La Verne : Skateboarding Restrictions

Skateboarders--called “miniature Hell’s Angels” by Councilman Patrick J. Gatti--are a menace to pedestrians and property and should be restricted, the City Council was told Monday.

Garbis Der Yeghiayan, president of American Armenian International College, wrote the council that skateboarders have damaged college property and are endangering pedestrians. Yeghiayan’s proposal to ban skateboards was endorsed by Police Chief Wesley Stearns.

Though the council didn’t directly request action, City Manager Martin R. Lomeli said he interpreted members’ negative comments as authorization for the city staff to draft an ordinance to restrict skateboarding.

Mayor Jon Harry Blickenstaff said that although skateboarders have a bad reputation, they will object that there is nowhere to use their skateboards.