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Council introduces ordinance update to regulate electric bikes and scooters in city public spaces
Summary
Council introduced Ordinance 8‑75, updating city code to add rules for electric bicycles and scooters (where they may be used and speed limits) at the police department’s request; the ordinance will return for a second reading.
Coldwater City Council introduced Ordinance 8‑75 to update existing local regulations governing bicycles, roller skates and skateboards so they explicitly cover electric bicycles and electric scooters. The ordinance was requested by the police department to give officers clear local authority to regulate use and respond to complaints, particularly in the downtown area.
City staff said the current local ordinance, largely drafted in 1991, predates modern electric micromobility devices and that state law provides some guidance but largely defers to local governments on permissible regulation. The proposed amendments clarify where electric bicycles and scooters may operate, reference applicable state speed limits and give enforcement guidance to local police.
Council members discussed safety on sidewalks — in particular, concerns about high speeds on sidewalks near pedestrians — and asked staff to include speed and location restrictions in the ordinance language. The ordinance was introduced for first reading and will return to council for a second reading and final action at a future meeting.
