Council hears proposal for solar-capable e‑bike 'library' on Festival Lawn as a pilot with Smart Commute

Director of Parks, Recreation and Culture Amanda Peterson told council on March 24 that Smart Commute proposes an e‑bike “library” at Festival Lawn that would include five charger units for community members and two bike lockers for rental or loaned e‑bikes.

Peterson said the program is intended to encourage commuting and short trips by e‑bike and that the rental system is not dockless: renters and shared bikes must be returned to charging stations in Northglenn or to partner stations in Thornton and Westminster. “The proposed mobility hub includes a 5 charger station as well as 2 bike lockers,” Peterson said. She added that Smart Commute can lock the speed on rental bikes to 15 mph and that the city’s existing e‑bike rules would apply.

Funding for the pilot comes from RTD, CDOT and a grant from Adams County Open Space; the city’s role would be to provide the site and electrical infrastructure. Peterson said Smart Commute is exploring a fully solar‑powered configuration but that solar buildout would likely follow an initial installation. She asked council for a consensus to allow Smart Commute to proceed with installation at the northwest corner of Festival Lawn.

Councilmembers expressed broad support for the concept but raised several site-specific concerns. Councilmember Kondo asked whether bikes checked out in Northglenn could be returned to Westminster City Hall; Peterson said the third-party operator coordinates bike redistribution between partner stations. Councilmember Goff supported the solar option and noted the lockers could provide weather protection for privately owned e‑bikes. Several councilmembers asked whether the unit would interfere with the city’s events on Festival Lawn and whether parking pressure might increase if people drove to use the bikes. Staff said the unit sits adjacent to the existing event pad and that the structure can be removed or relocated; the agreement would allow either party to terminate with 30 days’ notice.

Council did not take a formal vote during the discussion item. Councilmembers asked staff to monitor how the pilot affects events, parking and Civic Center planning and to work with Smart Commute on operational details such as redistribution, insurance and potential additional locations.