Olivette City Council on July 22, 2025, postponed a second reading of an ordinance that would add definitions and new operating rules for electric bicycles, scooters, hoverboards and other micro‑mobility devices to the city code.

City staff said the changes are intended to reduce collisions, clarify where devices may be used and give police an enforceable code. "We are prohibiting all bikes and electric vehicles from the unpaved park trails," Parks and recreation staff member Beverly Tucker Knight told council members during the presentation. Police Chief Beth Andreski told the council the department currently has limited enforcement authority for many calls about young riders and unsafe devices and that the ordinance would allow officers to address those situations.

The proposed ordinance would add class‑based definitions for electric bicycles (class 1 and 2 with a top assisted speed of 20 mph, class 3 up to 28 mph), and a broader definition for micro‑mobility devices that covers scooters, skateboards, motorized unicycles and similar vehicles. In the parks chapter staff proposed:
- A prohibition on bikes and electric vehicles on unpaved park trails (Sassafras, Cottonwood and wood‑chip volunteer trails).
- A 15 mph speed limit for all wheeled devices where permitted in parks.
- Allowing class 1 and 2 e‑bikes, certain EPAVs and MTDs on paved park paths with a requirement to yield to pedestrians.

For roadway use, the ordinance text discussed requiring a Missouri driver's license to operate certain motorized devices on roadways; Chief Andreski said that requirement would apply to higher‑speed devices and would not apply when someone is crossing a roadway to access a sidewalk. "If you see something that's urgent like that, we always encourage people to please call right away so we can get an officer out," Andreski told the council when describing how the department expects to respond to dangerous behavior reported by residents.

Council members asked multiple clarifying questions about enforcement and classification. Officers and staff said manufacturers usually mark devices with class information but acknowledged riders can modify or mislabel equipment, making speed enforcement complaint‑driven and selective. Beverly Tucker Knight described a public education component that would include speed‑limit signage, medallions on trail signs indicating no bikes on unpaved trails, newsletter articles, infographics in parks and links to safety resources such as EbikeSmart.

Several council members raised concerns about how the ordinance treats small, low‑speed devices such as hoverboards and one‑wheels and asked whether teenagers without a driver’s license would be banned from using these devices on streets. Staff said the language can be adjusted and noted there is no single national model covering every new device; the code would be a living document subject to future amendment.

After discussion the council voted to table the ordinance to the next regular meeting to allow staff to gather additional feedback and refine language on residential street use, age limits and vehicle classes. The tabling motion passed by recorded vote with council members voting yes; the meeting record shows unanimous support to table the matter. Staff said residents may submit comments by email or during the public‑comment period at the next meeting.

Next steps: staff will return with revised language addressing questions on age/roadway access and may propose clarified distinctions for low‑speed toy‑class devices versus higher‑speed micro‑mobility vehicles; council members and staff also signaled intent to expand public education ahead of any final ordinance vote.