Rancho Santa Margarita Municipal Code Ch. 7.03 Public Skate Park Facilities

The purpose of this chapter is to establish a comprehensive set of rules and regulations for the use of public Skate Parks Facilities in the City.

(Ord. No. 05-04, § 1(3.40.010), 3-23-2005)

For the purpose of carrying out the intent of this chapter, words, phrases and terms used herein shall have their ordinary meaning, unless otherwise indicated as follows:

Supervisor shall be defined as the Supervisor of the Community Services Department;

Public skate park facility or facilities shall be defined as any facility, structure or area in which skateboarding, in-line skating, or roller skating, or any combination thereof, is permitted pursuant to the provisions of this chapter, which is owned, operated and maintained by the City, and which has been designated as a "public skate park facility" by resolution of the City Council;

Roller skates or in-line skates, including roller blades, shall be defined as any shoe, boot or other footwear to which one or more wheels are attached;

Skateboard shall be defined as any platform of any composition or size to which two or more wheels are attached and which is intended to be ridden or propelled by one or more persons standing or kneeling upon it and to which there is not affixed any seat or any other device or mechanism to turn and control the wheels;

Skate activity shall be defined as the use of a skateboard, roller skates or in-line skates, including roller blades;

Skater shall be defined as any person participating in Skate Activity.

(Ord. No. 05-04, § 1(3.40.020), 3-23-2005)

Public skate park facilities shall be opened from dawn until dusk, or as otherwise posted by the Supervisor. It shall be unlawful for any person to use or remain in such facilities in violation of this section without written consent of the Supervisor. Public skate park facilities shall close in the event of rain, rainy conditions, or otherwise wet areas.

(Ord. No. 05-04, § 1(3.40.030), 3-23-2005)

While in or on public skate park facilities:

(1) No person shall ride or use any non-motorized personal transportation other than roller skates, in-line skates or skateboards, including but not limited to, bicycles, scooters, unicycles, go-carts and wagons, within the skating surface of any public skate park facility, or to cause non-motorized personal transportation to be ridden or used within the skating surface of any public skate park facility;

(2) No person shall possess any can, bottle or other receptacle containing any alcoholic beverage;

(3) No person shall allow or cause graffiti or tagging in, on or around any part of the public skate park facility;

(4) No person shall ride or use any roller skates, in-line skates, or skateboards at a public skate park facility in a reckless manner or with willful disregard for the safety of persons or property, or to cause anyone using roller skates, in-line skates or skateboards to be ridden or used in such a reckless manner;

(5) No person shall deposit or leave garbage, cans, bottles, papers, waste or refuse of any kind in a location other than a receptacle provided for such purpose, or cause such items to be deposited or left in such a manner. If no receptacle is provided, each person shall be responsible for removing and disposing of such items from the public skate park facility;

(6) No person shall allow or cause any animal of any kind to be brought into a public skate park facility;

(7) No person shall allow or cause glass containers of any kind to be brought into any public skate park facility;

(8) No person, other than a skater, is permitted within the skating surface of a public skate park facility, except that spectators may sit or stand in areas designed for that purpose;

(9) No person shall place or utilize obstacles or other materials within a public skate park facility, including but not limited to ramps, railings or jumps that are not affixed to a public skate park facility by the City;

(10) No person shall use a public skate park facility while under the influence of alcohol or drugs;

(11) No person shall conduct organized activities, events or competitions without prior written permission from the Supervisor;

(12) No skate activity is permitted on the walls or other boundary structures or seating areas immediately surrounding or adjoining a public skate park facility;

(13) No person shall use or engage in profanity, reckless and boisterous behavior (including, but not limited to, tandem riding, pushing, horseplay and bullying), or any other activity which could endanger the safety of others at a public skate park facility.

(Ord. No. 05-04, § 1(3.40.040), 3-23-2005)

All skate activity within any public skate park facility is deemed a hazardous recreational activity within the meaning of Section 831.7 of the Government Code, and the City will not be held liable for injuries sustained or incurred by persons who participate in any such hazardous recreational activity.

(Ord. No. 05-04, § 1(3.40.050), 3-23-2005)

All skaters must wear a safety helmet, elbow pads, and kneepads while participating in skate activity within a public skate park facility. All such protective gear must be functional and protective, and properly sized and designed for their intended use at the public skate park facility.

(Ord. No. 05-04, § 1(3.40.060), 3-23-2005)

The Supervisor may set forth any other rules and regulations for the use of a public skate park facility that he or she deems appropriate, provided that signs describing such rules and regulations are placed and posted pursuant to this chapter.

(Ord. No. 05-04, § 1(3.40.070), 3-23-2005)

In order to provide reasonable notice to the public, the Supervisor shall place and post signs in one or more conspicuous and visible area(s) of a public skate park facility designating the facility, structure, or area as a public skate park facility, specifying the rules and regulations established pursuant to this chapter, prohibiting the activities described herein, notifying skaters they must wear a safety helmet, elbow pads, and kneepads, and notifying them that any person failing to do so will be subject to citation under this chapter.

(Ord. No. 05-04, § 1(3.40.080), 3-23-2005)

In addition to other penalties as provided in this Code, the Supervisor, or a law enforcement officer, shall have the authority to eject and expel from the public skate park facility any person or group of persons who is or are in violation of any provision of this chapter. Any such ejection or expulsion shall be effective through the remainder of the day that the public skate park facility is open. The Supervisor, or a law enforcement officer, shall have the authority to confiscate the skateboard or roller skates used in violation of this chapter, and hold the same as evidence pending adjudication of a judicial proceeding, or to hold such until claimed by the parent of a juvenile, to ensure the proper identification of violators. The Supervisor shall establish a written procedure pursuant to which any confiscated skateboard or roller skates shall be returned to its adult owner, or to a parent or legal guardian of its juvenile owner, upon request, when the skateboard or roller skates are no longer needed for evidentiary or identification purposes.

(Ord. No. 05-04, § 1(3.40.095), 3-23-2005)