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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1996-04-15; Parks & Recreation Commission; 496-4; Citizen letter to P & R CommissionPARKS & RECREATION COMMISSION - AGENDA BILL # 496-4 TITLE: CITIZEN LETTER TO PARKS AND RECREATION TG 4/15/96 COMMISSION/SKATEBOARDING AT CALAVERA OEPT CSD COMMUNITY PARK (INFO) RECOMMENDED ACTION: Direct staff to continue to monitor and supervise skateboard activity in community parks. Take appropriate action when required. ITEM EXPLANATION: The Commission has received a letter (Exhibit 1) of concern regarding the safety of children at community parks and sports facilities. Specifically those concerns relate to skateboard activity allegedly occurring in and around the ballfields/snackbar/rest rooms at Calavera Park during peak use periods. Although signs were previously posted at certain community parks stating "No Skateboarding", those signs have been removed because skateboarding, by City Ordinance, is not prohibited within community parks. However, the use of skateboards on hard court play surfaces (tennis and basketball courts) and gymnasiums floors is restricted. Regardless, people utilizing skateboards, whether within community parks or other authorized .reas, have a responsibility to skateboard in a safe, proper and courteous manner. Accordingly, on site facility staff have a reasonable expectation that skateboarders, while recreating within community parks should respect the rights of property owners, not interfere with pedestrians (Municipal Code 10.58.050), be polite and not create hazards or havoc. When behavior to the contrary is observed by or brought to the attention of Department staff, those individuals are asked to alter their behavior. If unacceptable behavior persists, it becomes an enforcement issue and the proper authorities are summoned. As a result of the attached correspondence, the staff at Calavera Hills Community Park have been requested to monitor skateboarding activity around the ballfield/snackbar more closely during peak use of the activity fields. EXHIBITS: 1. Letter to Parks and Recreation Commission - March 30, 1996 2. Municipal Code Chapter 10.58 3. Skateboarding Brochure - City of Carlsbad - January, 1996 22 3030 Valley Street Carlsbad, CA 92008 March 30, 1996 Carlsbad Parks and Recreation Commission 1166 Carlsbad Village Dr. Carlsbad, CA 92008 Dear members of the Carlsbad Parks and Rec. Commission: The safety of our children at our community parks and sports facilities is a primary concern I'm certain we share. Therefore I would like to bring a matter to your attention. Its focus is skateboarding, especially around the ball fields at Calavera Park. Our family has been involved in activities at the park, including girls' softball, for over five years. We have noticed a continuous increase in skateboarding activity over the past year or so in the areas where it is clearly marked as being prohibited. My wife and I have witnessed numerous near misses between skateboarders and young children walking, standing or sitting on the sidewalks around the snack bar and fields one and two. We have also seen senior citizens have to "quickly" move to try to avoid a flying board after a "stunt." Many similar examples could be listed demonstrating unsafe conditions for our kids and others enjoying the park. Perhaps what is equally disturbing is the blatant disregard demonstrated by some of the skateboarders toward the signs prohibiting skateboarding and toward the adults who ask them to discontinue their activity around the backstop and snack bar area. Recently one of the softball player's father kindly asked the skateboarders to move to another area, explaining the safety concern and pointing out the signs posted throughout the area. The skateboarders responded by rounding up other skateboarders in the vicinity. They then proceeded to do their "stunts" in greater frequency right between the two backstops. OQ EXHIBIT 1 I personally have seen dozens of incidents with skateboarders that create unsafe conditions for both my six children and the other children and elderly in the area. There are times when I don't feel comfortable allowing my younger children to walk to the bathrooms alone, concerned that they might get torpedoed by a board! In spite of these unsafe conditions and numerous close calls, I have never seen anyone in an official capacity attempt to stop the skateboarding . Perhaps they too meet with the same results as the before mentioned scenario. If the skateboarding will continue to go unchecked, perhaps the signs prohibiting skateboarding should come down and signs should go up warning young children, senior citizens and all of us that skateboarding is allowed and that we should walk to the bathrooms, stand in line for snacks and watch the games AT OUR OWN RISK! Thank you for your attention to this matter. Sincerely, Tom Bering *>1102, 24 10.58.010 Sections: 10.58.010 10.58.020 10.58.040 10.58.050 Chapter 10.58 SKATEBOARDING Skateboarding prohibited in certain areas. Skateboarding prohibited—Where. Toy vehicle use restrictions. Interference with pedestrians and traffic. 10.58.010 Skateboarding prohibited in certain areas. It is unlawful for any person to ride a skateboard on private property open to the public in a general commercial zone, a neighborhood commercial zone, or in die village redevelopment zone where signs prohibiting such activity are posted by the owner of the property. (Ord. NS-188 § 1 (part), 1991) 8.020 Skateboarding prohibited— Where. wful for any person to ride a si at til^HUpwing locations: (a)^^fcuiy sidewalk, public street,^ ing lot, o^Bbh'c property in the vill|^HKIevelop- ment zone O^^> as shown in the^^Broad village area redevelop^mt plan and a^^Bner shown on Found on file in Talk on the westerly ^extending from Oak )rthem portion of Whale Watch the map labeled ^Bhibit the city clerk's offic (b) Along the pubJ side of Carlsbad Boi Street to Cannon which is commoQ^Bnown Walkway; ^^ (c) The C^flR city hall and su^k^ding side- walks, land^^^r barriers, and parking (d) Th^Bnor center at 801 Pine an. publicj^Jng lot, sidewalks and landscape § 1, 1995) 10.58.040 Toy vehicle use restrictions. No person shall skate, or use or ride any roller skates, coaster, skateboard, bicycle, toy vehicle or other forms of transportation in any public drainage facility, culvert, ditch or channel, tennis courts or gymnasiums. (Ord. NS-246 § 1, 1993; Ord. 3143 § 1, 1982) 10.58.050 Interference with pedestrians and traffic. (a) Any person upon a skateboard, roller skates, coaster or any similar toy vehicle or device, shall exercise due caution and shall yield the right-of-way to and not interfere with pedestrians on any side- walk or public right-of-way. (b) No person shall ride roller skates, coasters, skateboards, toy vehicles, or similar devices on any public right-of-way in such a manner as to interfere widi or prevent die lawful use of a public right-of- way by vehicular traffic. (Ord. NS-246 § 2, 1993) TD (Carlsbad 1-96)306 EXHIBIT 2 CO ul Oj > Tcr tr §< O 5 -J u- O< O < <m >• j 2 ,;*• ' < !jV CO < u 3 u ~glli § 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 ORDINANCE NO. NS-339 AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CARLSBAD, CALIFORNIA AMENDING TITLE 10, ; CHAPTER 10.58 BY THE REVISION OF SECTION 10.58.020, TO PROHIBIT SKATEBOARDING WITHIN THE ENTIRE DOWNTOWN AREA. The City Council of the City of Carlsbad, California does ordain as follows: SECTION I: That Title 10, Chapter 10.58 of the Carlsbad Municipal Code is amended by the repeal of section 10.58.020 and enactment of a new section 10.58.020 to read as follows: ; "10.58.020 Skateboarding prohibited - Where j It is unlawful for any person to ride a skateboard at the following locations: (a) On any sidewalk, public street, public parking lot, or public property in the Village Redevelopment Zone (V-R), as shown in the Carlsbad Village Area Redevelopment Plan and as further shown on the map labeled Exhibit "A". (b) Along the public sidewalk on the westerly side of Carlsbad Boulevard extending from Oak Street to Cannon Road, the northern portion of which is commonly known as the Whale Watch Walkway; (c) The Carlsbad City Hall and surrounding sidewalks, landscape barriers, and parking lot; (d) The Senior Center at 801 Pine and adjacent public parking lot, sidewalks and landscape barriers SECTION 2: That Title 10, Chapter 10.58 of the Carlsbad Municipal Code is amended by the deletion of section 10.58.030. EFFECTIVE DATE: This ordinance shall be effective thirty days after its adoption, and the City Clerk shall certify the adoption of this ordinance and cause it to be published at least once in a newspaper of general circulation in the City of Carlsbad within fifteen days after its adoption. 26 ( (c *i< oO uj <° £ d *5> <r cc 5 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 INTRODUCED AND FIRST READ at a regular meeting of the Carlsbad city Council on the 21st day of NOVEMBER _, 1995, and thereafter PASSED AND ADOPTED at a regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Carlsbad on the 5th day of DECEMBER r 1995, by the following vote, to wit: AYES: Council Members Lewis, Nygaard, Finnila, Hall NOES: None ABSENT: Council Member Kulchin APPROVED AS TO FORM AND LEGALITY RONALD R. BALL, CitfyT2torney CLAUDE A r'LEVt'S , Mayor ATTEST: (LyUAUTEH^RANZ, City Clerk KAREN R. 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