Somerville, MA Public Conduct: Skateboarding Rules (2026)

Section 12-46 of the Somerville Code of Ordinances prohibits playing baseball, football, or any other games, or operating a skateboard, at any time on city-owned, maintained or controlled property inside a specific loop: starting at Walnut Street and Highland Avenue, running southeasterly on Highland Avenue to School Street, north on School Street to the B&M railroad bridge, along the railroad tracks back toward Walnut Street, continuing onto Medford Street to Medford and Walnut, and back to the starting intersection. This traces the Walnut Street/Trum Field area.

The ordinance dates to Ord. No. 2004-03 (Feb. 12, 2004), codifying former Code 1963 Sec. 12-23. A separate rule, Sec. 9-94, bans operating any unregistered motorized vehicle, expressly including motorized skateboards, on any public way or sidewalk, with a flat $50 fine per offense. The Somerville Police Department is the enforcing authority for Sec. 12-46 violations, and the section states expressly that it does not limit any other common-law or statutory remedy the city may pursue. Each day a violation continues counts as a separate offense subject to its own fine.