El Centro Municipal Code Art. III Skateboards

For the purposes of this Article III, the following words and phrases shall have the meanings respectively ascribed to them by this section:

Pedestrian walk and pedestrian mall mean those areas of a shopping center which are opened to the general public exclusively for persons who are walking or otherwise afoot or in wheelchairs. Privately owned roadways and parking areas within a shopping center, and areas within a building in the center, other than a mall, all of which may be open to the general public, are not within the definition of "pedestrian walk" and "pedestrian mall" as used in this article.

Shopping center means the privately owned real property upon which a business-commercial development is situated, which development is open to the general public and primarily devoted to retail sales and services from shops and stores situated therein, although it may also contain some offices and eating places, as well as other accessory uses compatible with a retail-sales shopping area.

Skateboard means a mechanism having two (2) or more sets of wheels, often resembling wheels on rollerskates, which are fastened to a platform, commonly constructed to accommodate a standing person. Skateboards are normally propelled by the operator pushing off the ground with one foot or by the force of gravity.

Skatepark means any facility that is designed and maintained for the purpose of recreational skateboard, inline skate or roller skate use.

(Ord. No. 91-8, § 2; Ord. No. 02-03, § 1A, 5-1-02)

(a) Except as otherwise provided in this section, no person shall use or operate a skateboard on a public or private through-street or alley in the city if there is a sidewalk adjacent and parallel to the street. If no such sidewalk is present, skateboards may be operated on a street as far to the right-hand side of the roadway as is practicable in the same direction as traffic.

(b) No person shall use or operate a skateboard on the streets, sidewalks, and property owned or controlled by the city described as follows:

(1) The El Centro Regional Medical Center, provided signs are posted by the Hospital in accordance with subsection (h) below;

(2) City parks, tennis courts, swimming pool areas, or yards or buildings which are city-owned, operated or maintained;

(3) Broadway, both sides, between Imperial Avenue and Fourth Street;

(4) Main Street, both sides, between Imperial Avenue and Fourth Street;

(5) State Street, both sides, between Imperial Avenue and Fourth Street;

(6) Fourth Street, Fifth Street, Sixth Street, Seventh Street, Eighth Street, Ninth Street, Eleventh Street, Twelfth Street, and Fourteenth Street, both sides between Broadway and State Street;

(7) Imperial Avenue, both sides, between Broadway and State Street;

Skateboarding may be prohibited on any other public street, sidewalk, and right-of-way and on any other public property as the city council from time to time may designate by resolution.

(c) No person shall use or operate a skateboard on any public or private street, alley, sidewalk, or right-of-way or on any property owned by the city in a manner which endangers the safety of any other person or property. No person using or operating a skateboard on a street, alley, sidewalk, or right-of-way or any other property owned by the city shall pass a pedestrian at a distance closer than three (3) feet. If such street, alley, sidewalk, right-of-way, or public property is not sufficiently wide to allow the skateboarder to pass the pedestrian while maintaining a three (3) foot distance, the skateboarder shall cease to operate the skateboard and walk past the pedestrian until such time as the skateboarder can maintain a three (3) foot distance.

(d) No person shall use or operate a skateboard within twenty (20) feet of the entrance to any shop, store, or commercial building while such shop, store, or commercial building is open for business.

(e) The use of ramps, jumps, or any other portable device used to force the skateboard off the pavement shall be prohibited on any public street, alley, sidewalk, or public property or private property for which the owner has requested prohibition.

(f) No person shall be towed on a skateboard by the use of any mechanical device.

(g) No person shall use or operate a skateboard more than one-half (½) hour after sunset or one-half (½) hour prior to sunrise without the use of an arm-mounted light or reflective arm band or reflective clothing.

(h) No person shall ride, propel, or in any manner operate a skateboard on, along or over any pedestrian walk or pedestrian mall situated within a shopping center.

This section shall not apply to pedestrian walks and malls situated within a shopping center unless and until the owner, manager or other person in charge of the shopping center shall have accomplished each of the following:

(1) Posted a sign, as described below, on the property of the shopping center, along each exterior entrance of the shopping center, and in plain view of pedestrians entering the center along such entrances. Additional signs, as described below, may be posted within the interiors of the shopping center. The required signs shall be continually maintained by the management of the shopping center. Each such sign shall state: "SKATEBOARDING PROHIBITED" and underneath, "El Centro City Code Section 6-41(h)." The letters of the prohibition shall be two (2) inches in height and shall be printed in black with a white background. The citation of the El Centro City Code shall be printed in black in letters one inch in height at the bottom and right side of the sign. The sign shall not exceed two hundred eighty (280) square inches in area.

(2) Delivered a written notification to the chief of police, not less than twenty-four (24) hours prior to posting the signs described in paragraph (1) of this subsection (h), that the shopping center was invoking the provisions of this article as of a certain date which shall be specified in the notice.

The owner, manager or other person in charge of a shopping center may withdraw this center from the provisions of this article by removing the signs and by notifying the chief of police in writing of such withdrawal.

(Ord. No. 91-8, § 2)

(a) Notwithstanding the prohibition contained in section 6-41(b)(2), the use and operation of skateboards, inline skates, and roller skates shall be authorized in designated areas at city owned, operated or maintained skateparks.

(b) It shall be unlawful for any person to use or operate a skateboard, inline skates or roller skates at any time in a skatepark owned, operated or maintained by the city, unless that person is wearing a helmet, elbow pads and kneepads.

(c) It shall be unlawful for any person to use or operate a skateboard, inline skates or roller skates in violation of any rule posted at a skatepark owned, operated or maintained by the city. Signs shall be posted specifying rules for the use of the skatepark.

(d) It shall be unlawful for any person to use or operate any device, other than a skateboard, inline skates or roller skates, in a skatepark owned, operated or maintained by the city.

(Ord. No. 02-03, § 1B, 5-1-02)

Any person violating any of the provisions of this article shall be guilty of an infraction.

(Ord. No. 02-03, § 1B, 5-1-02)