Hancock council passes skateboarding changes
Hancock council passes skateboarding changes
New ordinance to take effect Sept. 2
By JANE NORDBERG, DMG Writer
HANCOCK — The Hancock City Council took definitive action on its skateboarding issues Wednesday with the adoption of a new ordinance.
Ordinance 264, amending city ordinance 261 regulating skateboarding, will take effect Sept. 2.
The new ordinance allows skateboarding in the downtown business district between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m., expanding the previous ordinance’s time frame of 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Wording changes to Sections 3.B and 3.C are also included in the new ordinance. 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.”
The previous ordinance, which was approved in April 2005, generated much public comment from both skateboarding supporters and residents in support of the ordinance’s regulations, as well as extensive discussions between council members in recent meetings.
Councilwoman Lisa McKenzie, as a member of the newly-formed council subcommittee organized to review the issue, subsequently put forth the proposed changes to the council July 19.
A public comment session on the new ordinance before Wednesday’s meeting failed to generate any takers.
Discussion between council members before the vote was also minimal.
“I think we’ve talked this one to death,” said Mayor Pro Tem William Laitila.
“Let’s put it to rest,” agreed council member Mary Tuisku.
The ordinance passed on a 5 to 1 vote, with Laitila, Tuisku, Mayor Barry Givens and council members Sarah Baratono and Bob Lewis voting in favor and Councilman David Massoglia casting the lone dissent. McKenzie was absent.
Jane Nordberg can be reached at jnordberg@mininggazette.com
Previous page: Very wrong turn
Next page: Row, Row, Rowing toward a championship