[HISTORY: Adopted by the Borough Council
of the Borough of Columbia 11-10-2003 by Ord. No. 723; amended in its entirety 9-11-2017 by Ord. No. 888. Subsequent amendments noted where applicable.]
The Borough Council of the Borough of Columbia
finds and declares that the provisions of this chapter are enacted
to establish regulations governing the operation of skateboards, hoverboards/electronically
motorized boards, scooters, and skates on the roadways, sidewalks,
public parks, paths, public places, or public property of the Borough
of Columbia.
Unless otherwise indicated, all provisions of
this chapter shall apply to all skateboards, hoverboards/electronically
motorized boards, scooters and skates operated within the jurisdictional
boundaries of the Borough of Columbia.
This chapter may be referred to as the "Skateboard
Ordinance of the Borough of Columbia."
As used in this chapter, the following terms
shall have the following meanings:
A wheeled device designed to be stood on and powered by electronic
propulsion, designed to go no more than 15 miles per hour.
That portion of the highway designed or ordinarily used for
vehicular traffic or travel excluding sidewalks.
A device consisting of a narrow board or platform of wood,
metal, fiberglass or other similar material with wheels affixed to
the underside and guided by a handle attached to the front wheel or
wheels which is propelled solely by human power and gravity.
That portion of any highway or roadway designed or ordinarily
used for pedestrian traffic or travel.
A device consisting of a flat surface constructed of wood,
metal, fiberglass, or other similar material with two or more wheels
affixed to the underside which is used by a person for coasting, is
guided by distribution of weight of the user and is propelled solely
by human power and gravity.
Any device worn on or attached to the human foot affixed
to wheels and propelled by human power and gravity.
Every device, excluding skateboards, hoverboards/electronically
motorized boards, scooters, skates, wagons, wheelchairs, unicycles,
bicycles, pedicycles, push carts, tricycles or other children's toys,
in, upon, or by which any person or property is or may be transported
or drawn upon a roadway or sidewalk.
A.
It shall be unlawful for any persons to engage in
operating a skateboard, hoverboard/electronically motorized board,
skates or scooter or to ride upon or propel any skateboard, hoverboard/electronically
motorized board, scooter or skates at any time upon the following
roadways, and the corresponding curbs and sidewalks located adjacent
thereto, all within the Borough of Columbia:
B.
It shall be unlawful for any person to engage in operating
a skateboard, hoverboard/electronically motorized board, skates or
scooter, or to ride upon or propel any skateboard, hoverboard/electronically
motorized board, scooter or skates between sunset and sunrise on any
day or at any other time when, due to insufficient light or unfavorable
atmospheric conditions, persons are not clearly discernible from a
distance of 100 feet, upon any roadway, sidewalk, municipal lot, municipal
parking lot or public school yard.
C.
It shall be unlawful to ride or propel a skateboard,
hoverboard/electronically motorized board, scooter, or skates, onto
or from any bench, chair, flowerbox, retaining wall, stairway or other
public accessory or structure not intended for pedestrian foot traffic,
or intended only for pedestrian foot traffic.
D.
It shall be unlawful for any person to ride or propel
a skateboard, hoverboard/electronically motorized board, scooter or
skates upon any sidewalk, path, roadway, or any public place where
doing so creates destruction of property or safety hazards to pedestrians.
E.
It shall be unlawful for more than one person to operate,
ride upon, or propel a single skateboard, hoverboard/electronically
motorized board or scooter at one time.
F.
It shall be unlawful for any person to ride or propel
a skateboard, hoverboard/electronically motorized board, scooter,
or skates on any roadway where the volume or speed of vehicular traffic
or the width of the roadway renders the roadway unsafe or unsuitable
for such activity.
G.
It shall be unlawful to violate any provision of this
chapter and to operate, ride or propel skateboards, hoverboards/electronically
motorized boards, scooters or skates in any manner inconsistent with
the provisions of this chapter.
A.
No person shall operate, ride or propel a skateboard,
hoverboard/electronically motorized board. skates or scooter upon
any sidewalk, park, schoolyard, roadway, or any public place as to
obstruct pedestrian traffic or endanger another person's safety or
as so to impede the normal flow of vehicular traffic.
B.
Every person engaged in operating, riding or propelling
a skateboard, hoverboard/electronically motorized board or scooter
shall yield the right-of-way to any pedestrian and may not overtake
or pass a pedestrian while riding, operating, or propelling a skateboard,
hoverboard/electronically motorized board or scooter. The operator
of a skateboard or scooter shall dismount from the same before passing
or overtaking the pedestrian on foot, or shall wait until the pedestrian
passes prior to remounting and recommencing operation of the skateboard
or scooter.
C.
No person engaged in operating, riding or propelling
a skateboard, hoverboard/electronically motorized board, scooter or
skates shall suddenly leave a curb, sidewalk, berm or street or any
other place of safety and ride upon or propel any skateboard, hoverboard/electronically
motorized board, scooter or skates into or toward the path of a vehicle
which is so close as to constitute a safety hazard. Where there are
no pedicycle or bicycle lanes, persons engaged in operating, riding
or propelling a skateboard, hoverboard/electronically motorized board,
scooter or skates upon a roadway, shall ride as near to the right
of the roadway as practical, exercising due care when passing a standing
vehicle or a vehicle proceeding in the same direction as the skateboard,
scooter or skates.
D.
Every person engaged in operating, riding, or propelling
a skateboard, hoverboard/electronically motorized board, scooter or
skates shall obey the instructions of any police officer or any other
properly attired person authorized by state, federal, or local law
to direct, control or regulate traffic.
E.
Every person engaged in operating, riding or propelling
a skateboard, hoverboard/electronically motorized board, scooter or
skates shall obey all traffic and pedestrian control signals and laws
set forth or promulgated in or under the Pennsylvania Motor Vehicle
Code[1] and the Code of the Borough of Columbia.
[1]
Editor's Note: See 75 Pa.C.S.A. § 101
et seq.
No person shall place any ramp, half-pipe, or
other structure used in conjunction with operating a skateboard, hoverboard/electronically
motorized board, scooter or skates in a public street, roadway, alley,
sidewalk, parking lot or path within the Borough of Columbia.
The Chief of Police of the Borough of Columbia
or his designee is hereby authorized to establish any written regulations
necessary to implement the provisions of this chapter.
Any person who shall violate any of the provisions
of this chapter shall, upon conviction thereof:
A.
Every offense. Upon conviction of any offense, whether
it be a first offense or subsequent offense of any provision of this
chapter, such person shall be ordered to pay restitution should any
damage or injury have resulted from the action giving rise to the
violation of the chapter.
B.
First offense. The skateboard, hoverboard/electronically
motorized board, scooter or skates used in violation of this chapter
shall be impounded by the Police Department of the Borough of Columbia
for a period not exceeding 15 days. If the person violating the chapter
is a minor, in addition to the confiscation of the skateboard, hoverboard/electronically
motorized board, scooter or skates as aforesaid, the Police Department
of the Borough of Columbia shall notify the parents, guardians, or
other persons having legal custody of said minor of the violation
of this chapter and the impounding of the skateboard, hoverboard/electronically
motorized board, scooter or skates. In addition, said individual shall
be provided with a copy of the chapter.
C.
Second and/or subsequent offenses. The skateboard, hoverboard/electronically motorized board, scooter, or skates of any person violating the provisions of this chapter for the second or any subsequent time shall be impounded by the Police Department of the Borough for a period not exceeding 30 days, and said person shall, upon conviction, be sentenced to pay a fine of no less than $15 and no more than $50, plus costs. In the event said person is a minor, the skateboard, hoverboard/electronically motorized board, scooter, or skates of said minor shall be impounded by the Police Department of the Borough of Columbia for a period not exceeding 30 days, and the parents, guardians or other persons having legal custody of said minor shall, upon conviction, be sentenced to pay a fine of not less than $15 nor more than $50, plus costs and restitution as set forth in Subsection A above.
