VISTA -- Skateboarders in Vista have hit a rough patch in recent weeks, as the city began beefing up enforcement of existing skating laws and confiscating the boards of alleged violators, while temporarily closing the city's skate park because of vandalism.

"They're trying to just eliminate skateboarding," said Jason Ehrengruber, owner of Decade Ride Shop in Vista Village. "It's pretty messed up."

The heightened enforcement of existing laws, which prohibit skating in certain areas and require all skaters to wear a helmet, have been particularly rough for Ehrengruber. Business at his store has suffered since the city changed its citation procedures two weeks ago, he said.

"Nobody is really buying skateboards," said the Vista resident and longtime skater, who turned the sport into his livelihood. "It's getting bad."

Under the new policy, instead of handing out time-consuming legal citations, deputies can take violators' skateboards and issue an administrative citation that is payable to the city. Violators can get their boards back once they pay the fine, which is $25 for a first offense and $50 for any additional citations.

Jenny Peterson, spokeswoman for the city, said she only has received a few complaints from parents and skaters about the new system.

"What we're trying to do is send a message that we're enforcing these rules, and we really want the skaters to abide by them," Peterson said. "We're not out to try and nail these skaters with fines … We'd love it if we didn't have to issue any."

So far, sheriff's deputies have issued five tickets under the new arrangement for skateboarding offenses, officials said Monday.

"It's not a change in rules," Peterson said. "The same laws are on the books, it's just that we're enforcing them a little bit differently."

Deputies will be able to write more citations under the new rules, which have cut the amount of time a deputy is tied up with a skateboard-related citation from roughly two hours to about 15 minutes, said Cpl. Steve Litwin, who is heading up the increased enforcement.

"There was so much more work for the deputy, and this has really streamlined things," Litwin said. "I think there's going to be a lot more people getting cited for the violation, because it's not going to put the deputy down for two hours for one skateboarding ticket."

Though citations will probably increase over the next week or two, Litwin said he thinks they'll slow down once word gets out among skaters that the laws are being enforced more strictly now.

Ehrengruber said he was concerned that skateboarders have nowhere to go, after the city closed its skate park last week because of graffiti and vandalism.

With the skate park shuttered, skateboarders are "forced to go back on the streets," he said. "So, then they go on the streets, and they're giving them tickets."

City officials said Monday that the skate park would reopen today.

Still, a group of skaters hanging out at the Decade Ride Shop said that the city should have better things to do than stop skateboarders who aren't wearing helmets.

"The city is pretty wacky," said Daryl Alvarez, a 25-year-old skateboarder. "They're cracking down on things they don't need to be cracking down on. There are a lot worse things going on."

Contact staff writer Stacy Brandt at (760) 631-6622 or sbrandt@nctimes.com.