SR-9-B (24)
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LUTM:PB:RF:fb:NOSKATEN:WP51 Santa Monica, California
Councll Meeting, September 15, 1992
To: Mayor and Clty Council
From: city Staff
SubJect: Recommendation to Direct the City Attorney to Prepare an
Ordinance to Prohibit the Use of Roller Skates and Roller
Blades Within the Bayside District Area of Downtown Santa
Monica; and to Permit the Use of Bicycles and Skates by
Public Safety Personnel.
Introduction
This report recommends that the city Council direct the city
Attorney to prepare an ordlnance to prohibit the use of roller
skates and roller blades withln the Bayside District area of
downtown Santa Monica; and to perm1t the use of bicycles and skates
by public safety personnel.
Backqround
In recent months, Councilmembers, police officers and staff have
received complaints from shoppers, vlsitors, community groups and
merchants along the Third street Promenade regarding indivlduals on
skateboards, roller skates including the new popular roller blades
and bicycles. The Promenade 1S pedestrian oriented, and visitors
do not expect fast roovlng indivlduals to be passing close to them.
Senior cit1zens are particularly frightened and fearful of belng
struck by persons on skates or skateboards. The CommlSSlon on
Older Americans has also requested the prohibition of skateboards
and skates in areas around senior citizen housing. Addltlonally,
there is a need to allow publlC safety personnel to use bicycles
and skates ln areas where this activity is currently prohlbited.
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Discussion
The flrst proposed amendment relates to the use of skates,
lncluding roller blades, in the Bayside District area of Downtown
Santa Monica. The use of skateboards on the Third street Promenade
is already prohibited by the provisions of Section 3352 of the
Municipal Code. In addition, section 3352B prohibits their use in
city parking structures.
Recently, roller skates and the new roller blades have become
increaslngly popular, both as a recreational actlvlty and as a mode
of transportation by some. At this time, there are no prohibltions
against the use of roller skates or roller blades on the Thlrd
street Promenade or in the public parking structures. However, the
conflict between pedestrians and skaters creates a slgnlflcant
potentlal for injury, especially for the elderly. Pollce offlcers
working on the Promenade have reported receiving numerous
complaints regardlng incidents. However, statlstics are not
collected on thls lssue by either the Police or Flre Departments.
Staff believes that, in the interest of public safety, the use of
all types of skates should be prohibited on the Third Street
Promenade and in the public parking structures.
City staff has investigated the request from the ComrnlSSlon on
Older Americans for the prohlbition of skates and skateboards
around senior citizen housing areas. Unfortunately, the boundaries
of such areas are not clearly deflned, and frequently occur at
midblock or other locations where skaters would be trapped with no
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reasonable alternate path to continue their journeys. Additionally,
no feasible way was found to install effectlve signage that would
provide proper and reasonable notice to the public of such
prohibitions if they were to be enacted. Thus, such prohibitions
would not be subject to enforcement by the Police Department or to
prosecution by the City Attorney. Thereforel staff does not
recommend prohibiting skateboards and skates in the areas around
senior citizen housing.
The second proposed amendment relates to the use of blcycles and
skates by public safety personnel. In addition to prohibiting
skateboards at certaln places including the Thlrd street Promenade,
the use of bicycles is prohibited on Clty sidewalks (including
those on the Third street Promenade) and ln public parklng
structures. The Police Department needs to utllize blcycles for
patrolling parts of the Bayslde District area, including the
sidewalks and the public parking structures. Given the high
visibility of pollce officers on bicycles, the added protection
they provide to the community I the level of tralning provided to
the officers and their acceptance by the communlty, the Munlclpal
Code should be amended to permlt use of bicycles by peace officers,
firefighters and emergency medical personnel.
Staff is aware that other jurisdictions permit peace offlcersl
firefighters and emergency medical personnel to utlllze roller
skates durlng maJor public events where streets may be obstructed.
Their response tlmes on skates to incidents where services are
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needed are far better than those for personnel who are either in
vehicles or on foot. Therefore, staff recommends an exemption for
publIC safety to util1ze skates for responding to incidents on the
ThIrd street Promenade, city parks, parking structures and other
approprIate locations.
At a meeting on June 25, 1992, the Board of Directors of the
Bayside DistrIct Corporation adopted a motion supporting the
proposed amendments as they apply to the Third street Promenade.
BUdget/Financial Impact
There will be no slgnificant budget or financial impact from the
recommended action. Required sign postings will be covered under
existing divis10n budget.
Recommendation
It 1S recommended that the C1ty Attorney be directed to prepare, in
cooperation with the c~ty Parking and Traffic Engineer, an
ordinance to proh1bit the use of roller skates and roller blades
w1th1n the Bayside DIstrIct area In downtown Santa Monica and to
exempt public safety personnel from eX1st1ng prohIbItions of the
use of bicycles and skates 1n the performance of their assigned
duties.
Prepared by: Paul Berlant, Director of Land Use and
Transportation Management
Ron Fuchiwaki, city Parking and Traffic Engineer
Frank Barne!,'>, Special ProJects Eng1neer
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