Colleyville council holds first reading of e‑bike and e‑scooter safety ordinance

Colleyville City Council held a first reading and public hearing on a draft ordinance aimed at regulating electric bicycles and scooters within city limits, focusing on where devices may operate, speed limits and safety requirements. Assistant City Manager Adrienne Laudry presented the proposal, and council directed staff to return with a refined draft at the council’s next meeting on May 13.

The draft ordinance distinguishes device types (Class 1–3 e‑bikes, e‑scooters, motor‑assisted scooters and pocket/mini motorbikes) and sets different rules by device and location. Under the proposal, Class 1 and Class 2 e‑bikes and e‑scooters would be allowed on public parks, city sidewalks and paved trails and on “local” streets inside neighborhoods; a 10 mph maximum would apply on sidewalks and most trails, and a 15 mph limit was proposed for larger regional trails such as the Cotton Belt. E‑scooters would be restricted from streets that are not local streets or that have speed limits above 30 mph. Mini motorbikes and pocket bikes would be banned from public property.

The draft includes safety measures: helmet requirements for minors (staff recommended aligning the helmet age with existing bicycle rules), a prohibition on operating while wearing sound‑restricting headphones and a requirement that operators carry identification. For higher‑speed Class 3 e‑bikes, the ordinance would require a valid driver’s license, liability insurance and a registration sticker issued by the Colleyville Police Department; officers would be able to confiscate devices after repeated violations. Penalties were proposed as stepwise fines and corrective measures: a first offense fined $100 plus completion of a bicycle safety course, a second offense fined $200 and a required hearing, and a third offense fined up to $500 with additional court review.

Council members, police staff and members of the public pressed for clarifications. Councilmember Richardson and others asked that helmet age and other terms exactly match existing city bicycle rules. Police representatives said they are comfortable enforcing a draft similar to the one presented but asked staff to make enforcement practical (for example, clarifying whether a registration sticker must be physically affixed or could be recorded another way). Captain Tinsman and Chief Ray participated in the discussion and confirmed the department had reviewed the draft ordinance.

Several residents spoke during the public hearing. Joseph Thomas, a parent, described buying a Class 3 e‑bike for his 16‑year‑old and urged the council to avoid overbroad rules that would prevent reasonable use (for example, a teenager commuting on a Class 3 device). Other speakers supported stronger restrictions, saying they have seen unregulated devices operated at high speeds near sidewalks and neighborhood entrances and worried about pedestrian safety. Councilmembers and staff said the ordinance is intended to target unregulated motorized “mini‑bikes” and unsafe behaviors rather than ordinary pedal bicycles.

Mayor Pro Tem Elder and council members asked staff to return with edits discussed at the meeting: harmonize helmet age with the bicycle ordinance, clarify how Class 3 devices may be used on paths when operated by adults, and add plain‑language guidance for registration and enforcement. No vote was taken; the item is scheduled for second reading and final action at the May 13 meeting.

A separate administrative note: the draft would not apply to devices on private property or on streets and sidewalks inside gated communities that are not maintained by the city.