Gordon Moss would like to skateboard in Kent without having to pay more than $100 in fines.

That’s why the sophomore architecture major plans to go before city council tonight to propose a change in the city’s skateboard ordinance.

Moss said he has received three tickets since the beginning of the school year for riding his skateboard around the city of Kent and has appeared in court for each of his tickets. The tickets cost him $102 each.

The current skateboard ordinance is a general use of toy vehicles in the roadway ordinance, said Lt. Michelle Lee of the Kent Police Department.

“Basically, the ordinance says no skateboarding in a business district and no skateboarding whatsoever in a street,” Lee said. “However, it’s OK to ride in residential areas.”

Moss said he thinks the toy vehicle ordinance is unfair because he uses his skateboard as a mode of transportation.

“I’m going to say I want the ordinance to be revised so that it’s legal to ride in the street if you’re using the skateboard as transportation, not to do tricks or destroy public property,” Moss said.

Clerk of council Linda Copley said the council is unable to comment on the situation until it is presented to them at the meeting. Moss is presenting his situation in writing, and this will be the first time council considers his situation.

“Council will decide if the situation will go before a committee,” Copley said. “If approved in committee form, it will go back to council for approval, and it would take 30 days before the ordinance went into effect.”

The meeting will be held at 7:30 p.m. tonight at the Council Chambers located at 217 E. Summit St.

Contact public affairs reporter Danielle Toth

at [email protected].