LAGUNA NIGUEL : Youths to Help Draft Skateboarding Rules

About 35 young people filled the City Council chambers Monday to discuss a proposed ordinance that could put the skids on skateboarding in some areas of Laguna Niguel.

The ordinance would allow the council to ban skateboarding, roller-skating and bicycling at commercial centers if requested by business owners. County Sheriff’s Lt. Joseph Davis, chief of police services in Laguna Niguel, said the ordinance was proposed in response to “a number of complaints from project management companies and local businesses” on damage allegedly caused by skateboarders.

Davis called the meeting Monday to give the youths, most of whom had skateboards tucked under their chairs, a chance to help draft the ordinance, which will be presented to the City Council on May 7.

The teen-agers said they collected about 600 signatures supporting creation of a skateboard park in the city.

“I don’t think anyone in this room is going to just stop skating after this ordinance is made,” said Sage Geyer, 15, a Dana Hills High School student who helped collect the signatures.

If approved, the ordinance would allow the City Council to consider requests to prohibit skateboarding around specific businesses on a case-by-case basis, Davis said. If the prohibition was granted, a sign would be posted and violators issued a $25 ticket. A second offense would result in a $50 fine.

City officials have stressed that they do not intend to outlaw skateboarding throughout the city and that not all sidewalks will be included in the ordinance.