LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – One Little Rock family is facing an emptier yard after a complaint came in saying they had too many toys on their property: specifically, “excessive balls”.
Michelle Herrera and family have lived on Azalea Drive for 15 years. They’ve gotten used to the neighborhood and have never faced an issue until a notice from the City appeared on their door.
“I was coming out to take out the trash mid-morning and that’s when I noticed it,” Herrera said, explaining that it was a notice of a code violation from the City of Little Rock.
The marked violation was an excess of “rubbish” – but a note at the bottom explained the real issue.
“They said someone complained that there we’re excessive balls in our yard,” said Herrera, with an added sentence at the bottom of the citation saying just that.
After calling the code enforcement office, Herrera says they told her someone had complained about a “daycare” operating out of the home, and all the soccer balls, basketballs and other toys in the fenced-in front yard. She says there were only about 8 to 10 and spread out across the area.
“I don’t understand why it would be such a problem,” she said.
Fearing a potential fine, the family deflated and threw away most of the balls, saving only a few. Herrera adds that she was also planning on raking a few leaves just to make absolutely sure the violation would be dropped.
“Honestly, I don’t think it’s fair,” Herrera said. “It seems like they could be doing so many other things to be improving our neighborhood as opposed to worrying about balls in our yard.”
The notice said the family had 7 days to comply, but now that the yard is cleaned Herrera says she feels the issue will be dropped.
