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Councilor Flynn reintroduces pest‑control office, delivery and e‑bike regulations; measures referred to committee
Summary
Councilor Flynn refiled ordinances to establish a standalone Office of Pest Control and to tighten rules for third‑party delivery mopeds and high‑speed e‑bikes, citing rising injuries and community safety concerns; all measures were referred to committee for further review.
Councilor Stephen Flynn reintroduced a set of public‑safety and mobility proposals on Feb. 11 aimed at addressing what he called a worsening pest and two‑wheeled safety problem across Boston.
Flynn told the council he had held a hearing with the city’s rodent control expert and that the city’s published Rodent Action Plan “fell short” of recommendations; he asked colleagues to support an ordinance creating a stand‑alone Office of Pest Control to centralize work on rodent abatement and prevention.
On two‑wheeled vehicle safety, Flynn filed an amendment to the city code to restrict use of mopeds and some e‑bikes for third‑party food delivery. He cited a fatal moped crash near Copley Square last year and reported local accounts of mopeds and e‑bikes traveling on sidewalks and running red lights. "This is a critical public safety issue as far as I'm concerned," Flynn said on the floor.
Flynn also refiled an ordinance to regulate all e‑bikes in the city, specifically addressing vehicles that exceed 28 miles per hour and referencing state definitions (Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 90 §1) about e‑bike classes. He noted an increase in injuries reported between 2019 and 2023 and urged the council to consider local regulation where state law leaves safety gaps.
All three dockets (0324 office of pest control, 0325 delivery‑provider amendment, and 0326 e‑bike regulation) were referred to the Committee on Government Operations for hearings and further action.
Ending: Councilors framed the filings as public‑health and public‑safety interventions; committee hearings will determine specific regulatory language and enforcement plans.
