Burr Ridge board OKs tighter e‑bike rules, adds driver's‑license requirement after debate

The Burr Ridge Board of Trustees on July 14 approved revisions to the village motor‑vehicle code that add a driver's‑license requirement for operators of class 1–3 e‑bikes, impose a 20 mph maximum for those devices and clarify enforcement and safety requirements.

Staff presented the ordinance updates, explaining those changes were drafted after earlier board direction. Evan, a village staff member, told the board the changes reflect feedback and similar language adopted by other communities: “These are just things that staff has heard…they help control speed.” The police chief reported rising complaints and limited enforcement options on private property: “We received 14 bike complaints in 2022…31 in 2023…and 78 this year,” the chief said, adding that most incidents occur on sidewalks and in the village center parking garages where enforcement is constrained.

Trustees debated the legal reach of local rules in a non‑home‑rule municipality. Several trustees supported requiring a driver's license and other measures to give officers a clear document to verify, while others and some residents pushed for more rider education instead of licensing youths. Trustee discussion focused on enforcement mechanics (parental notification, local adjudication, camera evidence), safety measures (lighting, single‑rider rules, no texting), and whether the village could selectively prohibit e‑bikes on specific public roads under state law.

At the public‑comment portion of the discussion, Faiza Coleman Salako, speaking for the cyclist community and as a parent, urged alternatives to licensing for younger riders: “There’s nothing about a driver's license that would make that child or that young adult a better operator of an ebike,” she said, and recommended free classes and education for riders below licensing age. Other Chase Moore residents described frequent risky riding, wheelies and poor lighting near their homes and urged greater use of village cameras to identify offenders.

After debate, the board amended the draft to emphasize safe operation, allowable exceptions for mobility devices, and to add the driver's‑license requirement, and then approved the ordinance by roll call. The approved changes also direct staff to continue education efforts, use available camera footage and pursue local adjudication procedures where appropriate. The chief said enforcement will continue to prioritize education and targeted citations: “We're stepping up the enforcement of the issue, but we're also looking for more direction.”

The ordinance will return as part of the village code update and staff will bring clarifying language to the board at the next meeting on operational enforcement details.

Next step: staff to prepare the amended ordinance language for formal adoption and continue the education campaign in local schools.