Item 25 - Street Racing and Reckless Driving Exhibitions Ordinance

Home Browse Search

Exhibit 1 ORDINANCE NO. NS-XXXX AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA ANA ADDING A NEW ARTICLE XV TO CHAPTER 36 OF THE SANTA ANA MUNICIPAL CODE TO PROHIBIT SPECTATORS AT A STREET RACE OR RECKLESS DRIVING WHEREAS, under the provisions of Sections 23103, 23109 of the California Vehicle Code, reckless driving exhibition and speed contests on public streets are illegal; and WHEREAS, motor vehicle speed contests are more commonly known as street races or drag races and reckless driving exhibitions are more commonly referred to as exhibitions of reckless driving; and WHEREAS, the streets within the City of Santa Ana have been the site of continuing and escalating illegal street racing over the past several years; and WHEREAS, such street racing poses serious hazards and threatens the health and safety of the public, interferes with pedestrian and vehicular traffic, creates a public nuisance, and interferes with the right of private business owners to enjoy the use of their property within the City of Santa Ana; and WHEREAS, in most cases, hundreds of street racers and spectators gather on the streets late at night, and in the early morning hours, blocking the streets and sidewalks to traffic, forming a racetrack area, placing bets, and otherwise encouraging, aiding and abetting the racing process and the City has determined the presence of spectators at these events encourage and fuel the occurrence of these unlawful events; and WHEREAS, traffic accidents, property crimes, and calls for police service have increased dramatically. Recently, an innocent motorist was killed in broad daylight by drivers engaged in street racing and in a separate incident, street racers involved in a race struck and killed a pedestrian; and WHEREAS, street racing constitutes a nuisance and the City Council of the City of Santa Ana wishes to promote the City's interest in protecting and preserving the safety of pedestrian and vehicular traffic in, about, or upon public and private streets, parkways, roadways, alleys, sidewalks, and parking areas so as to minimize any dangerous conditions due to street racing. THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA ANA DOES ORDAIN AS FOLLOWS: Section 1. A new Article XV is hereby added to Chapter 36 of the Santa Ana Municipal Code to read as follows: