Last Friday, we came down to Rehoboth to spend the weekend at our beach house on Rodney Street. On the way in, we stopped to get a few groceries and picked up the Cape Gazette. We were shocked to see the headline on the front page “Rehoboth eyes moratorium on pools.”
As soon as we got home we began to read the article, which initially left us speechless and then quickly turned to anger. How can anyone, much less a “standing room only” group of people jump from a noise concern issue to a moratorium on pools?
This just does not make sense. As a home owner who spent two summers living across from a house rented all summer to six single guys (who each had another six friends), we are no strangers to the disruptive issue of loud parties, crowded street full of cars (they did not believe in carpooling) and noise. But not once during this time, did we think Rehoboth needs to put a moratorium on anything! We walked across the street, spoke to the guys, addressed our concerns and handled it by ourselves.
Did they digress once in a while, yes. Did we speak to them again, yes. But overall they were polite, cooperative and tried their best to be good neighbors for the summer. If they had not, our next step would probably have been to call the police, not call for a meeting to address this situation.
Mr. Cooper stated “This is not solely about swimming pools.” So for Mr. Cooper, the four commissioners in attendance and the citizens at the meeting, we ask…what’s next? A moratorium on backyard patios, backyard decks, screened-in porches or anywhere else that more than two people can gather to enjoy summer evenings together? We are not following your logic.
We also want to address another side note in this article we found equally disturbing. Apparently there was one person, Sharon Palmer, who disagreed with the standing room only crowd. According to this article, her comments “were greeted with catcalls from the audience, and Cooper had to step in to allow her the chance to speak.” We are just curious; is this the way Rehoboth citizens treat other Rehoboth citizens who may have a difference of opinion? Has Rehoboth, with its residences living there year round rising steadily every year, become a town where it’s our way or get out? We certainly hope that is not the case.
Our plans are to move to Rehoboth full time after our youngest, a 10th grader, graduates. We would then like to remodel our home to allow room for our children and their future families to visit. We were considering putting in a small pool for our future grandchildren to enjoy. But that decision obviously depends on the state of the moratorium on pools which we’re sure Rehoboth has now implemented. Disappointed in the town we love.
Tom and Holly Scanlan
Rehoboth Beach citizens
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