San Francisco Skateboarding Task Force

Skateboarding Task Force DRAFT - April 14, 2004Page 1

SAN FRANCISCO SKATEBOARDING TASK FORCE

MASTER PLAN

I.INTRODUCTION

1. The Skateboarding Problem

In the past ten years, San Francisco has done little to provide any public recreational facilities or programs to the skate boarding population of the city. In 2000 the construction of a Crocker Amazon/McLaren Skateboarding Park was completed - perhaps, the first municipal skateboarding park in San Francisco, if not counting the forsaken 1970s Hilltop Park Bowl. The Crocker Park was a major breakthrough for skateboarding in the city's sporting scene, and it is currently used to a great extent. But its remote location and rather mediocre design often trigger criticism among skateboarders who make the best of their experience, with limited supervision from the Recreation and Park Department's dedicated staff. The skateboarding community noted the lack of state-of-the-art facilities in the city and asked the city officials for change.

The skateboarding problem is not only about facility shortage, but also about the restrictive legal environment. Skateboard use, as transportation, on the streets and sidewalks of the city is rampant. While current law only permits skateboard use on residential sidewalks between dawn and dusk, real usage is going on nearly around the clock, on sidewalks and streets, in both residential and busy business districts. Riders are subject to citation by the Police Department officers and confiscation of skateboards. The reality is that few offenders are cited, as this activity is a low priority for the Police Department. There is no body of statistics to indicate the degree of any potential problems resulting from illegal use on streets and sidewalks. The skateboarding community identified the need for more skater-friendly regulations.

Another significant issue is the lack of public advocacy to promote skateboarding as a positive, healthy, challenging, and socially exciting sport, available to all age and gender groups of any skill level and learning ambition.

In response to these pressing concerns, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors led by then Supervisor Gavin Newsom established a San Francisco Skateboarding Task Force in the fall of 2002. In February 2003, the Board and the San Francisco Youth Commission appointed 13 members to the fifteen-member advisory panel. The first meeting of the new Task Force was held in March of 2003.

1. Skateboarding Task Force and Its Purpose

The purpose of the Skateboarding Task Force is to advise the Board of Supervisors and city agencies on how to better serve the needs of the skateboarding community. The enabling legislation details ten specific areas for study by the Task Force. While these and other areas are being reviewed for recommendations to the Board of Supervisors, the Task Force organizes its activities in three strategic directions:

• Regulation Strategy: A thorough review of the rules and regulations governing skateboard use as both a recreational activity and a means of transportation;

• Facilities Strategy: A study of and plan for increasing the venues for recreational skateboard use throughout San Francisco, with recommendations on state-of-the-art facilities throughout the city at all levels of the sport; and

• Advocacy Strategy: Advocacy of programs and facilities construction to both make more facilities available in the city as well as programs from public and private agencies to educate and develop responsible skateboard users in all aspects of use. That advocacy will also take the form of participation in forums and political dialogue to advance the interests of the skateboarding community.

• See Appendix D for the enabling language of the Skateboard Task Force by the Board of Supervisors

1. A Star Vision for Skateboarding Parks

The Skateboarding Task Force believes that the best way to serve the city’s skating population is to provide a network of at least five world-class facilities for recreational use throughout the city. A series of five parks located in a star pattern, and one in the middle of the city, would make it possible for users to easily get to a park within at least two miles of their home. Furthermore, recreational programs providing both activities and supervision, like those conducted at public swimming pools, will make the parks both attractive and interesting. The Task Force also hopes that, through volunteer leadership development training, young participants in these programs will obtain strong, constructive alternatives to other lifestyle choices available to idle youths.

1. Skateboarding Community

Who rides a skateboard? According to a national standard, about 11 to 18 percent of the total city population could potentially skateboard which amount to about 85,000 to 140,000 people, maximum (provided by Leon Younger and Pros). That number can be reduced by considering the number of young people who are either too young to use a skateboard, or by gender are not likely to use a skateboard.

Children and Teens

This pie chart shows that about 15% of San Francisco residents are children and teens. Approximately 6%of them are teens between ages 11 and 18, and about 9% - are children 10 years old and younger. The likelihood of children being skateboarders (among the city’s youth population) is about half among children 1 to 10, and about 1/3 of the teens. Skateboard usage is about 95% male, and of all ethnic backgrounds.

The Figure below shows that the distribution of the children and teen population by supervisorial district. These electorate districts are delineated to divide the city into sections, having roughly the same number of people living within each one. However, the number of children and teens varies from district to district:

• District 10 has the largest number of children and teens as compared citywide.
• Districts 9, 10 and 11 include the first largest concentration of children and teens.
• Districts 1, 4 and 7 include the second largest concentration of children and teens.

Source: 2000 US Census, SF1 Data Set.

From this data, our estimate is that there are approximately 25,000 skateboard users in San Francisco. Those not included in the chart below are adults who skate on an occasional or regular basis.

District / Children / Skaters / Teens / Skaters
1 / 5465 / 451 / 4798 / 1200
2 / 4119 / 340 / 2072 / 518
3 / 3720 / 307 / 2708 / 677
4 / 6753 / 557 / 5609 / 1402
5 / 4284 / 353 / 2909 / 727
6 / 4611 / 380 / 3143 / 786
7 / 6591 / 544 / 5543 / 1386
8 / 4047 / 334 / 2200 / 550
9 / 8738 / 721 / 5863 / 1466
10 / 11276 / 930 / 8023 / 2006
11 / 9286 / 766 / 6864 / 1716
Totals / 68890 / 5683 / 49732 / 12433 / 18116 / Young Skaters
Children:
Assumes 25% of population is old enough, and 1/3 of that group skates regularly
Teens:
Assumes 50% of population has an interest (predom. Male) and 45% skate regularly

The enclosed map also shows where most of San Francisco's children and teens live according to 2000 US Census population counts. Each dot represents 25 children or teens per census block. Higher demographic counts are within several spatial clusters or groupings of supervisorial districts and neighborhoods. It is easier to visualize these areas as "triangle," "circle," "ellipse":

• Triangle - Supervisorial districts 9, 10, and 11

Mission, Oceanview, Excelsior, Crocker Amazon, Bayview, and Visitacion Valley

About 42% of all San Francisco's children and teens live in Districts 9, 10 and 11 combined. These districts form the first largest spatial cluster of children and teens in the city. This cluster is approximately in the shape of a triangle, with the top in North Mission and with the base in Crocker Amazon and Visitacion Valley. It includes Oceanview, Excelsior, Portola, and Bay View neighborhoods.

• Circle - Supervisorial districts 1 , 4, and 7

Primarily Richmond and Sunset but also Sunnyside, Ingleside and Park Merced

About 29% of all city children and teens are in Districts 1, 4 and 7 combined - the second largest spatial concentration of youth in the city, circumscribing all Richmond and Sunset neighborhoods, as well as the neighborhoods bordering Sunset to the east and to the south.

• Ellipse - Western Addition, Tenderloin, and North Beach/Telegraph Hill

The third largest concentration of children and teens is found in Western Addition, Tenderloin, and North Beach/Telegraph Hill neighborhoods, although the supervisorial districts accommodating these neighborhoods show no outstanding youth statistics on the citywide scale.

The described areas are the priority and high-need service areas. This means that the city could prioritize the provision of skateboarding recreational opportunities in these areas.

1. REGULATION STRATEGY

As its first challenge, the Task Force has immediately reviewed the existing skateboarding regulations. This effort culminated in the proposed policy recommendations to Municipal Traffic Code, Section 100. The Task Force would like to see their recommendations implemented for the benefit of a more congenial legal environment for the skating citizenry.

1. Regulatory Background

The city regulations covering skateboarding are primarily contained in Municipal Traffic Code, Section 100. Other entities such as the San Francisco Unified School District, the Port Authority, and so on, do or may have their own body of rules governing the activity on their grounds. The State of California, in addition, has defined skateboarding as a hazardous activity, mandating certain safety equipment be worn while engaged in the sport in a legitimate venue. That hazardous status and other definitions from the State limit the latitude of suggested changes that can be made by the San Francisco Skateboard Taskforce to the regulations at the city and county level.

The State of California defines skateboarders as pedestrians and thus restricts their activities to sidewalks, along public thoroughfares. How they are regulated on those walkways is left to the discretion of the cities and counties of California. State law also defines safety equipment required when skating in a public skateboard park (i.e. helmets and pads). This is done to absolve cities and counties from liability claims most of the general use of such sites. It is generally accepted that making changes in State law with regard to skateboards is a difficult undertaking.

Where possible, regulations should reflect a more permissive policy toward skateboarders. That is because underlying all uses of skateboards is the assumption that the rider knows the risks associated with his actions along with the responsibilities of his conduct. It is also the responsibility of the City and County of San Francisco to adhere to California law, which prohibits the use of a skateboard on a public roadway, as skateboards are defined as “pedestrian” or "toy" devices. The result is that skateboarders assume the responsibility for their own safety, especially when they violate the law. Therefore, the Skateboarding Task Force has recommended changes to MTC 100 in the City and County of San Francisco to reflect a more permissive attitude than the existing ordinance in place up to, and through 2003.

1. Task Force Review of Existing Regulations

The Taskforce Regulations Committee has studied the Municipal Traffic Code (MTC) 100, as well as similar statutes in other cities. When compared to other locales both in and out of California, San Francisco has the most restrictive code (as of January, 2004) to be found. Likewise, old and expired language cluttered the language of the code making it difficult to understand what is current and what is dated.

1. Regulatory Policy Recommendations

The efforts of the Regulations Committee focused on improving the skating environment in San Francisco as well as simplifying the structure of MTC 100, for a more clear comprehension of the intent of the ordinance. Too, the revisions for skateboarding refrain from impacting regulations in regard to other "toy" devices and bicycles. Thus, the following changes are recommended to the Board of Supervisors:

Skateboard riding be legal day or night, with the proviso that riders wear certain reflective or illuminative gear to make themselves visible in the dark,

Skateboard use continues to be restricted to residential sidewalk use during “normal business hours,” and expanded to business district use during non-business hours,

Education about MTC 100 and skateboard safety in general be actively undertaken by both the City, the SFUSD, merchants engaged in selling skateboard gear and promoting the sport through events and demonstrations.

With regard to other jurisdictions, such as the SFUSD, the Taskforce recommends no specific changes to current practices or policies with regard to skateboarding. The current policies of other City agencies and political districts with regard to individual skaters do not seem to interfere with those skaters for the most part, or are in place to limit the activity for the sake of minimizing physical damage to concrete or other fixtures. Pushing for increased access or more detailed policy definitions may also raise the possibility that greater restrictions will be placed on skateboarders. Unless there is compelling reason to make changes in policy, the Taskforce recommends that no changes be implemented toward skateboarding by other city agencies.

The Committee also felt that attempts to modify California law through actions of the legislature would not likely succeed and would not be worth the effort given such a low probability of success.

III. FACILITIES STRATEGY

State of Skateboarding Facilities Today

Crocker Amazon/McLaren Skateboarding Park. The Recreation and Park Department operates a single well-known facility at the Crocker Amazon/McLaren Park - a rather isolated facility in the southeast built in 2000 with no easy public transportation access for the youth. This facility is located in a High Need Area for recreation.

Hilltop Park Bowl. This older skateboarding saucer was built in the 1970s by the Recreation and Park Department. This facility is even less challenging than the Crocker Park and is equally difficult to access. Indeed, it is barely known to the skating community. It is located in a High Need Area for recreation in the Bayview-Hunters Point neighborhood.

Potrero del Sol Skateboarding Park (future). The Capital Improvement Division of the Recreation and Park Department is currently planning for a new skateboarding park which will be located in the Mission - a High Need Area for recreation.

The Mills/YMCA Skateboarding Parks, Piers 27-31 (future). The next one on the horizon is the Pier 27/31 project, approved by the Port Commission and sponsored by the Mills Group and the YMCA. Two proposed parks - one private (requiring membership in the YMCA) and one public - will come on-line in about 3 years or in year 2006. This facility could become a citywide destination, and it could service the youth in Tenderloin/SoMa and Chinatown/North Beach neighborhoods

Clearly not enough…(rework the text). Many public buildings and private plazas are attractive to skateboard users for their jumps, ledges and slides. Their unique architectural features offer challenges not available in any skate park. This has resulted in damage to concrete and marbled surfaces (along the edges, primarily) that are expensive to repair. Recent developments in anti-skateboard thinking has caused deployment of stainless steel “edge breakers” which impose a severe irregularity to a long edge, thus driving away skateboard users. While this has helped preserve facades and contain expenses, it cannot be used in all situations. Signage exists in many locations throughout the City to indicate the prohibition of skateboarding on sidewalks and other places, with some effectiveness. Police foot patrols are sometimes deployed to address problem areas identified through citizen complaints. Skateboards continue to be used as transportation throughout the city, illegally as often as legally. It is not clear that offering more recreational skateboard venues would diminish the use of skateboards on the streets. The skateboarding community desires to continue to practice the sport both in parks and as a means of transportation. Their hope is to get along with non-skaters in a harmonious manner.

Placement of Future Skateboarding Parks

The Skateboard Task Force believes that the best way to serve the City’s skating population is to provide a network of at least five world-class facilities for recreational use throughout the city. These locations would of necessity serve the users but be fenced for safety considerations, and supervised during high-use hours.

Essential to the success of this vision are elements such as good public transportation access, safe cross-walk signage and timing and adequate access for effective patrolling by the San Francisco Police Department and other emergency personnel. This plan will detail the site selection criteria in a separate section.

In addition, the Skateboard Task Force also expects that additional smaller venues of a lower skill level be constructed in still more neighborhood parks throughout the city. This addresses the needs of youngsters to learn to skate in a safe and rewarding manner as they develop their new abilities. Thus, over time, those growing skills can be further enhanced at the larger, more challenging sites mentioned above.

At all of these venues, the City can employ both signage and instruction sessions to educate skateboard users in the proper and legal use of a skateboard. It is also expected that education will be delivered through merchants who sell skateboard equipment, as well as through school programs, and other city departments. Such signage can be developed with the assistance of members of the Skateboard Task Force. In addition, the City of San Francisco should periodically engage in follow-up surveys of users and communities to help gauge the effectiveness of the education efforts, as well as the attractiveness and effectiveness of the parks.