TITLE
Recommendation to declare ordinance amending the Long Beach Municipal Code by amending Sections 16.16.015 and 16.16.017, all relating to skateboarding, read and adopted as read.
(Districts 1,2,4,5,6,9)
DISCUSSION
In 2004, the Houghton Park skatepark was opened to the public and the City Council approved Section 16.16.017 of the Long Beach Municipal Code, which created a one-year trial period for the coexistence of skateboard riders and bicycle motocross (BMX) riders only at the Houghton Park skatepark. During the trial period, there were no incidents, injuries, or conflicts of any kind reported, and both skateboard riders and BMX riders peacefully and safely coexisted. However, when the one-year trial period expired in 2005, it was never formally extended. Therefore, for the last several years, any BMX rider in a City skatepark has technically been in violation of the law and subject to citation, although a ban on bikes and other apparatus in the skateparks has not been actively enforced.
Since 2004, five additional skateparks have been built throughout the City, at 14th Street Park, Bixby Park, Drake Park, El Dorado Park West, and Orizaba Park, with a new skatepark at Ernest S. McBride, Sr. Park under construction. In addition to skateboards and BMX bikes, the use of the skateparks by other types of non-motorized recreational apparatus with wheels, such as in-line skates and scooters, has increased dramatically. All of these different types of non-motorized recreational apparatus have peacefully and safely coexisted in the City’s skateparks.
At its August 18, 2011 meeting, the Parks and Recreation Commission approved a recommendation to the City Council to amend the Municipal Code to allow non-motorized recreational apparatus with wheels in City skateparks, as compatible with state law, for a one-year trial period.
The Department of Parks, Recreation and Marine is requesting a revision to Sections 16.16.015 and 16.16.017 of the Municipal Cod...
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