Council moves to restrict RC vehicles

Remote control vehicle enthusiasts may soon have to watch where they drive in city parks after the City Council approved a proposal Monday night.

The proposal was approved unanimously to direct staff to draft an ordinance to restrict RC vehicles to specific areas in parks and look into designating an area for their use. The ordinance will come back to the council for approval.

The proposal was brought to the council by Mayor Cathy Green after she received complaints about the destruction the miniature cars were causing to the habitat, the noise they created and the dust they kicked up.

“I just kind of want to make sure we have a place for kids and parents to go that is safe, but not destructive,” Green said.

Community Services Director Jim Engle said staff will begin looking into alternative locations for RC vehicles.

The problem became apparent to city officials about a month ago when citizens began complaining and officials became aware of YouTube videos of people jumping RC vehicles over fire in the park, Engle said.

Not all users are creating a problem, Engle said. It is the people who build dirt jumps and dig courses into the area near Goldenwest Street and Talbert Avenue in Huntington Central Park, he said.

“We don’t want to stop the average father and son from coming to the park, but again, they are not trying to create a course down there. They’re just playing on what’s existing,” Engle said.

There is already an ordinance restricting model, or gas-powered, airplanes, helicopters and boats in parks and providing for any loud noise disturbance.

Carol Wiliams, an employee at Shipley Nature Center, sent a letter to council members thanking them for addressing the noise problem the vehicles create.

“I work at Shipley Nature Center and daily see the destruction of habitat, hear the noise that drowns out the singing of birds and children’s laughter and breathe the dust and pollen stirred up by the devastation of the proposed raptor habitat,” Wiliams wrote.

At Huntington Central Park on Thursday afternoon, one RC vehicle enthusiast couldn’t understand why the ordinance is needed.

“It sucks because it’s not like [the city is] going to do anything with the land . . . and it’s not like we’re hurting anything,” said Chuck LaGrone, a Huntington Beach resident.