EDITORIAL

Surfers have the beach. Snowboarders take to the mountains. And

skateboarders use everything in between. Well, not quite.

For Newport Beach, the in between presents the problem. As a result,

the city has restricted skateboarders from using any paved surface with a

slope of 6% grade or steeper, as well as on benches, planters, railings

and other structures.

Obviously, it’s understandable that the city doesn’t want to take any

risks by allowing skaters to leap onto and off benches and the like. But

prohibiting skateboarders from using surfaces of a 6% grade borders on

the ridiculous.

The city must create a more reasonable solution for skateboarders who

are unlikely to skate with a protractor in tow.

If the City Council wants to stick to its decision to pile on the

additional skating restrictions, it needs to solve the so-called problem

with a skate park. Also needing to join the effort are Costa Mesa and the

Newport-Mesa Unified School District.

All are need of appeasing the skateboarders who are finding fewer

places to perform their activity of choice. Costa Mesa came up with

somewhat of a solution in the form of the mobile skate park.

But a permanent solution must be found as skateboarding has proven to

be much more than a passing fad.

Newport-Mesa, as a community, shares a school district, a police

helicopter, a few sports leagues and more, so it would make sense to team

up for a skate park from which both cities can benefit.

We urge all leaders involved to meet to come up with a solution to an

issue that’s not skating away.