Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Safety Signage topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Council asks staff to clarify pier rules and add signs banning motorized electric vehicles
Summary
After complaints about fast electric bikes on the pier, council directed staff to add signage specifically prohibiting electric/motorized vehicles on the pier and to update code definitions so enforcement and public guidance are clearer.
The City Council on May 5 asked staff to create clearer on‑site guidance and revise municipal code language after a public request about motorized electric bikes on the Waianae Beach pier.
Deputy City Manager Charles Peritz told the council that the municipal code already includes broad prohibitions "related to wheeled vehicles, but does not define that term." He noted two code sections referenced on signage: a section prohibiting "riding, pushing, or pulling wheeled vehicles on the pier" and a section banning wheeled vehicles "for human conveyance on unpaved areas at the beach park." Peritz said staff does not believe the code was intended to prohibit strollers or wagons and recommended producing a kiosk flyer and targeted signs to state explicitly that electric and motorized vehicles are not allowed on the pier.
Council members raised practical questions about enforcement and the potential for negative interactions with police. A council member noted that the police department has only a limited number of officers on duty at any time and asked how officers would respond to complaints; staff said existing code provisions allow issuance of an administrative infraction but that enforcement is complaint‑driven and staff does not plan to station officers at the pier solely for this purpose. Council members emphasized public education first: social media posts, targeted signage and lifeguard/officer education were suggested as low‑cost, preventive measures.
Action: the council unanimously directed staff to produce a new sign stating that "electric and motorized vehicles are not allowed on the pier," to inventory beach signage and address deficiencies, and to return with recommended code language that clarifies the definition of "wheeled vehicle" (or to otherwise define "electric/motorized vehicle") so future enforcement and public outreach are consistent.
Why it matters: council members said the pier is a high‑use public space and residents are concerned about safety when motorized devices travel at speed in pedestrian areas. Staff reiterated that any enforcement action would be complaint‑driven and that the immediate steps are educational and signage improvements to reduce risky behaviors.
Ending: staff will prepare the sign and an updated definition or ordinance language and report back; the police department will continue to respond to calls for service at the pier as resources permit.
