By Daily Press staff
Remote control cars are now illegal in Santa Monica. Well, at least at the beach. Parking lots there have long been a destination for racing enthusiasts, but the fun has been brought to a screeching halt.
The City Council on Tuesday night unanimously approved a new law that prohibits the motorized model vehicles in response to concerns raised over the noise and possible dangers they pose. The ordinance complements an earlier law that banned flying remote-controlled airplanes.
“Us skaters and skateboarders also are terrorized by these little model vehicles,” Councilman Mike Feinstein said.
City Hall’s manager of open space, Elaine Polachek, who recommended the ordinance to City Council, said she doesn’t know what the fine will be if someone violates the law.
Polachek said she has been inundated by e-mail messages from nearby residents at the Shores apartments, Sea Colony condominiums and others who have grown tired of the large gatherings of people from places like Pamona and Riverside who regularly come to race their cars in beachside lots.
“It’s a safety issue,” she said. “They’re hard to see. If somebody”s driving in this parking lot, they can’t see them... and we’ve received a lot of (noise) complaints
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on October 16, 2003. Read the original PDF.