Santa Rosa, CA Public Conduct: Skateboarding Rules (2026)

020(A) of the Santa Rosa City Code prohibits riding, propelling, or operating a skateboard, scooter, roller skate, in-line skate, or similar self-propelled device on any public street, sidewalk, alley, or gutter within the code's specified downtown area or specified Railroad Square area, on any pedestrian walkway or privately-owned roadway or parking area inside a shopping center anywhere in the City, or on any other public property posted with a sign banning the activity. Subsection (B) separately bans riding a bicycle on public sidewalks in those same downtown, Railroad Square, and posted areas, and on shopping-center pedestrian walkways.

010 explains the Council's reasoning: these devices can change direction without warning, riders can be hidden behind pedestrians, the noise startles people nearby, and the devices damage public property in congested commercial areas. 040's definitions, running along named sidewalks such as the west side of E Street and the north side of Sonoma Avenue. 020' and cannot exceed 280 square inches. Peace officers riding bicycles on duty are exempt under subsection (C), and subsection (D) exempts scooters from the street, alley, and gutter portion of the ban entirely, so scooter riders may use the roadway even downtown.