For some it’s a beloved pasttime, but for business owners, skateboarding by local children on their property is the source of more than a few headaches.
At the request of at least five different shopping areas in Orion Township, Township trustees scheduled a first reading on a proposed skateboard ordinance for their Nov. 21 meeting.
However, upon further review, the board decided the ordinance language still needs some tweaking and decided to hold a public hearing at the Dec. 5 board meeting.
‘The minute you have a nice, wide open space…that looks like fair game for skateboarding,? said clerk Jill Bastian. ‘We were requested by shopping center areas to look into this. Without some type of ordinance, the police can’t get involved.?
Supervisor Jerry Dywasuk said he understood skateboarding on school property had become a serious problem for the district as well.
‘They’re more than just young kids,’he said. ‘And they’re causing quite a bit of damage.?
The proposed ordinance would regulate the use of roller skates, roller boards and skateboards on publicly-owned property in the township, as well as requiring permission to do so on private property.
The ordinance would also ban the use of roller skates, roller blades and skateboards on public streets, on or in any publicly-owned parking facility, and prohibit reckless use.
The township board would also have the authority to designate areas that would be prohibited, as well as providing penalities for violation of the ordinance.
Trustee Matthew Gibb was concerned that the language of the ordinance would work to negate the active lifestyle the township worked hard to promote.
‘We have an incident in this country where we regulate, and regulate, and regulate,? he said. ‘We have laws on the books now dealing with destruction of property.
‘I understand the intent of it, but I think it discourages kids from getting out in the community,? Gibb said.
Township attorney Kristin Bricker Kolb said the ordinance would not regulate someone skateboarding at a private residence.
Some felt the public should have a chance to weigh in before the ordinance was put to a vote.
‘Maybe we should give people a chance to review it in a public hearing setting,? said trustee Michael Gingell.
Parks and recreation director Rock Blanchard said it would be a good idea to have the skate park committee review the ordinance.
The township plans to open a skate park on property obtained in a consent judgement at Squirrel and Dutton Roads.
‘It doesn’t have ‘safety path? in (the ordinance language), so that’s good,? said Blanchard. ‘When we have the skate park, many of the kids will get there by (skateboarding) on the safety path.?
Trustee John Steimel said the ordinance as presented was too restrictive.
‘You can barely skateboard or roller blade anywhere in the township,? he said of what was presented.
‘We should just designate areas where we already know it’s a problem and a safety issue.?
Bastian said she had checked with the Oakland County Sheriff’s Department and found they had received complaints of problems with skateboarding from at least four shopping centers.
‘But what we’re going to adopt won’t be this ordinance,? she said.
The board planned to amend the ordinance to include comments made and to send a copy to the skate park committee for review.