OFFICE OF THE CITY ATTORNEY
CHARLES PARKIN
City Attorney
411 W. Ocean Boulevard, 9th Floor
Long Beach, CA 90802
Writer's Direct Dial: (562) 570-
Facsimile: (562) 436-1579
E-Mail:@longbeach.gov
May 3, 2022
ORD-24
GARY J. ANDERSON
Assistant City Attorney
DAWN A. MCINTOSH
Assistant City Attorney
HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
City of Long Beach
California
RECOMMENDATION:
Declare an Ordinance amending the Long Beach Municipal Code by adding Section
16.16.140 to Chapter 16.16 relating to Prohibiting Adults Not Accompanying Children Under The Age of 12 From Park Playgrounds, read the first time and laid over to the next regular meeting of the City Council for final reading. (Citywide)
DISCUSSION
Per the City Council's request on September 7, 2021, we have prepared the attached Ordinance amending the Long Beach Municipal Code by adding Section 16.16.140 to Chapter 16.16 relating to Prohibiting Adults Not Accompanying Children Under The Age of 12 From Park Playgrounds.
SUGGESTED ACTION:
Approve recommendation.
AL:vr
ATTACHMENT: CITY COUNCIL ORDINANCE
Respectfully submitted,
CHARLES PARKIN, City Attorney
By: Anita Lakhani
Deputy City Attorney
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OFFICE OF THE CITY ATTORNEY
CHARLES PARKIN, City Attorney
411 W. Ocean Boulevard, 9th Floor
Long Beach, CA 90802
ORDINANCE NO.
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE
CITY OF LONG BEACH AME NDING CHAPTER 16.16 OF
THE LONG BEACH MUNICI PAL CODE BY ADDING
SECTION 16.16.140 RELATING TO PROHIBITING ADULTS
NOT ACCOMPANYING CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF 12
FROM PARK PLAYGROUNDS
WHEREAS, safe outdoor spaces are vi tal to the healthy development of children, as they provide exercise and recr eation areas, emotional and social enrichment opportunities, and promote community use of public green spaces; and WHEREAS, in playground design, everything from the height of the structure to the type of surfacing used is based on guidelines that reflect use by toddlers and children aged 2 to 5 and/or 5 to 12 years old; and
WHEREAS, adult use of playground equip ment can result in structural damage that may lead to safety hazards for the children who use the equipment after them; and
WHEREAS, residents of the City of Long Beach (“City”) have recently reported adults misusing public playground spaces by engaging in other activities that discourage proper use by children and their guardians; and WHEREAS, given the recent upticks in vandalism and damage, and resident concerns about the safety and availability of the City’s playgrounds to children, it is necessary for the City to promote measures for safe outdoor spaces; and WHEREAS, one such measure is to establish “kids zones,” at park playgrounds, in which an adult not accompanying a child under the age of 12 is prohibited from entering, which would seek to ensure the City’s playground equipment and play areas specifically designed for children remain safe and available spaces for use by children of
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OFFICE OF THE CITY ATTORNEY
CHARLES PARKIN, City Attorney
411 W. Ocean Boulevard, 9th Floor
Long Beach, CA 90802
the aforementioned age groups; and
WHEREAS, these kids zones would be ea sily identifiable and enforceable with signage identifying the zone area; and
WHEREAS, these kids zones would not cover other non-playground public spaces in parks, including, but not limited to, benches, fields, and restrooms; and WHEREAS, in establishing an ordinance pr ohibiting adults from entering or remaining within these designated areas wit hout accompanying a child under the age of 12, the City would be following su it of other jurisdictions in California, New York, Oregon, Colorado, and Florida, in an effort to preserve such spaces and equipment for children for which they were intended;
NOW, THEREFORE, the City Council of the City of Long Beach ordains as follows:
Section 1. Section 16.16.140 entit led “Park Playgrounds—Adults not accompanying children under the age of 12 prohi bited” is hereby added to Chapter 16.16 of the Long Beach Municipal Code to read as follows:
16.16.140 – Park Playgrounds—Adults not a ccompanying children under the age of 12 prohibited.
A. No adult shall be present on any City park playground unless the adult is accompanying a child or ch ildren under the age of 12, lawfully under their custody or control, includ ing a parent or guardian, babysitter, caretaker or other designee of a parent or guardian having sole or joint supervisory responsibility over the child, using such playground.
B. "Park playground” or “playgroun d” for purposes of this section means any park area which has been designated by the Department of Parks, Recreation and Marine Director, or designee, as a “Kids Zone”, and on which clear and visible signage has been posted providing notice of such “Kids Zone” status and the prohibition in subsection A.
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OFFICE OF THE CITY ATTORNEY
CHARLES PARKIN, City Attorney
411 W. Ocean Boulevard, 9th Floor
Long Beach, CA 90802
Section 2. The City Clerk shall certify to the passage of this ordinance by the City Council and cause it to be posted in three (3) conspicuous places in the City of Long Beach, and it shall take effect on the thirty -first (31st) day after it is approved by the Mayor.
I hereby certify that the foregoing ordinance was adopted by the City Council of the City of Long Beach at its meeting of _______________________, 2022, by the following vote:
Ayes: Councilmembers:
Noes: Councilmembers:
Absent: Councilmembers:
Recusal(s): Councilmembers:
City Clerk
Approved:
(Date) Mayor