For years, the roundabout at Markham and Glendale avenues has been a neighborhood focal point. Folks post neighborhood notices there and decorate it with objects of art.

Turns out, they've been breaking the law, and now the city's cracking down.

"That's a terrible shame," said Peter Katz, who lives in nearby Old North Durham.

Earlier this week, the traffic circle sported a short tree-like sculpture made with blue wine bottles and a stone carving of a sphere, about the size of a bowling ball, emerging from a surface reminiscent of a scallop shell.

Wesley Parham, assistant director of the city transportation department, said the authorities have observed the roundabout's decorations "over time" but never enforced the code against them.

But, he said, someone - so far unidentified - complained about objects in the public right-of-way and the neighborhood association has been informed that if the neighbors don't clear the space the city will do it for them.

The city's email to the neighborhood mentions both traffic obstruction and "items/art forms" in the right-of-way. Duke Park resident Bill Anderson said the sculptures are not blocking the roads, nor do they present any traffic hazard.

"Either the installation is hazardous ... or it's not," Anderson said. "That's really where the [contention] should be, on its own merits."

Duke Park residents debated the merits of a traffic circle among themselves for years before pressing the city to install one as a traffic-calming device at Markham and Glendale. As soon as it went in 2005, the neighborhood email list lit up with expressions of affection and, according to neighborhood association meeting minutes, the city gave the neighbors permission to decorate it if they liked.

It was not long until anonymous artists' work began appearing, and as mysteriously disappearing later. A figure resembling the cereal character Cap'n Crunch, a Mardi Gras celebrant and an ostrich graced the space at one time or another.

When some Durham residents were campaigning to make chaining dogs made illegal, a chained-up canine statue gave mute testimony for the cause there. Over the years, tea parties, pizza parties, New Year's Eve celebrations and even a chamber concert have graced the roundabout along with the shrubs and flowers neighbors planted there.

One art installation did prove ill-advised: an assortment of bowling balls set up on concrete-reinforcing rods. Somehow, one of the balls came loose and went rolling down the street, hitting a parked car. The display was promptly taken down. Otherwise, the art there has created no problems and elicited no complaints, said neighborhood association President Dan Read.

Read said he has asked City Manager Tom Bonfield to intervene on the roundabout art's behalf. He had not heard back before The Durham News went to press.

"Hopefully, they can work something out," said Peter Katz. "I have always taken it as a sign of neighborhood pride."

Parham said installations could be permitted if the neighborhood made a "license agreement" with the city.

"The circle has been used as an art forum by some of our local artists for a long time," Read said, "and it's fun"