Olivette council tables ordinance updating rules for e‑bikes and other electric devices after debate on speeds, ages and enforcement

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…