On Monday, Dec. 16, City Council voted 5-4 to prohibit motorized vehicles, including electric scooters, on Mission Beach, Pacific Beach and La Jolla Shores boardwalks, as well as Mission Bay Park Bayside Walk.
Council President Pro Tem Barbara Bry of District 1, was joined by colleagues Dr. Jennifer Campbell of District 2, Monica Montgomery of District 4, Mark Kersey of District 5 and Vivian Moreno of District 8 in voting for a boardwalk ban.
Dissenting City Council members were Scott Sherman of District 7, Council President Georgette Gomez of District 9, Chris Ward of District 3 and Chris Cate of District 6.
Previously in 2018, the City Council voted 6-3 against a scooter ban on boardwalks.
“Today, action is imperative,” said Bry, a mayoral candidate in 2020, in introducing the electric vehicle ban on boardwalks. “This is a public safety issue, not a transportation issue. Accidents, head traumas, and one death have compelled us to take action. We need to ensure safe space for residents and tourists who utilize the boardwalk.”
“I was proud to vote with the City Council majority to ban motorized devices, including scooters, from our beach and bay boardwalks,” said Campbell. “Keeping these pathways clear ensures the safety of our pedestrians and the livability of our neighborhoods. Thank you to my city council colleagues for recognizing the importance of this issue to the communities of Districts 1 and 2.”
“The City Council must rely on sound scientific data, not politics and emotion when considering good policy,” countered Sherman. “Scooter regulations were just approved barely six months ago and an initial review shows that they have improved safety and reduced accidents. Data-driven policy, not a blanket ban, is the right path forward.”
Testimony before the City Council vote Dec. 16 was weighted heavily in favor of residents for a boardwalk ban on motorized vehicles.
Bicycling advocate Andy Hanshaw, who chairs the City’s Mobility Board, argued the boardwalk ban was within his board’s purview. He pointed out the board had not reviewed the proposed ban.
“Six words: Vision Zero, public safety, common sense,” testified District 1 City Council candidate Joe LaCava of La Jolla. “Today is the day to take action: pass the ordinance.”
Vision Zero is a multi-national road traffic safety project that aims to achieve a highway system with no fatalities or serious injuries involving road traffic. 
One boardwalk ban proponent argued the decision came down to “safety or greed.”
Mission Beach Town Council president Matt Gardner spoke in favor of the ban noting, “There are no crosswalks or safe places for pedestrians to cross on the boardwalk with the motor vehicles.”
Following the vote, the office of the City Clerk said the new ordinance will take effect sometime after Jan. 1. Mayor Kevin Faulconer has the right to sign off on the new ordinance or veto it. If Faulconer were to veto the ordinance, the City Council could override his veto by a two-thirds vote of 6-3.
Non-motorized vehicles on the boardwalk would be unaffected by the new ordinance. The only exceptions to the boardwalk ban would be those electric vehicles used by the disabled.
Following the boardwalk ban vote, Bry’s office released a statement: “The boardwalks are classified as a Class I Bike Path, which preserve space for pedestrians, bicyclists, and non-motorized devices. The Council clarified that motorized devices do not belong on our boardwalks.”
Bry added she would continue to ask the state legislature to restore the original helmet requirement for motorized scooters. “Unfortunately, the scooter companies pushed for the passage of AB 2989 that exempted riders over age 18 from wearing a helmet,” she said. “It’s time to repeal this legislation in the interest of public safety.”