ITEM 9-B

Council Meeting, September 15, 1992

To:       Mayor and City Council

From:     City Staff

Subject:  Recommendation to Direct the City Attorney to Prepare an
          Ordinance to Prohibit the Use of Roller Skates and Roller
          Blades Within the Bayside District Area of Downtown Santa
          Monica; and to Permit the Use of Bicycles and Skates by
          Public Safety Personnel.

Introduction

This report recommends that the City Council direct the City
Attorney to prepare an ordinance to prohibit the use of roller
skates and roller blades within the Bayside District area of
downtown Santa Monica; and to permit the use of bicycles and skates
by public safety personnel.

Background

In recent months, Councilmembers, police officers and staff have
received complaints from shoppers, visitors, community groups and
merchants along the Third Street Promenade regarding individuals on
skateboards, roller skates including the new popular roller blades
and bicycles.  The Promenade is pedestrian oriented, and visitors
do not expect fast moving individuals to be passing close to them. 
Senior citizens are particularly frightened and fearful of being
struck by persons on skates or skateboards.  The Commission on
Older Americans has also requested the prohibition of skateboards
and skates in areas around senior citizen housing.  Additionally,
there is a need to allow public safety personnel to use bicycles
and skates in areas where this activity is currently prohibited.

Discussion

The first proposed amendment relates to the use of skates,
including roller blades, in the Bayside District area of Downtown
Santa Monica.  The use of skateboards on the Third Street Promenade
is already prohibited by the provisions of Section 3352 of the
Municipal Code.  In addition, Section 3352B prohibits their use in
City parking structures.

Recently, roller skates and the new roller blades have become
increasingly popular, both as a recreational activity and as a mode
of transportation by some.  At this time, there are no prohibitions
against the use of roller skates or roller blades on the Third
Street Promenade or in the public parking structures.  However, the
conflict between pedestrians and skaters creates a significant
potential for injury, especially for the elderly.  Police officers
working on the Promenade have reported receiving numerous
complaints regarding incidents.  However, statistics are not
collected on this issue by either the Police or Fire Departments.
Staff believes that, in the interest of public safety, the use of
all types of skates should be prohibited on the Third Street
Promenade and in the public parking  structures.

City staff has investigated the request from the Commission on
Older Americans for the prohibition of skates and skateboards
around senior citizen housing areas.  Unfortunately, the boundaries
of such areas are not clearly defined, and frequently occur at
midblock or other locations where skaters would be trapped with no
reasonable alternate path to continue their journeys. Additionally,
no feasible way was found to install effective signage that would
provide proper and reasonable notice to the public of such
prohibitions if they were to be enacted.  Thus, such prohibitions
would not be subject to enforcement by the Police Department or to
prosecution by the City Attorney.  Therefore, staff does not
recommend prohibiting skateboards and skates in the areas around
senior citizen housing.

The second proposed amendment relates to the use of bicycles and
skates by public safety personnel.  In addition to prohibiting
skateboards at certain places including the Third Street Promenade,
the use of bicycles is prohibited on City sidewalks (including
those on the Third Street Promenade) and in public parking
structures.  The Police Department needs to utilize bicycles for
patrolling parts of the Bayside District area, including the
sidewalks and the public parking structures.  Given the high
visibility of police officers on bicycles, the added protection
they provide to the community, the level of training provided to
the officers and their acceptance by the community, the Municipal
Code should be amended to permit use of bicycles by peace officers,
firefighters and emergency medical personnel.

Staff is aware that other jurisdictions permit peace officers,
firefighters and emergency medical personnel to utilize roller
skates during major public events where streets may be obstructed. 
Their response times on skates to incidents where services are
needed are far better than those for personnel who are either in
vehicles or on foot.  Therefore, staff recommends an exemption for
public safety to utilize skates for responding to incidents on the
Third Street Promenade, city parks, parking structures and other
appropriate locations.

At a meeting on June 25, 1992, the Board of Directors of the
Bayside District Corporation adopted a motion supporting the
proposed amendments as they apply to the Third Street Promenade.

Budget/Financial Impact

There will be no significant budget or financial impact from the
recommended action.  Required sign postings will be covered under
existing division budget.


Recommendation

It is recommended that the City Attorney be directed to prepare, in
cooperation with the City Parking and Traffic Engineer, an
ordinance to prohibit the use of roller skates and roller blades
within the Bayside District area in downtown Santa Monica and to
exempt public safety personnel from existing prohibitions of the
use of bicycles and skates in the performance of their assigned
duties.

Prepared by:   Paul Berlant,  Director of Land Use and
                              Transportation Management
               Ron Fuchiwaki, City Parking and Traffic Engineer
               Frank Barnes,  Special Projects Engineer