Pacific Grove officials propose e‑bike ordinance, pair increased enforcement with school education

Pacific Grove Police Chief and representatives from Pacific Grove Unified told parents and residents at a community forum that they will seek a city ordinance to regulate electric bicycles and scooters and pair it with expanded school‑based education and enforcement.

The measure, the chief said, is intended to give police “more tools” beyond existing state and local law. He told the forum that the draft ordinance will come before the City Council as a discussion item at a council meeting in October and would outline administrative citations, a diversion‑style education option and authority to seize devices in some cases.

The proposed approach is a three‑part strategy: continuing school‑based safety instruction, more visible traffic enforcement in targeted periods and neighborhoods, and a municipal ordinance that creates an administrative citation/diversion program for youth. “I want more tools for my officers in their toolbox,” the chief said. He described a possible diversion that would allow a student and parent to attend an e‑bike safety course instead of paying a fine.

At the forum officers described enforcement as a last resort after education. The chief said the department has distributed educational materials, run school assemblies and done on‑site “bike rack” chats with students. He added that citations have begun to be issued and warned residents to expect “an uptick of law enforcement” focused on traffic enforcement in October.

On legal basics, the chief described how California categorizes e‑bikes into three classes. He said type 1 and type 2 e‑bikes follow the same rules as bicycles for minors — including helmet requirements — while type 3 devices (higher speed models) carry additional age and helmet requirements and are unlawful to modify to increase speed. The chief also pointed to existing municipal code language banning riding on sidewalks and noted that enforcement on campus is limited to on‑view infractions by sworn officers.

School and district officials described parallel steps on the education side. Dr. Adamson (Pacific Grove Unified) said the district is scheduling classroom and PE‑driven instruction, is coordinating with Santa Cruz County safety partners for on‑site bike safety lessons, and will use advisory periods to reinforce safe behavior. The district and police said they are coordinating on Safe Routes mapping and targeted infrastructure requests through the city’s Traffic Safety Committee.

Several parents and residents described repeated risky riding — frequent sidewalk riding, lack of helmets, two riders on one device, and “stunt” behavior in neighborhoods and near campuses — and urged immediate action. Former council member Debbie Beck and other parents urged stronger enforcement and community involvement; the chief repeatedly encouraged residents to report repeat problems through the department’s non‑emergency line so officers can build an evidence record for problem areas.

Officials cautioned that some enforcement actions are constrained by departmental policies and liability concerns: the chief said officers will not engage in high‑risk vehicle pursuits of juveniles on e‑bikes and that pursuit policies are governed by the Department’s accredited procedures.

Next steps the forum identified include the city’s ordinance being carried as a discussion item before the council in October, the district running targeted PE and advisory lessons and an upcoming community‑facing education rollout. Officials asked residents to bring neighborhood reports to the Traffic Safety Committee or the City Council and to volunteer for local outreach and crossing‑guard efforts.

Votes or formal council action were not taken at the forum; officials described an ordinance draft and plans for future council consideration but no final municipal action was adopted at the meeting.