Mayor Rosenthal Issues Supplemental Order Allowing Racket Sports

Yesterday, May 18, 2020, Mayor Rosenthal issued a Supplemental Order regarding racket sports pursuant to her March 16, 2020, Declaration of Emergency. The Order modifies Mayor Rosenthal’s April 2 Order, which prohibited, on public property, the conduct of any sport or recreational activity using shared equipment, and group exercise with persons who are not member of the same household.

Specifically, the Order permits the play of tennis, pickleball and paddle tennis in public and private courts provided that:

it is played in strict compliance with the U.S. Tennis Association Guidelines;
no doubles play allowed (singles competition only); and,
no play may occur simultaneously on an adjacent court and the nets are removed from adjacent courts

Prior to issuance of the Order, Mayor Rosenthal and staff reviewed these requirements in detail with the Deerfield Park District, Deerfield High School, Briarwood County Club and Tennaqua, all of which are expected to open for racket sports shortly. The U.S. Tennis Association Guidelines are available here and the Supplemental Order is available here.

Notably, in order for residents to play on the public courts at Park District facilitates or Deerfield High School, an on-line reservation must be made in advance by visiting the Park District website at deerfieldparks.org. The Park District will launch its on-line tennis registration page Wednesday with courts opening Thursday. The public courts will be open daily from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Staff will be monitoring activity at public locations and the Village will be enforcing the social distancing rules. If activity becomes unsafe, this Order may be modified or rescinded. We ask for the public’s cooperation and strict adherence to these safety guidelines to ensure this alternate recreation option remains available.

Standing Water Breeds Mosquitoes

The Southlake Mosquito Abatement District reports that mosquitoes flourish in standing water and warmer weather. If you have water standing for more than threw days in your yard or area, go to www.slmad.org, click on "Standing Water" and go to www.clarkeportal.com/hotline. Fill in the requested information, and someone from contractor Clarke Environmental will check your location for mosquito breeding.

Pools and Outdoor Improvements Require Permits

With the cancellations of camps, festivals and other outdoor social events, many residents are looking at improvements in their own backyards. The Community Development Department has seen an increase in permit applications for outdoor projects, house repairs, improving your patio or deck or installing a swimming pool. Some of these projects will require a Building Permit. Please contact the Community Development Department at 847-719-7484 or email communitydevelopment@deerfield.il.us prior to starting your work.

The Department has seen an increase in requests for the installation of above ground swimming pools. A swimming pool can be a fun family activity once complete, but know that it is important for any water feature to be installed and planned properly to ensure that all life-safety requirements are met.

There are specific Building Code requirements dictating where a swimming pool and its equipment can be located within a residential property. The proximity to the house, electrical lines and barriers surrounding the pool area are the first steps to consider.

The required setback from the pool to the house is required to be at least 10 feet. Electrical lines above the backyard area must be checked when planning the location of a pool, as these lines are required to be a specific distance above the pool water. An approved barrier or fence surrounding the pool area is also required; the minimum fence height is 48 inches (4 feet). Although the property may already have a fence, the height and type of fence may not meet the minimum Code requirements. The electrical requirements for swimming pool equipment (filter, pump and lighting) must comply with specific Electrical Code and Zoning Code requirements.

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