Sunny Isles Beach reports strong public support for age, ID and sidewalk limits in scooter survey

City staff gave the commission an update on the city's Scooter Safety Committee, reporting widespread community engagement and preliminary survey results that show broad support for a set of new local rules.

Julio Dall, co-compliance manager, told the City Commission the city's online scooter survey had received 1,828 responses as of Sept. 13 and that staff had conducted town halls, a helmet giveaway, PTSA outreach and multilingual promotion in English, Spanish and Russian. "We've had a total of 1,828 responses to date," Dall said during the Sept. 18 meeting.

The survey and outreach were aimed at gathering preferences on rules the committee is exploring under recent state guidance. The committee was formed after passage of Senate Bill 462 and includes planning and zoning, police, code compliance services (CCS) and media, Dall said. That state measure allows municipalities to adopt local requirements such as minimum ages, government ID rules and rider safety classes.

Why it matters: the commission and staff said they want rules that improve safety while also being enforceable. Commissioner Joseph warned enforcement has been difficult in the past: "Our police department has spent numerous hours and at a large expense, regarding enforcement that, basically, it's been unenforceable, at this time," he said. City attorneys and staff emphasized the difference between criminal penalties (set by state law) and local civil code enforcement handled through chapter 14 and the city's special magistrate process.

Key findings and staff figures: of respondents, 62 percent said there was not a motorized scooter in their household and 37 percent said there was; among those with scooters, 83 percent said they had registered with the city. Respondents reported riding locations as follows: 88 percent said they used sidewalks and 63 percent said they used bike lanes. On possible new rules, 85 percent of respondents said they supported a minimum age (16 was the leading age choice), 75 percent supported requiring a government ID, 67 percent supported banning scooters from sidewalks and 41 percent supported a total ban.

Next steps and enforcement questions: Dall said the survey will close Sept. 22 and the Scooter Safety Committee will analyze the full results and research from other municipalities before presenting proposed regulations. "Following today, our next step is this we're gonna go ahead and close this the scooter survey on September 22," he said.

Commissioners pressed staff on enforcement logistics, costs and state preemption. The city attorney advised that some vehicles with internal-combustion engines are preempted to the state, but that the city may regulate electric scooters and e-bikes and can enforce local ordinance violations as civil infractions. Police and staff explained the typical enforcement pathway: police generally stop riders and issue warnings or citations; reported citations escalate through civil processes. Dall described a staggered penalty schedule used in city enforcement (examples provided to the commission included escalating fines that staff summarized as a progressive series rather than a single fixed amount).

Infrastructure and related policy: several commissioners sought options to keep scooters, cyclists and pedestrians separated, including dedicated lanes where right-of-way allows. Vice Mayor Lama asked staff to investigate physical roadway changes that could create protected corridors for bicycles and scooters. Staff said the committee is treating scooters as part of a broader micromobility review that includes e-bikes.

What the commission directed: no ordinance was adopted at the meeting. Commissioners asked staff to complete the survey analysis, continue committee meetings and bring regulatory recommendations — including enforcement-cost estimates and proposed ordinance language — back for commission consideration, targeting a report in November.

Ending: City staff and commissioners framed the next months as an information-gathering and drafting phase: the committee will finalize outreach results, align proposals with state law and present enforceable options to the commission in the fall.