CC SR 20220315 03 - Bicycle, Skate, Scooter Policy
CITY COUNCIL MEETING DATE: 03/15/2022
AGENDA REPORT AGENDA HEADING: Regular Business
AGENDA TITLE:
Consideration and possible action to review the current City policy prohibiting bicycle and
other wheeled use in City parks.
RECOMMENDED COUNCIL ACTION:
1) Review the City’s current policy prohibiting bicycle, skateboard, scooter, and
similar wheeled uses in City parks; and,
2) Provide direction to Staff on the possible options for allowing bicycle, skateboard,
scooter, and similar wheel devices in City parks.
FISCAL IMPACT: None
Amount Budgeted: None
Additional Appropriation: N/A
Account Number(s): N/A
ORIGINATED BY: Matt Waters, Senior Administrative Analyst
REVIEWED BY: Cory Linder, Recreation and Parks Director
APPROVED BY: Ara Mihranian, AICP, City Manager
ATTACHED SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS:
A. Emails from residents in support of allowing bikes (page A-1)
B. Facebook survey on bike and wheeled vehicles (page B-1)
C. February 7, 2022 email reporting near collision on Hesse Park walking path
(page C-1)
BACKGROUND:
Bicycles, scooters, skateboards and other wheeled devices are not allowed in City parks
per Rancho Palos Verdes Municipal Code (RPVMC) 12.16.080 unless expressly allowed
(excerpt below).
12.16.080 - Use of city parks, nature preserves and recreational facilities.
B. No person shall ride or drive or otherwise introduce any bicycle or other
similar unmotorized wheeled device within a city park, city -owned nature
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preserve or city -owned recreational facility except on trails or areas that are
designated by the city for bicycle use and in areas where automobiles and
other motorized vehicles expressly are allowed, unless expressly authorized
in writing to do so by the city manager or the city manager's designee.
Rancho Palos Verdes does not have trails designated for bicycles or other wheeled
devices in its parks which is memorialized in a City policy. The City does have multi-use
trails that allow for bicycling in the Palos Verdes Nature Preserve. Due to their slopes,
narrowness, and shared use, however, these trails are for experienced riders and are not
conducive to teaching youth to ride.
The City has recently received emails from four residents living near Hesse Park
expressing concern that their children are not allowed to ride their bikes at City parks
(Attachment A). Some of the emails also mentioned other wheeled devices such as
scooters and skateboards, but the focus was on bicycles. Several of the residents asked
where they could safely teach their children how to ride a bike , noting that school yards
are not available during weekdays and streets are not a safe option due to traffic and their
oftentimes steep grade. One resident included an informal survey that showed strong
support for allowing bikes and other wheeled vehicles at the proposed Ladera Linda
Community Park (Attachment B).
In response, Councilmember Alegria requested that this item be added to an upcoming
City Council agenda to allow the City Council to review the current policy and to consider
possible alternatives to the City policy.
DISCUSSION:
City Policy Prohibiting Bicycle and other Wheeled Vehicles at City Parks
Pursuant to §12.16.080 of the RPVMC, the City established a policy in 1984 prohibiting
the use of bicycles and other wheeled devices such as scooters and skateboards at all
its park sites. City park sites are posted with signs noting the prohibition and staff enforces
this policy by speaking with residents to achieve voluntary compliance when violations
are reported or observed.
This is a common policy in many city park departments. The intent is to reduce the chance
of collision and injury with pedestrian park users. Some cities have created or designated
biking trails or skateparks that can be used by bicyclists, roller skaters, and
skateboarders. Bikes, scooters, and skateboards are limited to those designated areas
and the rest of those park sites are reserved for pedestrian use.
As noted in §12.16.080 of the RPVMC, the City Manager or the City Manager’s designee
may expressly authorize, in writing, the use of bicycles or other similar unmotorized
wheeled device within a city park . Thus, staff requests the City Council review the
current policy, and if desired, provide di rection on possibly amending it to allow bicycles
and other wheeled devices at City parks as discussed in the next section.
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Options to allow Bicycles and Other Wheeled Devices at City Parks
Below are possible options that would allow for biking and other wheeled devices for the
City Council’s consideration.
1. Removing the Current Prohibition
Entirely removing the current prohibition on bicycles and other wheeled devices at City
parks is an option for the City Council to consider. However, Staff does not recommend
this approach due to the aforementioned possibility of injury from collisions with
pedestrian park users, as well as the steep and uneven terrain at existing City parks.
Many of RPV’s parks, including Robert E. Ryan Park and Eastview Park have steep
terrain.
2. Pilot Program to Allow Bicycles at Hesse Park
Hesse Park has an existing quarter-mile loop path ringing the upper field area that is
heavily used by walkers (see map below). Residents have long expressed a desire to
access the path for biking and other wheeled use, including teaching their young children
to ride.
Hesse Park: Existing upper field path marked in yellow.
A pilot program could be considered for this site, allowing for bicycles and other wheeled
devices on a trial basis for a recommended period of 90 days. Signs could be installed to
create a one-way circulation loop to enhance safety and reduce the possibility of two-way
collisions. Signs could also be installed to provide notice to the public that the path is now
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multi-use on a temporary basis. Hesse Park Staff, when available, would be able to
monitor use and educate the public.
It is anticipated that regular walkers would likely raise concerns about shared use of the
path, particularly regarding possible collisions. Staff recently received an email about a
recent near collision between a walker and a young person riding a scooter (Attachment
C). Limiting usage by age was explored but would be difficult to enforce without always
having Staff on site. Therefore, this is not a feasible approach nor recommended by staff.
Additionally, if this option is desired, the City Council could also direct staff to establish
designated hours and days where the Hesse Park path could be limited to bicycle and
wheeled devices as part of the pilot program.
3. Limited Use at Designated Parks/Parking Lots
Another option would be to section off a designated portion of a park or parking lot at a
designated time for bicycle use. A potential location to apply this option would be the City
Hall parking lot. A designated section of the parking lot could be used on a weekly or
once-a-month basis. This would likely require Staff to be present to cone off the area and
monitor usage. This option would be more feasible when City Hall is closed and there is
less demand for parking, such as on weekends and holidays.
4. Construct a Bicycle/Scooter/Skateboard Path
A long-term solution would be to design and construct a separate bicycle path at an
existing park since no such path currently exists at any City park. One option would be
to construct a separate wheeled-access path adjacent to the existing path at Hesse Park.
Cost estimates for this option can be developed at the City Council’s direction. It should
be noted that building an additional path inside the existing path would likely overlap with
the existing soccer fields and would involve re-aligning the baseball field and backstop.
An additional path located outside of the existing path would require significant grading.
Another option would be to construct a path for bikes and other wheeled uses at Upper
Point Vicente Park/Civic Center. The grounds at that site are sufficiently large and flat
enough to construct a path for bikes and other wheeled uses. Cost estimates for this
option could be developed at the City Council’s direction. It should be noted that such a
path may be removed as part of the future construction of the Civic Center Master Plan
but could be reconstructed at a different location as part of the final design.
5. Special Events
An additional, but limited approach, would be to hold special events focused on bicycles
and other wheeled devices. These events could potentially be contracted out to
companies such as REI who could provide bike safety and lessons for kids at a park site
on a once-a-month basis. Staff would need to cordon off an area in an existing park or
parking lot to facilitate the event.
Based on the above options and the City Council’s preferred approach, Staff can return
with additional information if warranted.
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CONCLUSION:
Staff recommends the City Council consider the information presented in this report and
provide desired direction to Staff.
ALTERNATIVES:
In addition to the Staff recommendation, the following alternative actions are available for
the City Council’s consideration:
1. Take no action, leaving existing City policy prohibiting bicycles and other wheeled
uses at City parks in place.
2. Take other action, as deemed appropriate.
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