The St. Petersburg city council made the first step Thursday in lifting a ban on skateboarding in downtown.

According to council member Karl Nurse, who has been leading the effort, the city council approved the introduction of the ordinance repeal and sent it to committee to discuss the details. There will have to be a formal vote on the repeal before the ban is lifted.

"We’ve got several thousand college students downtown now and they use these to get around," Nurse said. "The other thing is that it really communicates exactly the wrong message of what we’re doing. It communicates you’re not welcome."

In a memo to his fellow council members, Nurse wrote that the skateboarding ban runs directly counter to the city's goal of embracing younger, creative citizens.

The prohibition zone was put into place about 20 years ago when business owners complained that riders were causing property damage and were a nuisance. The zone goes from Fifth Avenue South to Fifth Avenue North and from 16th Street on the west to the water on the east.

USFSP student William Harris, who owns a longboard, said riders attitudes have changed a lot in the past 20 years.

"It’s not vagrants running around trying to cause damage," he said. "We’re more respectful. A lot of us are just trying to commute to school."

Skateboarding has become so popular with college students that Franklin Alves, 22, said he recently started a USFSP Longboard Club that has 120 members.

"It’s a really alternative way to enjoy the town and it’s a really easy way to travel," Alves said. "It’s not fun thinking like I have to go to school right now but I’m also breaking the law at the same time just to get to class."

The immediate past presidents of the Downtown Business Association, Tami Simms, said she has not gotten any complaints about skateboarders from members. Nurse said so far he's only gotten one complaint about possibly lifting the ban.

"If there was any more than an isolated concern I would’ve heard about it," he said. "We don’t outlaw walking because some people jaywalk. If you destroy somebody’s property that’s a crime but otherwise have a good time. It’s a beautiful day."

St. Petersburg police said they rarely get complaints from business owners about skateboarders and only issued two tickets last year.

"I’m excited to have it hopefully lifted," Alves said. "So that people can more freely travel within St. Pete."