COSTA MESA : Council to Consider Roller-Sport Limits

In response to complaints from officials of the Senior Citizens Center and the public library, the City Council tonight will consider banning skateboarding and roller skating on selected city-owned properties.

In a separate action, the council will probably vote on an agreement with the Newport-Mesa Unified School District that would allow city and private recreational programs to be played at school sites.

In weighing the roller-sport ban, the council will consider a city staff report that recommends barring skateboarding and roller skating in four areas because of safety concerns. The areas are the sidewalk in front of the new Senior Citizens Center, the breezeway on the north end of the Neighborhood Community Center, the south side of the Downtown Community Center gym and the sidewalk on the north side of Estancia Park.

The council will consider an ordinance on roller sports that could be used to ban such activities where they are found to be hazardous to the public. “No Skateboarding” signs would be posted in the prohibited areas and would be enforced by the Police Department. Similar measures have been adopted in Newport Beach and Huntington Beach.

Community Services Director Keith Van Holt said there have not been any reported cases of injury involving skaters, though there have been several “near misses.”

This concern over safety was echoed in letters to the city from officials at the library and of a local senior citizens group, who say skateboarders ignore entreaties to leave.

Susan Schollenberger, executive director of the Costa Mesa Senior Citizens Corp., said her group is frustrated with a handful of skateboarders who arrive at the center on Hamilton Avenue almost every day and refuse to leave.

At its meeting tonight, the council could ban roller sports at the four sites, add additional areas to the list or go against staff suggestions and leave the areas open to skaters.

The agreement with the school district, known as a joint-use agreement, would allow the city to use facilities such as baseball diamonds, soccer fields and basketball courts at 24 school district sites. In return, the city would pay for upgrading and maintaining the playing fields.

“In our opinion it is a great opportunity for both the school district and the city,” said City Manager Allan L. Roeder. “Basically, the district provides the land and the city provides the resources needed to maintain them.”

Under terms of the agreement recommended to the council, the city will be allowed to use the 24 school sites for the next 10 years. After the initial contract expires, both parties have the option of renewing for five years.

The agreement also allows the city to schedule events at schools after 4 p.m. during the week and all day Saturday and Sunday.

The contract does not specify how much the city would chip in for field upkeep, but calls for site-specific agreements to decide such issues. If the main contract is approved tonight, these separate contracts would be brought to the council on an individual basis.

However, city staff members indicate that they are ready to proceed with agreements at eight sites: Costa Mesa, Estancia, TeWinkle, Presidio, Davis, Parsons, Kaiser and California schools.

Both ordinances will be considered at a council meeting beginning at 6:30 p.m. at City Hall, 77 Fair Drive.