ORDINANCE NO. XXXX
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
LAGUNA BEACH, CALIFORNIA, AMENDING CHAPTER 18.01
(DEFINITIONS) AND ADDING SECTION 18.28.030 (SKATE
PARK FACILITY PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT) TO THE
LAGUNA BEACH MUNICIPAL CODE REGARDING REQUIRED
HELMETS, ELBOW PADS, AND KNEE PADS AT SKATE PARK
FACILITIES; AND FINDING SUCH ACTION EXEMPT FROM
THE CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT UNDER
CEQA GUIDELINES SECTION 15301
WHEREAS, the City of Laguna Beach, California (“City”) is a municipal corporation, duly organized under the California Constitution and laws of the State of California; and WHEREAS, pursuant to the police powers delegated to it by the California Constitution, the City has the authority to enact laws which promote the public health, safety, and general welfare of its citizens; and
WHEREAS, California Health and Safety Code Section 115800 provides local public agencies with immunity from certain injury claims arising out of a skateboard or other wheeled recreational device (meaning nonmotorized bicycle, scooter, inline skates, roller skates, or wheelchairs being used for recreational purposes) by persons 12 years of age or older when an injury is caused by a stunt, trick, or luge riding at an unsupervised facility that is owned or operated by such local agency and that is designed and maintained for the purpose of riding such devices when the local public agency adopts an ordinance requiring a person riding such devices at the facility to wear a helmet, elbow pads, and knees pads and posts signs at the facility identifying the required protective equipment and that a person failing to wear such protective equipment is subject to citation; and
WHEREAS, the City Council desires to amend Title 18 to include the requirements Attachment 1
-2- Ord. XXXX
consistent with Section 115800; and
WHEREAS, all other legal prerequisites to the adoption of this Ordinance have occurred.
NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF LAGUNA BEACH DOES ORDAIN AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. Recitals. The recitals set forth above are true and correct and are hereby adopted as findings in support of this Ordinance as if fully set forth herein.
SECTION 2. Code Amendment. Laguna Beach Municipal Code Chapter 18.01 (Definitions) of Title 18 (Beach and Parks) is hereby amended to add the following new defined terms in alphabetical orders:
“Skate park facility” means any facility owned or operated by the City of Laguna Beach that is designed and maintained for the purpose of riding a recreational skateboard or other wheeled recreational device.
“Wheeled recreational device” means nonmotorized bicycles, scooters, inline skates, roller skates, or wheelchairs being used for recreational purposes.
SECTION 3. Code Amendment. Laguna Beach Municipal Code Section 18.28.030 (Skateboard and Other Wheeled Recreational Device Parks) is hereby added to Title 18 (Beach and Parks) to read as follows:
§ 18.28.030. Skate Park Facility Protective Equipment
A. Protective Equipment Required. No person shall ride or operate a skateboard or other wheeled recreational device at any skate park facility unless the person is wearing a helmet, elbow pads, and knee pads.
B. Posting of Signs. The City Manager or designee shall post and maintain signs, at each skate park facility in a place reasonably visible to users of such skate park facility, that state the following:
1. Any person riding a skateboard or other wheeled recreational device at this facility must wear a helmet, elbow pads, and knee pads;
2. Any person who fails to wear the required helmet, elbow pads, and knee pads is subject to citation and may be removed from this facility. -3- Ord. XXXX
SECTION 4. CEQA. This Ordinance is exempt from the requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”) pursuant to State CEQA Guidelines Section 15301 (Existing Facilities) which exempts the operation, repair, maintenance, permitting, leasing, licensing, or minor alteration of existing public or private structures, facilities, mechanical equipment, or topographical features, involving negligible or no expansion of existing or former use. Here, the recommended action meets the exemption because it requires persons to use protective equipment at skate park facilities owned or operated by the City and requires City staff to post signs with rules at the facilities and otherwise does not involve development.
None of the exceptions to the use of the categorical exemptions identified in State CEQA Guidelines section 15300.2 apply. The Project will not result in a cumulative impact from successive projects of the same type in the same place, over time. Moreover, there are no unusual circumstances surrounding the Project that would result in a reasonably possibility of a significant effect on the environment. Additionally, the Project will not damage scenic resources, including trees, historic buildings, rock outcroppings, or similar resources. The Project will not cause a substantial adverse change in the significance of a historical resource. Finally, the Project does not include any hazardous waste sites. Thus, the exemption applies, and no further environmental review is required. The City Council directs staff to cause a Notice of Exemption to be filed with the County of Orange County and State Clearing house within five (5) days of adoption of this Ordinance.
SECTION 5. Effective Date. This Ordinance shall become effective thirty (30) days following its adoption by the City Council.
SECTION 6. Publication. The City Clerk shall certify to the adoption of this Ordinance.
Not later than fifteen (15) days following the passage of this Ordinance, the Ordinance, or a -4- Ord. XXXX
summary thereof, along with the names of the City Council members voting for and against the Ordinance, shall be published in a newspaper of general circulation in the City.
ADOPTED this _____ day of ____________, 2026.
Mark Orgill, Mayor
Ann Marie McKay, City Clerk
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
____________
Megan Garibaldi, City Attorney
I, Ann Marie McKay, City Clerk of the City of Laguna Beach, do hereby certify that the foregoing Ordinance No. XXXX was introduced at a regular meeting of the City Council on _______________, 2026, and was finally adopted at a regular meeting of the City Council of said City held on _______________, 2026, by the following vote:
AYES: COUNCILMEMBER(S):
NOES: COUNCILMEMBER(S):
ABSTAIN: COUNCILMEMBER(S):
ABSENT: COUNCILMEMBER(S):
City Clerk, City of Laguna Beach, CA