Law, Buildings and Code Enforcement Committee

This meeting is being held in accordance to Governor Hochul’s signed legislation allowing municipalities to resume remote meetings. If the legislation is revoked, then it will be an in-person meeting. Please stay up to date with the status of our meetings by going to our website and following us on Facebook. We encourage residents to continue participating. Constituents can provide public comment on our new public comment line 518-694-3987, by email commoncouncil@albanyny.gov or the form on our website https://www.albanyny.gov/Government/CityOfficials/CommonCouncil.aspx. These comments will be shared with members and/ or read for the record at the meeting, posted on our website and Facebook. Constituents may also register to speak during the meeting and you to will be provided with the zoom credentials if it is your intent to speak email us at commoncouncil@albanyny.gov COMMON COUNCIL MEETING LAW, BUILDINGS, AND CODE ENFORCEMENT Ginnie Farrell, Chair DATE: MONDAY, JUNE 27, 2022 TIME: 5:30 PM LOCATION: VIRTUALLY ON ZOOM TOPICS OF DISCUSSION:  Ordinance 9.41.22 AN ORDINANCE AMENDING ARTICLE II (SKATEBOARDS) OF CHAPTER 255 (PEACE AND GOOD ORDER) OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF ALBANY IN RELATION TO THE REGULATION OF SKATEBOARDING IN THE CITY OF ALBANY PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD: YES Council Member Romero introduced the following: ORDINANCE 9.41.22 AN ORDINANCE AMENDING ARTICLE II (SKATEBOARDS) OF CHAPTER 255 (PEACE AND GOOD ORDER) OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF ALBANY IN RELATION TO THE REGULATION OF SKATEBOARDING IN THE CITY OF ALBANY The City of Albany, in Common Council convened, does hereby ordain and enact: Section 1. Article II (Skateboards) of Chapter 255 (Peace and Good Order) of Part II (General Legislation) of the Code of the City of Albany is hereby amended to read as follows § 255-8 Definitions Skateboard defined. For the purposes of this article, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated: SKATEBOARD A single platform which is mounted on wheels, designed or used in fact for riding underfoot, having no mechanism or other device with which to steer or control the direction of movement thereof while being used. § 255-9 Restricted use areas Regulation. Areas in the City of Albany in which skateboard riding is prohibited are as follows: A. All public and private sidewalks, roadways (including the entire paved and improved surface thereof including curbs), parking lots, driveways and courtyards within the boundaries set forth below: (1) All that area bounded by and including Lark Street south of Madison Avenue on the west, Clinton Avenue on the north, Broadway on the east and Myrtle Avenue on the south. B. Also, all basketball courts, tennis courts and handball courts within the City of Albany C. In No person shall use or ride a skateboard in, on, or upon any publicly owned monument, sculpture, or other statuary. § 255-10 Regulations. A. No person shall use or ride on a skateboard in or upon any of the areas and locations listed in § 255-9. B. In all other areas within the City of Albany, skateboard use is permitted so long as it is not  effected in a manner that creates a risk of danger to any person or property or impedes or interferes with pedestrian or vehicular traffic. Section 2. This ordinance shall take effect immediately. APPROVED AS TO FORM THIS 24TH DAY OF MARCH, 2022 _____________________________ Corporation Counsel To: Danielle Gillespie, City Clerk From: Gabriella Romero, Council Member, 6th Ward Re: Common Council Legislation Supporting Memorandum Date: March 24, 2022 Sponsor: Council Member Romero ORDINANCE 9.41.22 TITLE AN ORDINANCE AMENDING ARTICLE II (SKATEBOARDS) OF CHAPTER 255 (PEACE AND GOOD ORDER) OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF ALBANY IN RELATION TO THE REGULATION OF SKATEBOARDING IN THE CITY OF ALBANY GENERAL PURPOSE OF LEGISLATION As Albany begins to move away from vehicular-only modes of transportation, we must identify and uplift all other modes of transit. The proposed changes remove the jurisdictional component of the previous legislation, allowing for skateboards to move freely around our City. It further removes the specifically punitive effects of skateboarding; however, skateboards must still abide by the NYS Vehicle and Traffic Law, which would be enforced by public safety officials. The only remaining restriction, under this ordinance, bans skateboarding on public monuments, sculptures, and statues. To note, there are no restrictions on in-line skaters, bicyclists, or pedestrians. Any unruly behavior by this movants is enforced through existing law by public safety officials. NECESSITY FOR LEGISLATION AND ANY CHANGE TO EXISTING LAW These changes provide parity with bicyclists and pedestrians. Skateboarding is more than a mode of recreation; it is also a means for transportation and should not be criminalized or subject to specifically punitive effects. FISCAL IMPACT None.