The Wheaton City Council has postponed action on a skateboard ordinance until a planning session Oct. 22.
Council members decided Tuesday to give further study to a recommendation by the Zoning Board to ban skateboard ramps within the city limits.
The Zoning Board presented a report to the council last month detailing the city`s options in dealing with skateboarders.
But the battle between local skateboard enthusiasts and the Zoning Board may be slightly overstated, according to City Manager Donald Rose.
”As far as I know there is only one ramp and only one person complaining,” Rose said.
”Basically, how we got involved was with someone coming into one of the meetings and complaining about a ramp. It`s probably not much of a problem unless you live nearby (the ramp).”
But that hasn`t stopped the ”what if” wheels of gossip from turning in the city of 50,000.
Reports that the council was considering the ordinance this summer sparked a handful of skateboard lovers into action.
In August, about a dozen teenagers appeared at a meeting of the Wheaton Park District and asked it to consider providing a public skateboarding park if the city bans or restricts the use of unsupervised skateboard ramps.
The cost of constructing a safe skateboarding facility in Wheaton could run from $30,000 to $40,000, according to Ray Morrill, the recreation superintendent, who presented a report on skateboards to the park board last month.
It could cost $22,000 annually to provide supervision for a skateboard park, Morrill said. Most if not all of the construction and supervision costs would have to be paid by the Park District, because revenue generated by the facility would probably be minimal, Morrill added.
Despite the estimated costs, Morrill says the Park District would consider building a skateboard park if the council decides to ban
skateboarding ramps.
”I think it`s a recreational outlet that these kids need and deserve,”
he said.
The Park District board is scheduled to meet Oct. 20.
But all the talk is a bit premature, Rose said.
”Council really doesn`t want to follow the recommendation of the Zoning Board,” he said.
”That`s why they want to meet (Oct. 22) to discuss it a little more. Where we are probably headed is (toward) some type of regulation, but not an ordinance prohibiting skateboarding.”
