Sherburne County proposes 20 mph trail speed limit, clarifies e‑bike rules in park ordinance update

Sherburne County Parks staff on May 20 presented a draft update to the county park regulations that focuses on electric devices, trail speed limits and enforcement classifications.

Gina Hugo, the county’s parks director, told commissioners the update would add statutory definitions for electric-assisted bicycles and electric personal assistive mobility devices and would define “trails” and “vehicles” to reflect current usage. The Parks and Trails Advisory Committee recommends a fixed 20 miles-per-hour speed limit on trails rather than attempting to ban particular classes of electric bicycles, the director said.

The committee reached the speed-limit recommendation after discussing the difficulty of visually distinguishing e-bike classes and the reality that some standing personal devices can exceed 25 mph; the committee concluded a single, posted trail speed limit would be clearer and more enforceable. The draft also would allow cultural and ceremonial tobacco use by Native Americans and would classify ordinance violations as misdemeanors, except for cannabis and hemp use which the county attorney’s office recommended as a petty misdemeanor with a $50 fine.

No formal vote was requested May 20; staff said the board would receive the ordinance again after formal public-notice and public-hearing steps. Commissioners asked staff to prepare a workshop that clarifies how the speed limit would apply on different trail types (paved trails, nonpaved or destination snowmobile trails), and to ensure signage and enforcement are practical on mixed-use routes.

Background: The county last comprehensively updated the ordinance in February 2018 and told the board that the rise in electric devices and new state definitions prompted the current revision.