Government

Greenport Village considering ‘No Skateboarding’ code

A teen skates near a no-skateboarding sign in Mitchel Park Monday evening. (Credit: Paul Squire)
A teen skates near a no-skateboarding sign in Mitchell Park Monday evening. (Credit: Paul Squire)

Don’t worry, Greenport skaters. There may be signs around the village warning you to stay away, but there’s nothing on the books to actually back them up.

Village officials said they are now considering adding a section to the village code that would prohibit skateboarding, since the signs themselves are “unenforceable.” 

While Code Enforcement officers or Southold Town police can cite skateboarders for “nuisance” concerns, the village code doesn’t mention anything about preventing skateboarding in public parks or on the village’s walkways, said village administrator Paul Pallas during a code committee meeting Monday afternoon.

Mr. Pallas said that while one or two skaters aren’t a problem, his staff has noticed that groups of skaters are beginning to become an issue in town.

“When you get four or five of them together and they’re going up and down the main part of the boardwalk, people are trying to walk by,” he said at the meeting. “They have to get out of the way of the skateboards. The park should not be used for that purpose.”

Trustee Mary Bess Phillips — who is a member of the committee — said she also had concerns about skating near the intersection of Main Road and Bay Avenue.

“They’re coming down the steps, which is dangerous because they’re headed right down toward Main Street,” she said. “I’d like to see them at the skate park. That’s why we created it.”

The code committee will discuss some possibilities for rules on skateboarding at next month’s meeting.

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