Remote-controlled airplanes will be allowed back into Carlsbad's parks, and Rollerblade users can continue to skate through downtown for some time to come.
The City Council agreed Tuesday night to ease a one-year-old flight restriction on model planes, and put the brakes on a proposal to limit Rollerblade use.
Model plane enthusiasts celebrated the city's change of heart, while roller skaters offered to work with city staff.
"I think this needs further discussion and I'd like to be a part of that discussion," Carlsbad skater Nina Eaton said, as she discussed the proposed skating ban.
The council had been scheduled to give final approval Tuesday to an amendment that would have put in-line skates and "other similar forms of transportation" in the same category as skateboards.
The use of skateboards is banned in Carlsbad's downtown region and in places where "no skateboarding" signs are posted, such as public buildings and shopping centers.
An Oceanside resident who regularly walks Carlsbad's seawall area has been pushing the city to add a restriction against in-line skaters for months, saying he's had many unpleasant run-ins with speeding skaters.
Tuesday night, the council heard from two skaters who said the city was about to punish all skaters because of the bad behavior of a few folks.
Jim Young, who said he has lived and skated in Carlsbad for two decades, told the council that in-line skate use brings huge public health benefits in an era when obesity is a nationwide problem.
"I feel a little disheartened that somebody from Oceanside comes and tells me that I can't take care of my health," he said.
After hearing from skaters, council members said they might instead set time restrictions on when in-line skates can be used, particularly along the city's busy seawalk area.
Meanwhile, a ban on flying model planes in city parks will be eased somewhat. The council decided Tuesday to allow electric-powered model planes to be flown at the city's natural turf baseball fields from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., but only when those fields are not needed by baseball players. People who fly the planes will need to have insurance. The planes can weigh no more than 2 pounds and must fly less than 60 mph.
When the council enacted its ban against flying model planes in the parks, city officials had anticipated that the hobby pilots would relocate to a spot along Carlsbad Boulevard that's popular with people who fly gliders. That hasn't worked out because the high wind conditions that are good for gliders aren't sought by electric-powered plane enthusiasts, city recreation services manager Mick Calarco said.
Call staff writer Barbara Henry at 760-901-4072.
