Ames parks staff, commissioners and residents debate micro‑mobility rules for parks

Ames Parks and Recreation staff and commissioners spent an extended portion of their meeting discussing how to regulate e‑bikes, e‑scooters and other personal transportation devices in city parks after City Council asked the commission to review park rules.

Staff presented background from council and state guidance and asked commissioners for direction on whether bicycles and “personal transportation devices” should be allowed in parks, whether speed limits should apply and how exceptions should be handled. “What I told council is safety is is really what we have to to to look at,” said Keith (staff member), summarizing staff’s framing of the issue.

The presentation noted state classifications for e‑bikes commonly used elsewhere: class 1 (pedal assist up to about 20 mph), class 2 (pedal assist and throttle) and class 3 (up to about 28 mph, with minimum age limits), and described options in other cities for park speed limits (examples discussed included 5, 10, 15 and 20 mph on various trail types). Staff said City Council recommended a 20 mph limit for streets and other areas outside parks while leaving park rules to the commission.

Commissioners and staff emphasized enforcement tradeoffs. Keith warned that an ordinance without realistic enforcement would be difficult: “with an ordinance…police are not gonna go out there and and and be, you know, gunning people, on, on the trails.” Commissioners discussed non‑police approaches such as signage, education campaigns, selective speed‑display signs and targeted infrastructure (widened paths, separated routes) to reduce conflicts.

Public comment came from Tam Morance (resident), who said recent experience has reduced her use of Brookside Park because of fast cyclists and unleashed dogs. “When I walk my dog in Brookside Park, I usually go off path just to avoid the cyclist,” Morance said, and urged a park speed limit “for no more than 5 to 10 miles an hour” plus requirements for brakes and stronger path etiquette education.

Commissioners said they could break the rules into categories (regular bicycles versus smaller hard‑to‑see electric devices) and make tailored rules. Joshua (staff member) and other staff noted that some users rely on e‑bikes for accessibility and that a complete ban would exclude those users who cannot otherwise use the park system.

Staff outlined next steps: the commission will discuss park‑specific rules at an upcoming public input meeting and a separate ADA Hayden open‑house; staff plans to circulate a survey to gather wider public input before the commission drafts recommended changes to Chapter 4 of the Ames municipal code.

The commission did not take a formal vote; staff will return with a draft recommendation after the public input sessions.