Hampton Hills officials discuss e-bike, scooter and golf-cart ordinance focused on safety and parental responsibility

Hampton Hills leaders discussed drafting an ordinance to address high-speed electric bicycles, scooters and some noncompliant golf carts after multiple resident complaints about reckless riding. The discussion matters because residents and police described repeated near-misses and property impacts from devices they said are reaching 30–35 mph in residential areas, and the village currently lacks a targeted local enforcement tool beyond state law. Police Chief said the village has been “working on an ordinance” with Attorney Cortez and officers have received weekly complaints and videos showing dangerous riding, including groups traveling at high speeds on neighborhood streets and trails. “We have even a hard time catching them because we’re now talking about kids on bikes that are doing 30, 35 miles an hour,” the chief said. The chief asked the board for direction on policy elements before staff prepares a formal draft. He said the goal is to be fair and not to “target anyone,” but to give officers tools to address the small number of dangerous riders: “We need something as a police department to be able to sink our teeth in if we need to do it,” he said. Attorney Cortez described a common model other communities use: local ordinances with parental-responsibility provisions that make it unlawful for a parent or guardian to allow a minor to violate the local code. Cortez noted state law already provides a baseline and that the village’s ordinance can be tailored to local needs; he also referenced pending state legislation that could expand administrative remedies beyond fines. Several residents and trustees urged balance. Megan (resident) said she values children being outdoors but asked the board to “balance so that the kids can still be kids” while addressing safety. Another resident described the Fox Mill area behind his house as a “racetrack” and said residents often see groups riding at speed. Staff member Steve said there are device categories—low-speed electric bicycles, electric scooters and personal-assistive mobility devices—and that other jurisdictions vary: some ban these devices on sidewalks, some limit the fastest class to multiuse paths, and some restrict classes on particular facilities. He cited examples of communities that limit Class 3 (the highest-speed class) to certain paths or prohibit all classes from sidewalks. Trustee Bocher and the chief both said enforcement, not infrastructure alone, drives short-term safety; staff and residents discussed educational outreach, signage and the limits of infrastructure fixes. The village’s Great Western Trail currently posts a 15-mph limit, and staff said some e-bikes routinely exceed that speed. Direction: the chief and Attorney Cortez will prepare an ordinance draft for board review that may include parental-responsibility language, selective device or place restrictions, and public-education materials. No vote was taken. Next steps: staff will draft ordinance language and an outreach plan; the board will review the draft at a future meeting.