Hancock City Council agrees to skateboarding ordinance changes
Hancock City Council agrees to skateboarding ordinance changes
Times extended downtown from 9 to 9
By JANE NORDBERG, DMG Writer
HANCOCK — The Hancock City Council Wednesday approved modifications to its April 5 skateboarding ordinance.
Lisa McKenzie, member of the city council’s subcommittee charged with studying skateboarding issues in the city, proposed changes to Section 3 of the ordinance, and was partially successful in that attempt.
The council did not agree to delete Section 3.A in its entirety, which currently restricts skateboarding in the downtown business district except between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m.
However, council members did agree to extend that time frame to allow skateboarding between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m.
McKenzie’s suggested wording changes to Sections 3.B and 3.C were also adopted. Section 3.B. now prohibits skateboarding in Porvoo Park, the East Hancock Historic Stairway, the Montezuma Street wooden stairway, the Church Street wooden stairway, the Ravine Street historic stairway, the City Beach, the City Campground and city hall.
As revised, Section 3.C would prohibit skateboarding on any wall, handrail, roof, bench, picnic table, planter, monument, retaining wall or upon any property that may become damaged as a result of skateboarding.
McKenzie had also requested a change to Section 3.D to allow skateboarding in city-owned or leased parking lots after business hours. However, the council declined to change that prohibition.
Following the vote, Mayor Pro Tem William Laitila thanked McKenzie for her efforts.
“I think you’ve done an excellent job,” he told his colleague. “Up until now, we’ve heard a lot of words, and while I haven’t agreed with everything, you’ve managed to really get something done here.”
McKenzie in turn thanked the council for its “diligence and support” in working on the amendments to the controversial ordinance.
“Overall, I’m very pleased with what we accomplished,” she said after the meeting. “I only hope the skateboarders appreciate that we did listen and we expect them to act appropriately.”
Jane Nordberg can be reached at jnordberg@mininggazette.com
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