Pat de Roma and Chris Knowell urged Bergen County commissioners during the meeting’s public comment period to revise a county ordinance that bans motorized bikes in county parks, saying the rule is overly broad and harms people who need electric-assist devices.

The speakers asked the board to allow at least class 1 and class 2 e-bikes — lower‑speed models with pedal assist — on multiuse paths so that older residents and people with limited physical ability can use parks. “The ordinance specifically bans any motorized bikes in county parks,” Pat de Roma said. “What we would prefer to see is basically just, a policy where as long as people are behaving, courteously and adhering to any posted speed limits that normal bike riders would have to follow, that they should be allowed to enjoy the county parks.”

Why it matters: Speakers said the ban can force e-bike users onto roadways where they face greater crash risk, and that class 1 and class 2 e-bikes behave similarly to regular bicycles. Chris Knowell said the ban covers not only e-bikes but “similar electric mobility devices,” and stressed that Saddle River Park is an important active‑transportation corridor connecting multiple towns and local destinations, including Bergen County Community College.

During their comments, both speakers acknowledged safety is a concern but proposed alternatives to a blanket prohibition: designated bike lanes or pavement markings, separate paths or markings for cyclists and pedestrians, targeted enforcement, traffic‑calming measures on narrow path segments, or county liaisons who engage with park users rather than issuing immediate summonses. “There are solutions that can accommodate everyone,” Knowell said.

Discussion vs. decision: The remarks took place during the public‑comment portion of the meeting. The transcript records no formal motion, vote, or staff direction at the meeting to change the ordinance. No county official stated that the ordinance would be revised that night; the comments were recorded as input for commissioners to consider.

Context and clarifications: Speakers identified the Bergen County Sheriff’s Office as the agency that had posted about enforcement on social media; the ordinance itself was described generally as prohibiting motorized bikes on county park paths but no ordinance number or text was provided in the meeting record. Knowell noted that some park paths (he cited Saddle River Park) currently allow non‑motorized bicycles and similar devices in at least parts of the park; he recommended targeted local solutions rather than a countywide ban.

Ending: Commissioners did not take immediate action on the ordinance at the meeting. Public commenters said they will continue to organize and seek a change to county policy so that lower‑speed e‑assist devices are permitted in park corridors where safe.