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Council requests follow‑up after update on scooter rules, parking liability and enforcement
Summary
Staff reviewed Spokane Valley’s scooter rules (SVMC Title 9, chapter 20), reported 55 city complaints and 59 police calls mentioning scooters since mid‑2023, and the council asked staff to return with clarifications on age limits, app‑based enforcement and outreach to seniors.
City staff and the city attorney updated the Spokane Valley City Council on May 6 about existing rules and enforcement for motorized electric scooters and shared‑vehicle programs such as Lime. Staff presented the city code, enforcement practice and recent complaint statistics and council asked for follow‑up on several enforcement and policy questions.
Current rules and enforcement: Deputy City Manager Eric Lamb and City Attorney Kelly Concrete said Spokane Valley regulates motorized scooters under Title 9, Chapter 20 of the Spokane Valley Municipal Code. The code sets a minimum user age (currently 16), requires users to obey traffic laws and prohibits parking that blocks sidewalks. The code treats share programs as responsible for traffic infractions when scooters are parked so as to block right‑of‑way. Lamb noted the code generally allows scooter use on streets with speeds over 25 mph only where there is a designated bike lane or shared use path; scooters are generally barred from parks and trails except Appleway and Centennial Trail (where a 15 mph limit applies).
Complaints and police calls: staff said the city received about 55 complaints handled through city channels in the past two and a half years; staff reported most scooter complaints were resolved promptly and usually removed by the share operator within a day after city contact. The Spokane Valley Police Department recorded 59 calls for service containing the term “lime scooter” since June 2023, staff said; six of those calls related to car‑versus‑scooter incidents.
Council questions and requested follow‑up: council members asked whether the city could raise the minimum user age to 18 (Lamb said the state statute currently sets 16 but staff would review preemption issues and how age changes would apply to privately owned devices), whether Lime’s app rules (Lime requires users be 18 to create an account) could be leveraged to enforce local rules, how the city should handle devices thrown in rivers (Councilmember Patton asked about Spokane River incidents), and how to ensure outreach to seniors who lack internet access. Council indicated a desire for staff to return with legal analysis and operational options; staff said they will follow up.
Ending: Council did not adopt ordinance changes at the meeting; staff will bring back more detailed recommendations after legal review and discussions about enforcement options with share operators.
