Columbia Falls council tables e-bike ordinances after extended public comment

Columbia Falls city council on the regular meeting night opened a package of five related ordinances that would define bicycles and electronic bicycles, set sidewalk/pathway speed and obedience rules, establish penalties and prohibit motorized operation on sidewalks and trails. Following substantial public comment and council questions about enforcement and disability access, council voted to table the measures for further review.

The ordinances presented would: add a new offense for exposing a minor to domestic violence (Ordinance 8-35), define terms including “electronic bicycle” (8-36), require obedience to posted speed limits on sidewalks and paths (8-37), add penalties (8-38), and prohibit non-pedalized operation on sidewalks and pathways while allowing personal mobility devices such as powered wheelchairs (8-39 and 8-40). Police and legal staff told council the intent is not to ban pedal-assist e-bikes but to prevent fully motorized e-motorcycles from operating on sidewalks and trails.

Public testimony ran more than a dozen minutes. Ronald Knox, who identified himself and said he is “a 100% disabled” rider, urged caution and additional outreach: “It’s not the ebike that’s the problem. It’s the user,” he said, and asked the council to consider training, inspection events and a slower, clearer public process before final votes. Other commenters described trail safety concerns, speed differences, and potential impacts on local e-bike businesses.

Council members pressed staff and the police chief on practical enforcement questions: how to distinguish pedal assist from fully motorized vehicles, whether a sidewalk speed limit would give police authority to act, and whether ADA rules could limit restrictions for disabled users. A legal advisor said the ADA’s personal-mobility-device designation can apply to users with disabilities and noted exceptions for legitimate safety concerns.

Given lingering confusion among members of the public about where the ordinances would apply and how terms like “pedal assist” would be enforced, the council made and approved a motion to table the ordinances and return them after additional committee review and public outreach. Staff said the item will be added to the Parks & Recreation Committee agenda for Dec. 8 for deeper discussion and that the council will revisit the measures after that work.

The council’s vote to table was procedural; no second-reading approvals were taken. Council members emphasized public safety as the rationale but also said they wanted clearer language and broader public awareness before adopting restrictions that could affect recreation, accessibility and local businesses.