Planners brief commissioners on e-bike rules and identify gaps in Longmont bike‑parking code

Longmont transportation staff told the Planning and Zoning Commission on Jan. 22 that rising e‑bike use is prompting a review of how state rules and local code intersect, and that the city’s land‑development code lacks explicit requirements for covered and cargo‑bike parking.

Ben Ortiz, a Longmont transportation planner, summarized state rules and the locally enforced parking standards. "There's class 1, class 2, and class 3 e-bikes," Ortiz said. "The class 1 and class 2 are very similar in that the motors are governed to 20 miles per hour... the class 3 e-bike is different in that the motors [are] governed up to 28 miles per hour and you do have to pedal in order to engage that motor." He noted state-model provisions that restrict class 3 operation on pedestrian paths unless a local authority permits it and said, "the city of Longmont has not presently authorized the use of class 3 e bikes on the Greenway Trail System here in Longmont."

Why it matters: e-bike adoption changes the types of parking and security the city should provide and raises enforcement questions for trails and multi-use paths. Officials also described incentive programs and market growth that could increase bike volumes citywide.

What staff reported on e-bike trends and incentives - State and market data: Ortiz summarized outreach and findings from the Colorado Energy Office and other sources: the e-bike market is projected to expand through 2032, Colorado offers a range of rebate and tax-credit programs (Ortiz cited 27 Colorado incentive programs), and Denver redeemed more than 9,000 vouchers in its program since 2022. Ortiz also said 6,455 rebates had been redeemed through the statewide program through June 2024 and that 163 incentive programs exist nationally. - Safety and regulation: Ortiz highlighted helmet and age rules tied to e-bike classes in Colorado's model traffic provisions; he pointed to a state rule that persons under 16 are prohibited from riding class 3 e-bikes and that riders aged 18 on class 3 e-bikes are required to wear protective helmets.

Bike‑parking code and observed problems - Current requirement: Ortiz explained Longmont’s land development code requires bike parking at new developments equal to 5% of provided motor-vehicle parking; each inverted U rack counts as two bicycle spaces and must be within about 100 feet of building entrances and visible from the served use. "Each inverted U rack is equal to 2 spaces," Ortiz said. - Multifamily specifics: the city now requires at least one bike rack at each multifamily building; the code previously required a rack only for multifamily developments of eight units or more. - Gaps and discouraged racks: Ortiz said the code does not require covered bike parking or cargo-bike-sized spaces and that certain rack types ("wheel benders" and wave racks) are discouraged because of damage and poor locking points. - Examples and practice: staff showed photos of correct and incorrect locking practices and said public-use covered or secure bike cages exist at a few locations (the Eighth and Kaufman facility was cited) but are not standard city requirements.

Commissioner questions and staff notes Commissioners asked about maintenance, enforcement, and how parking requirements relate to broader parking policy changes (the city removed motor-vehicle minimums in a recent code update). Ortiz and other staff said the city has not done a comprehensive count of bicycle volumes comparable to auto counts and noted that many counts on trails or at trailheads use infrared or manual counters, which have limitations.

Next steps and policy implications Ortiz and staff described the lack of a cargo‑bike and covered‑parking requirement as a potential code update topic and said it would require policy direction from City Council if planners should pursue an ordinance amendment. Commissioners suggested a more nuanced code that ties bike‑parking thresholds to zoning districts or mixed‑use contexts rather than a single citywide percentage.

Ending: staff requested direction from commission or council Staff said the Planning and Zoning Commission and advisory committees (for example, the Bicycle Issues Committee) could recommend code changes and that the city council would be the ultimate policymaker on any ordinance revisions. Ortiz encouraged continued discussion and suggested staff could return with options if the commission wants to pursue specific code amendments.