Ross council backs staff response to grand jury on throttle e-bikes, agrees to further study and school coordination

The Town of Ross council on a 4–0 vote approved staff’s draft response to the Marin County civil grand jury report that urged limits on throttle (Class 2) e-bikes for under‑16 riders and other safety measures. The decision follows extended public comment calling for quicker local action and for the town to press the Ross School District to register higher‑powered e‑bikes.

Public commenters framed the matter as an urgent youth‑safety issue. "They go from 0 to 30 miles per hour in about 10 seconds," said Bob Mittelstedt, cofounder of local nonprofit Ebike Access, showing photos he said depict Super73‑style throttle bikes marketed as e‑bikes. Mittelstedt asked the council to put the subject on a future agenda, request a school bike‑registration program and support an ordinance setting 16 as a minimum age for throttle e‑bike operation and requiring helmets.

Dr. John Ma, a general surgeon at Marin Health Medical Center, told the council he has treated severely injured youth and urged the town to endorse the grand jury’s first recommendation and to support pending state legislation. "Across the nation, there has been a 49‑fold rate of increase in head injuries in the last five years," Ma said, urging local adoption of the grand jury’s recommendations and noting Marin’s recent pediatric cases.

Staff recommended—consistent with a similar draft at the Marin County Board of Supervisors—that Ross not "go out in front" of the county and instead participate in countywide work. Chief Pata and other county police chiefs are leading a task force to develop implementation approaches; the chief said the group meets monthly and will discuss ordinance options.

Council members said the grand jury report provides a starting point and supported keeping the staff response as written while adding the issue to a future council agenda for more discussion with the school and the county task force. Several members said they would wait for action on Assembly Bill 1778 (as discussed in public comments) before adopting local regulatory changes, but stressed education and communication in the near term.

The council’s action adopted the staff response—which states the recommendations require further analysis—and authorized continued participation in interjurisdictional work. The item was discussed under agenda item 7g; council directed staff to return with options and to include the school district and county task force in future discussions.