Council bans skateboarding in city streets

FLORENCE - The city council voted 4 to 2 Tuesday on an ordinance that bans skateboards from city streets, the downtown municipal parking lot, the Veterans Memorial and sidewalks adjacent to commercial property.

The proposed amendment to an ordinance, in the city code since the early 1950s, also bans games and wheeled toys in these areas.

Skateboarders will still be able to skate in areas including sidewalks in residential areas and sidewalks adjacent to governmental buildings.

Council members Scott Carrier and Angie Pickens voted against the ban.

"I don't think the children are going to be penalized in any way," said Mayor Bobby Irons, who sponsored the ordinance. "It's going to monitor the safety of our children and citizens and potential damage downtown."

The penalty for a violation, however, is no less than $1, but not more than $500, and at the discretion of the court, violators can be imprisoned not exceeding six months, according to city attorney Billy Musgrove.

The resolution came up at the last city council meeting, but did not receive immediate consideration.

"All we're doing is taking stuff away from our kids," Pickens said. "It needs to be reworded."

"This is the most overblown issue I've confronted," said James Barnhart at a work session before the council meeting.

Barnhart proposed to include sidewalks adjacent to governmental property during the council meeting, but later rescinded the suggestion "in order to put it to bed."

John Crowder, a Florence resident, said this omission had the potential to concentrate skateboarders on sidewalks adjacent to government buildings.

"It has been unfair to make this a skateboarding ordinance," said Councilman Sam Pendleton. "We act like we're going to have wholesale people going to jail."

"If you want the skateboarders' cooperation, all you've got to do is talk with them," Pendleton said.

"How many people do we have in jail from riding a bicycle or a tricycle," said Councilman Hermon Graham. "The safety of our children is at stake."

But the two dissenting council members saw it differently.

"Our poor skateboarders, we hear a lot of rhetoric for them, but they keep voting against them," said Carrier. "The way this thing is worded will further convolute and complicate the issue. This violates common sense."

"Why isn't Heelies in here?" said Pickens of the single wheeled shoe children. "Those can tear up property."

Pickens suggested an ordinance to address specifically skateboarding in downtown, historic and business districts.

The council voted 2-4 against a separate resolution to fund lighting for the Cox Creek skate park. Carrier and Pickens co-sponsored and voted for the resolution.

"We can't appropriate funds until we know how much it's going to cost," said Council President Leland Howard. "There is nothing in the budget this year to provide lighting the skateboard park."

Carrier said city officials estimated the lighting would cost $45,000 and he said the city's budget had available funds.

"We light all kinds of things in town, pools, tennis courts; in the grand scheme of things, it's not that much money," said Carrier. "For instance, the sportsplex cost millions and millions of dollars."

In other city business, city council: