Laguna Niguel Municipal Code Art. 5 Pedestrian, Bicycle, Skateboard and Equestrian Regulations

(a) Riding in group. Persons operating bicycles within a bicycle lane or upon a bicycle path shall ride in single file except as provided for in Vehicle Code § 21202(a).

(b) Direction of travel. Persons riding or operating a bicycle on a bicycle trail or path may proceed in either direction except on those trails or paths designated for one-way traffic by appropriate markings or signs defined by the direction of adjacent vehicular traffic.

(c) Walking bicycles. Bicycles may be walked subject to all provisions of law applicable to pedestrians.

(d) Yielding right-of-way. Whenever any person is riding a bicycle upon a sidewalk, such person shall yield right-of-way to any and all pedestrians. A person riding a bicycle, upon entering a roadway or driveway from a sidewalk, shall yield to all traffic.

(e) Riding on sidewalks. Bicycles may be ridden on all sidewalks, at a speed not to exceed five miles per hour, except upon sidewalks within a business district, upon sidewalks adjacent to any public school building when school is in session, upon a sidewalk at a recreation center when in use, upon a sidewalk at a church during services, over any pedestrian overcrossing or upon any other sidewalk where prohibited by posted signs.

(Ord. No. 90-11, § 6, 3-6-90; Ord. No. 90-38, § 3, 6-18-90; Ord. No. 96-90, § 7, 4-16-96)

All references to this section 7-4-500.1 shall include section 7-4-500. These requirements are in addition to the other regulations for bicycle operation set forth in section 7-4-500.

(a) No person shall ride an electric bicycle in an unsafe manner on any publicly owned property, including but not limited to a public roadway, highway, sidewalk, park; nor on any private property open to the public.

(1) "Unsafe manner" means any act or acts in violation of the Laguna Niguel Municipal Code, California Vehicle Code, or other existing law. An "unsafe manner" can also be defined as operating an electric bicycle in such a way as to constitute a danger to the operator, a passenger, other motorists, other riders, or pedestrians in the area.

(2) Examples of riding in an unsafe manner may include, but are not limited to, the following actions:

a. Intentionally lifting one or more wheels into the air while riding on a highway, sidewalk, bicycle lane, or bike path. It is not a violation of this subsection if one or more wheels lose contact with the ground briefly due to the condition of the road surface or other circumstances beyond the control of the rider.

b. Riding on the sidewalk without due caution for pedestrians.

c. Riding on the highway, or bicycle lane against the flow of traffic.

d. Intentionally swerving or riding around stopped or slowed traffic.

e. Operating an electric bicycle in a manner it was not designed for, including carrying passengers when not designed for carrying passengers, or standing on the seat of the bicycle.

f. Not obeying posted signs or traffic lights.

g. A person under the age of 18 riding without a properly fitted and fastened helmet.

(b) No person shall operate an electric bicycle while holding and operating a handheld wireless telephone or an electronic wireless communications device unless the wireless telephone or electronic wireless communications device is specifically designed and configured to allow voice-operated and hands-free operation, and it is used in that manner while riding.

(1) An "electronic wireless communications device" includes, but is not limited to, a broadband personal communication device, a handheld device, or pager.

(Ord. No. 2024-227, § 2, 3-5-24)

It shall be unlawful and subject to punishment in accordance with section 7-4-501.6 for any person to engage in roller skating, skateboarding, bicycling or similar activities in or on any public property when the public property has been designated by resolution of the city council and posted as a no roller skating, skateboarding, bicycling or similar activity area, and in or on any private property when the private property has been posted as a no roller skating, skateboarding, bicycling or similar activity area, in accordance with the procedures set forth in section 7-4-501.3.

(Ord. No. 91-38, § 2, 6-18-91; Ord. No. 92-55, § 2, 3-3-92)

The following words, terms and phrases, when used in this article, shall have the meanings ascribed to them in this section, except where the context clearly indicates a different meaning:

Acrobatics includes jumps, spins, loops, "360's," handstands or any other movements or tricks not essential to the ordinary use of the skateboard as a transportation device, or the use of ramps, jumps, curbs, steps or other devices used to force the skateboard off the ground.

Business district is defined as designated in Vehicle Code § 235.

Electric bicycle means an electric bicycle equipped with both fully operable pedals and an electric motor, as further defined by Vehicle Code section 312.5, as it may be amended from time to time.

Hazard includes any activity which threatens injury to person or property or prevents the free use of public or private property by pedestrians or motorists.

Private property means any property held by private interests which is used primarily for business, commercial or recreational purposes.

Public property means any property owned or maintained by the city or the Laguna Niguel Community Services District.

Roller skate means any footwear or device which may be attached to the foot or footwear, to which wheels are attached which may be used to aid the wearer in moving or propulsion.

Skateboard means a board of any material which has wheels attached to it and which may be propelled or moved by human, gravitational or mechanical power, and to which there is not fixed any device or mechanism to turn or control the wheels.

Skateboarding, for purposes of the prohibitions contained in this article, includes performing acrobatics while using or operating a skateboard, or using or operating a skateboard in a manner which creates a hazard. The term "skateboarding" shall not include the use or operation of a skateboard while the user is in an upright or standing position and is using the skateboard as a transportation device.

(Ord. No. 91-38, § 2, 6-18-91; Ord. No. 2024-227, § 3, 3-5-24)

Cross reference— Definitions generally, § 1-1-18.

The city council, upon review and recommendation by the city engineer, may prohibit, from any public roadway, sidewalk or other public property, roller skating, skateboarding, bicycling or similar activity, or any combination of those activities. In order to prohibit any or all such activities from a specific area, the city council shall designate the area by the adoption of a resolution prohibiting the activity from the area and order the posting of the signage as provided for in section 7-4-501.4.

(Ord. No. 91-38, § 2, 6-18-91; Ord. No. 92-55, § 3, 3-3-92)

(a) Prohibition of roller skating, bicycling and similar activities. The following procedures are applicable for prohibiting roller skating, bicycling or similar activities, or any combination of those activities, on private property:

(1) If the property is owner-occupied, the property owner shall submit a written application requesting a designation of a no roller skating, bicycling or similar activity area.

(2) If the property is occupied by tenants of the owner, then the tenants shall submit a written application signed by a majority of the tenants of the property supporting a designation of a no roller skating, bicycling or similar activity area, and the application shall also contain the written consent of the property owner.

(3) The city clerk shall cause a notice of the city council consideration of the applications filed pursuant to this subsection to be mailed to all tenants in the subject private property and the owner of the subject private property, at least five days prior to the date scheduled for the city council's consideration of the application.

(4) The city council may approve or deny the application for designation of property as a no roller skating, bicycling or similar activity area.

(b) Prohibition of acrobatic or hazardous skateboarding. The following procedures are applicable for prohibiting acrobatic or hazardous skateboarding on private property:

(1) The owner of owner-occupied property, or a majority of the tenants, with the consent or the owner, of property occupied by tenants, may cause acrobatic or hazardous skateboarding to be prohibited on their private property by complying with the provisions of this subsection.

(2) In order to cause acrobatic or hazardous skateboarding to be prohibited, the owner, or a majority of the tenants with the consent of the owner, shall provide to the city police services a written notice which contains the following information:

a. A statement that the owner or tenants intend to prohibit acrobatic and hazardous skateboarding on the property.

b. A description of the property, including the areas on which acrobatic or hazardous skateboarding is to be prohibited.

c. A description of the signs the owner or tenants intend to post in compliance with section 7-4-501.4 and an identification of the location for the posting of each sign.

d. The date by which the signs are to be posted and on which the prohibition is intended to commence.

As to tenant-occupied property, the written notice must be signed by a majority of the tenants that occupy the property on which acrobatic or hazardous skateboarding is to be prohibited.

(3) The prohibition on acrobatic or hazardous skateboarding shall go into effect and be enforced by the city police services after the notice required by this section has been provided to the city, the signage provided for by this article has been posted, and the city police service has reviewed the posted signs and determined that they are in compliance with this article.

(4) The individuals prohibiting the activities shall be responsible for all costs incurred in providing the notice and posting the signage.

(Ord. No. 91-38, § 2, 6-18-91; Ord. No. 92-55, § 4, 3-3-92)

(a) Prior to the enforcement of the prohibition on roller skating, skateboarding, bicycling or similar activity, the area so designated shall be posted with signs which provide substantially as follows: "Roller skating, acrobatic or hazardous skateboarding, bicycling or similar activity is prohibited by Laguna Niguel Municipal Code section 7-4-501. Any violation is punishable by a fine of $25.00 for a first offense."

(b) As to either public property or private property, if it is intended that only certain of the activities listed in this section are to be prohibited on certain property, then the required signs shall only designate the activities which have been specifically prohibited. For example, if only acrobatic and hazardous skateboarding is prohibited for a certain area, then the required signage shall state: "Acrobatic or hazardous skateboarding is prohibited by Laguna Niguel Municipal Code section 7-4-501. Any violation is punishable by a fine of $25.00 for a first offense."

(c) The signage required by this section shall be posted in plain view at all entrances to the property or area for which the prohibition is applicable, and all signs shall not be less than 17 inches by 21 inches in size with lettering not less than one inch in height. The prohibition as to a certain property or area shall not go into effect or be enforced until the required signage has been posted and approved by the city police services.

(Ord. No. 91-38, § 2, 6-18-91; Ord. No. 92-55, § 5, 3-3-92)

The city council may, by resolution, establish fees for the receipt and processing of applications and petitions for no roller skating, skateboarding, bicycling or similar activity areas. In addition, the city council may, by resolution, establish fees sufficient to cover the costs of developing, printing and posting the areas designated pursuant to this article.

(Ord. No. 91-38, § 2, 6-18-91)

Any violation of this article is deemed an infraction punishable by a fine of $25.00. A second or subsequent violation of this article shall be punishable by a fine of $50.00.

(Ord. No. 91-38, § 2, 6-18-91)

Any devices designated, intended and used solely for the transportation of infants, the handicapped or incapacitated persons, devices designed, intended and used for the transportation of merchandise to and from the place of purchase, and other wheeled devices, when being used for either of these purposes, shall be exempt from this article. Furthermore, the city council may, by resolution, suspend the enforcement provisions of this article to accommodate special events when so requested by the event organizer.

(Ord. No. 91-38, § 2, 6-18-91)

(a) No person shall ride a skateboard, roller skates or other conveyance propelled by human power other than a bicycle or cause or permit such conveyance to roll or coast on the roadway of any highway in the city.

(b) Any violation of this section is deemed an infraction punishable by a fine of $25.00. A second or subsequent violation of this section shall be punishable by a fine of $50.00.

(Ord. No. 90-11, § 6, 3-6-90; Ord. No. 91-53, § 1, 12-3-91; Ord. No. 96-90, § 8, 4-16-96)

The director is hereby authorized to place and maintain signs or markings to prohibit or to restrict pedestrian crossings at certain legs of intersections.

(Ord. No. 90-11, § 6, 3-6-90)