Council Reviews Draft Scooter Ordinance, Asks Police and Attorney to Refine Language

The Brandon City Council discussed a draft city ordinance intended to regulate electric scooter use in business districts and on sidewalks, with police and city attorney input requested to refine the language.

Police Chief Steffel told the council the draft included a no-riding zone on sidewalks along Main Avenue and suggested changing the boundary language from Elm to Aspen to Elm to Cedar to better reflect residential areas. He said the primary safety concern was scooter use on sidewalks adjacent to front doors where children and pedestrians step into the walkway.

“I think it's good to have something,” Steffel said, describing the ordinance as a tool for education and enforcement that would promote pedestrian safety rather than produce an abundance of citations. He recommended focusing a prohibition on sidewalks in business districts rather than broadly banning scooters on streets.

Why it matters: Council members asked about enforceability and whether the ordinance should instead describe a business district prohibition. The draft includes a helmet requirement and sidewalk restrictions; police said the rule would provide an enforcement reference and an educational tool for parents and users.

Next steps: Councilmembers asked staff and the city attorney to refine the ordinance language (business-district boundaries, sidewalk vs. street language) and to return “with the order that's ready to go” for council consideration. No formal vote was taken at the meeting.

Ending: Councilmembers emphasized safety and education; staff will bring a revised draft ordinance for future consideration.