Speaker 0: Communication from Councilwoman Price, Councilmember Supernova and Councilwoman Mongo. Recommendation to request the city attorney to draft an ordinance prohibiting the use of electronically motorized boards from operating on sidewalks in business corridors.
Speaker 1: Councilwoman Price.
Speaker 3: Thank you. Just a few clarifying.
Speaker 2: Questions about this. I just want to make sure that the city attorney can weigh in on whether or not Segways would fall into this ban. Because I know that downtown Long Beach, they use those on the sidewalks and we certainly don't want to limit their ability to do that.
Speaker 6: Mayor Members of the Council, COUNCILMEMBER Price I thought at first they were exempted from and previous prior to the adoption of. I'm just reading it here of three section three, one three of the vehicle code. They were exempted. Segways were exempted. This section 8470 redefines pedestrian to exclude the EPA, M.D. as they're defined. And I'm going to need to do further research to see if Segways are specifically exempted from that definition. I don't believe they are now after reading it, but I would like to have an opportunity to do some research.
Speaker 2: Okay. And if and if they are not exempted, we would like to include them as an exemption in that in the draft ordinance.
Speaker 6: I understood.
Speaker 4: Okay.
Speaker 2: And so in regards to this this motion, this really comes as a result of knowing that we currently prohibit bikes in business corridors, skateboards, roller blades, roller skates and business corridors. I think hoverboards present the same types of risks as those other devices that I just indicated. And for the safety of the pedestrians who travel along our business corridors for shopping and with families and young children, etc., I think it would be wise and prudent to prohibit the use of hoverboards on the sidewalks and business corridors similar to the ban that we have in regards to bikes, skateboards and other devices. Thank you.
Speaker 1: Thank you, Councilwoman Mongeau.
Speaker 3: Thank you. I think that. Many have experienced hoverboards, especially now downtown at the Staples Center. They whiz past people. They create a new and interesting conflict because they move at such a faster speed than the pedestrian that I would be interested in having this come back to council for consideration. I think that it would help the the safety of our business goers who are shopping locally.
Speaker 1: Thank you, Councilwoman Gonzalez.
Speaker 2: Yes. Thank you. I want to thank Councilman Price for bringing this forward and I want to thank her for her exemption note about the Segways, because our debate as well as our security downtown to utilize the sidewalk for that with their side with their Segways. I would ask though, this is just more of a general, but, you know, it's nice that we have these ordinances, but the education piece really is the after effect that we need to continue working on, because I know even with bicycles, there's still some individuals who think that it's okay to go on the sidewalk with bicycle. So I would just ask that we push a little bit more in terms of making sure that we have that education out there for folks.
Speaker 3: Thank you.
Speaker 1: Thank you, Councilman Andrews.
Speaker 9: Yes, thank you, Mayor. You know, I think it's a good, good safety ordinance for our city, because I think it's very important. You know, we do keep up with technology like hula boards. But what I'd like to get clear is, would it be okay if are these able to go down bike lanes? That's what I'm I'm asking. Are they can they get into the bike lanes? If it is, I'm.
Speaker 1: Not sure if that's a question for.
Speaker 6: The members of the council yet. Yes, this this proposed ordinance would not prohibit them if they were the proper type of vehicle, they could go on a bike lane, depending on how they're classified. They would this ordinance would ban them from sidewalks only at this time.
Speaker 9: Thank you.
Speaker 1: Okay. Go ahead. Councilmembers.
Speaker 2: Sidewalks and business corridors.
Speaker 6: That's correct. We would generally speaking, when we we're limiting the bicycles to certain areas or designated areas, we do it by street designation. So we would be working with development services to come up with the proper definitions for those areas. That would be the business corridors.
Speaker 2: Great. Thank you.
Speaker 1: Great. Thank you. Now we have Councilmember Austin.
Speaker 8: Yes, thank you. Obviously, with the technology, we are making laws to to adapt. And I do appreciate the the emphasis and where we're trying to go to make pedestrian safer, particularly in our business districts. I am I'm glad Councilmember Andrews asked the question regarding bike lanes, because I think it's important for us to to look at mobility and getting around town and getting outside of cars. And I think, you know, as annoying as they may be because there are a lot of young people on them right now, the hoverboards offer another option and I really don't see the difference between that technology and the Segway, to be quite honest with you. And I just want to put a visual out there. If all of a sudden we are we start having 16 year olds on Segways. Are we going to have another position on this issue? I think it's an issue of, you know, we have young people utilizing hoverboards police officers and security officers are on Segways. And, you know, I just want you to visualize, you know, couple of years from now, if Segways are an alternative to two cars, are we going to have a different position on that? And so I think that's important for us to think moving forward. I am going to be supportive of this this motion today to move it forward. But I do want to have engage our community and and have a honest conversation about what do we think about active transportation as a city, we are promoting people getting out of cars, we're promoting bike lanes, we are promoting skateboards. We should make sure that we are accommodating and making sure that we are, you know, letting our young people. Giving them an option to to. To get around. Around town.
Speaker 1: Thank you. Public comment on this item.
Speaker 7: The explosions that have happened are certainly dramatic. And I think what is equally dramatic and should be prohibited are the e-cigarettes. And I think it should be, if you want to incorporate it in this or a separate ordinance, those are just as dangerous as those things blow up. And there's hardly a week goes by. That is not some case of somebody having their face burned off, and hence it should be added to some ordinance here. And it seems to me this is an appropriate way of doing that. Thank you.
Speaker 1: Thank you. See no other public comment on this item. There's a motion and a second. Members, please cast your votes.
Speaker 0: Motion carries.
Speaker 1: Q Item seven.
Recommendation to request City Attorney to draft an ordinance prohibiting the use of electronically motorized boards as defined in Vehicle Code Section 313.5 from operating on sidewalks in business corridors.