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Garden City adopts ordinance to regulate e-bikes, e-scooters and greenbelt safety; fines set at $100
Summary
Council passed Ordinance 10-42-24 to create uniform rules for bicycles, e-bikes and e-scooters on the Green Belt and city parks, set infractions at $100 plus court costs and allow misdemeanor charges if operation injures someone.
Garden City council voted unanimously Monday to adopt Ordinance 10-42-24, a code amendment that establishes traffic rules for bicycles, electric bicycles and e-scooters and sets new penalties for park and Green Belt violations.
City staff member Charlie Wadhams summarized the ordinance at the third reading, telling the council the change creates a single set of rules for the Boise-area Green Belt so users and law enforcement encounter uniform standards. "It's gonna be 1 set of rules," Wadhams said, adding the measure updates the code for e-bikes and e-scooters and clarifies park rules.
Key provisions adopted by the council: the ordinance adds Title 5, Chapter 9 (bicycles, e-bikes and e-scooters); defines terms largely consistent with state code; replaces the preexisting 15 mph park speed limit with a behavior-based standard that requires operators to travel at "a speed reasonable and prudent under the conditions"; and sets infraction penalties at $100 plus court costs. Wadhams said the ordinance also makes reckless operation that causes injury a misdemeanor-level offense, enabling criminal prosecution when appropriate.
Wadhams recommended the $100 penalty to align local enforcement with Ada County and to simplify officers' decisions. "If you look at 80 counties ordinance, their violations are a hundred dollars plus court costs," he said. The council retained a referral to the Idaho uniform citation for enforcement; law enforcement officers will continue to issue citations that proceed to court rather than use an administrative parking‑style ticketing process.
The ordinance removes some seldom-enforced park rules that staff and public works director Colin Schmidt said are not practical. That cleanup, Wadhams said, keeps enforcement focused on behavior that endangers other users. Wadhams and Chief Stanbaum (police chief) told council members the goal is education and enforcement focused on risky behavior rather than equipment categories. "If you're going too fast and you hurt somebody, it doesn't matter if you're on a skateboard or an e-bike," Chief Stanbaum said.
The ordinance also incorporates a memorandum of understanding signed by Ada County police and municipal agencies that establishes a common Green Belt definition and enforcement approach. Wadhams said Ada County has already passed a similar ordinance and the county's version uses the same $100 fine.
Council President thanked staff and the multiagency committee for the work. The council passed the third reading and then voted to adopt and publish Ordinance 10-42-24; the roll call recorded affirmative votes by Councilmembers Esmeason, Jacobs, Page and Rasmussen.
The ordinance takes effect on the date specified in the ordinance text. The city will implement the new enforcement language and collaborate with Ada County as agencies coordinate education and enforcement on the Green Belt.
