Oxnard committee recommends ordinance to regulate skate park facilities

The Oxnard City Community Services, Public Safety and Housing Development Committee on June 24 voted 3-0 to recommend that the City Council introduce an ordinance by title only and waive further reading to add skate park regulations to Chapter 7 of the Oxnard city code.

Committee members said the package is intended primarily to increase legal protections for the city as a new skate park opens and to set clear user rules. Committee member Perallo asked whether requirements such as injury reporting and immediate eviction for rule violations would apply to people who enter the park outside prescribed hours. “I know the first bullet says no person shall enter skate park facilities outside of the prescribed hours of operation,” Perallo said during questions on the staff report.

Deputy City Attorney Andrew Gonzalez told the committee the ordinance is designed to strengthen the city's legal defenses. “We cannot prevent somebody from suing us, but this gives us a lot of defenses if somebody does sue us. And those apply whether they're in the park during park hours or outside of those hours,” Gonzalez said.

Gonzalez and staff briefed members that the city surveyed similar ordinances in other jurisdictions and found a common set of rules, including hours, safety requirements and penalties. Committee members said they want parents and users informed when the ordinance takes effect; Committee member Perallo asked staff to include outreach aimed at parents.

The committee moved and seconded the recommendation and recorded affirmative votes from Committee member Perallo, Committee member Perez and Chair MacArthur; the motion carried 3-0.

The committee asked staff to be available at future Council consideration to answer follow-up legal questions about liability outside hours of operation and to explain how Oxnard’s approach compares with other cities.