actually say the sandbox is safe and a benefit to the community."It works on the street. There's enough people around that cars slow down because they see there's a presence," said neighbor Nancy Bird." Â
 @StevenRosenow By such logic; the more children play near a street the safer the drivers become. And since the neighbors say this is the case therefore it must be true. Really?
More proof that government wants to control every aspect of our lives, including where we decide to put a sandbox on our own property.
 @Bubba Hennessy The area between a sidewalk and the street is usually owned by the city for utilities and can be taken away for road widening and other projects.  I don't think this man really has a right to put this box where he did.
Brilliant place to put a kids gathering spot... why would any sane parent want a sandbox 1 foot from a roadway? Â What are the parents going to do if and when a child is killed? Â Can't they just stop for a minute and think this out to it's worst ending? Â I hope the city wins on this one. Â
@John Eugene Plus if a kid does get hit, then they would try and sue the city for allowing it to stay there...also they say every car slows down... what about that one person who isnt paying attention for whatever reason and doesnt see one of the young kids who wonder a couple feet from the sandbox?
 @John Eugene I was thinking that myself. What a dumb place to put a sandbox for your child - right next to a street.
I know I might get compalints sent back to me. But think that as long as their is adult supervision this would be fine. Or at least a fence around the sandbox, with a high gate that the younger ones' wouldn't be able to reach. I think it would be absolutely fine! But way to go for his family, making a place where the community kids can play. Just upgrade it a little more! (:
Just wondering, but why could he not just move the sandbox back a few feet and remain in compliance? The photo clearly shows a small sandbox. There are laws worth fighting, but this doesnt seem to be one of them. And as someone else stated, its just a really big cat litter box anyways, which is probably why he doesn't want it near his house in the first place. Just another reason to rid of it.Â
Is it on his property or the citys? If its on his property then they need to leave him alone. If its on the citys he needs to remove it at their request.
This is such a NO brainer. Keep your kids away from the street. What is wrong with parents now a days???? Is he willing to take full responsibility for all the kids that go to the sandbox, whether they get kid napped, abducted or killed? Is he really that stupid and careless to have their blood on his hands? Is he really willing to risk he's children's lives? And for what? A sandbox? Put it in the backyard like everyone else does. Maybe whoever complained is like me and enjoys peace & quite instead of non stop kids screaming. He's not the only one in the neighborhood. I agree, GROW UP. You are not above the law or anybody special.  Â
I am completely AMAZED that any responsible parent would put their children on the curb. I guess no one called him responsible.
I wonder how his homeowners insurance will react to the first child that gets pushed out of the sand box in front of oncoming traffic when the first argument happens.
Or will it just be a pedophile drive thru first?
Every stray cat in the neighborhood is using that box at night.
 @lnseven:Â
Try watching the video he keeps it covered.
 @LocalLady Try sticking to commenting about the garbage strike.
 @LNSeveN Not just the strays, every cat!
@LNSeveN LMAO
Less control is better. Mandating against sand boxes is idiotic. So much for a free country.
Dude needs to grow up. He's not above the law. The law applies to everyone equally. I don't know what makes this dude so special, except that he is a whiner. The guy is nothing more than a spoiled trust fund brat.
 @GeorgeG. How do you figure he's a spoiled trust fund brat. The article says nothing about that.
 @Dan Sherman Houses in Wallingford are not cheap. Not too many plumbers and construction workers living out there in a house. The only people that can afford a house in Wallingford are trust fund babies or the rich.
 @Dan Sherman "did I say that he was middle income? No."
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Then you sort of missed the point of the post you were replying to - that the average worker couldn't afford a house in Wallingford.
 @GeorgeG. I actually think you're shining light on your own opinion, since it's clearly indicated in the story that the man's neighbors are also in favor of keeping the sandbox there since it creates awareness of a people presence.Â
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 @Dan Sherman The fact of the matter is that laws are created to form a society and there is this one person who thinks he's above society, better than anyone else and thinks he's right about everything while everyone else is wrong. The rules were created by the public, the people and this guy thinks he's above the law and society. He thinks he's special. The only people that think like that are trust fund babies. And it's Paulo who's throwing a tantrum, I'm only shining the light on truth.Â
 @GeorgeG. So you believe in communism then. Good luck with that. And Owebummer is dead wrong about that. Want proof? Look at Europe and the former USSR, which killed millions of it's own people.
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And you made it very clear that you are the one behaving like a spoiled child who's having a tantrum because he doesn't have the same toys as the other kids.
 @Dan Sherman In the words of obama, he needs to share his prosperity and redistribute his wealth to the middle class.
 @GeorgeG. Ummmm.... did I say that he was middle income? No. You need to stop jumping to conclusions and stick to facts. Just because there are people with jobs that can support buying a house in Wallingford it doesn't make them a trust fund brat. All your doing is showing that you are envious of those who have done well, and like to go after them to fulfill some inner inadequacy.
 @Dan Sherman Ummm... Tug Boat captains aren't exactly poor. Those guys make easily in the six figures. If your idea of middle class is six figures then you have a warped view of reality. The median wage in Washington is around $50K, not the six figures a boat captain makes.Â
 @GeorgeG. My brother had a house there just a couple of years ago. He's no trust fund baby. He was a Foss Tug captain. So your assumption is pretty baseless, especially since you have no evidence to back up what you say, other than circumstantial evidence.
More nanny government. Gotta' love it and the person complaining, who is probably someone trying to speed down the road.
tHatZ mY thaND boX .......mEowww