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Folsom council removes supervision of Cummings Family Skate and Bike Park, denies petition to relax protective-gear rules
Summary
Council voted to rescind staffed supervision at the Cummings Family Skate and Bike Park, adopt signage and rules consistent with state health and safety law, and deny a petition asking to change mandatory protective-gear requirements; staff estimated $41,300 in annual savings from removing attendants.
The Folsom City Council on June 24 voted to remove staff supervision at the Cummings Family Skate and Bike Park, to post signage consistent with state law and local ordinances, and to deny a citizen petition seeking to change mandatory protective-gear requirements.
Tom Hellman of the Parks and Recreation Department briefed the council on two related items: a petition asking that helmet, elbow-pad and knee-pad requirements be changed from mandatory to “strongly encouraged,” and a staff recommendation to remove paid part-time supervision at the facility. Staff said the petition was signed by 19 individuals, representing under 1% of park visitors in the last year; only three signatories were identified as City of Folsom residents.
Hellman cited California Health and Safety Code Section 115800, which requires operators of skateboard parks to prohibit persons from riding unless wearing a helmet, elbow pads and knee pads. He said that because the legal requirement exists in state law the city could not lawfully amend that language to change required equipment to encouragement.
Staff presented the current sign language and proposed new signs for an unsupervised facility that would state the activity is hazardous under Government Code Section 831.7, list mandatory protective equipment, reference the relevant Folsom Municipal Code and say violators may be cited. Hellman told council the part-time staffing level for the park has averaged about $41,300 per year in salaries and benefits; staff recommended removing that supervision and reallocating $14,550 of the savings to convert park lighting to a Musco lighting control system to schedule lights remotely.
Council discussion covered enforcement practices, citation amounts in municipal code (fines phased by violation), how staff would handle noncompliance (staff said warnings are typical and citations are available for repeat or egregious violations), whether the statutory requirements apply to all ages (staff and the city attorney said the pad requirements apply for skate park operations regardless of age and cited the municipal code for citation authority), and whether cameras or gate changes were planned (staff said no hardwired security cameras are installed and currently no fence or gate changes are planned). The Parks and Recreation Commission asked staff to return with a one-year review if council removed supervision.
The council approved Resolution No. 11,407 rescinding city staffing of the Cummings Family Skate and Bike Park, denying the petition to modify safety equipment requirements, and directing staff to post signage reflecting state and local law; the motion passed on a unanimous roll-call vote.
