Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Ebikes topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Winter Garden holds first reading of ordinance to regulate e-bikes and scooters
Summary
City staff presented ordinance 26-05 to set where and how electric bicycles and motorized scooters may operate in Winter Garden, including speed limits on sidewalks, helmet and ID rules for minors and a $100 penalty; the commission approved the ordinance's first reading and scheduled final adoption for Jan. 8, 2026.
City staff presented the first reading of ordinance 26-05, a comprehensive set of rules to govern electric bicycles, motorized scooters and other wheeled mobility devices within Winter Garden. The proposal outlines where each class of device may operate, sets a 10 mph limit for Class 1 and 2 e-bikes on sidewalks and off-trail paths (including the West Orange Trail), bars Class 3 bikes from the West Orange Trail and restricts scooters on certain sidewalks and high-speed roadways.
"The purpose of this ordinance is to establish a clear comprehensive set of rules for the use of e bikes, motorized scooters, and other wheeled mobility devices," city staff said during the presentation (Staff member, S8). Staff also said helmets would be required for riders and passengers under 16 and that any minor who is fined would have the parents or legal guardians held responsible for payment under the revised language distributed before the meeting.
Commissioners pressed staff on enforcement and technical limits. One commissioner noted that many e-bikes include governors and asked whether those mechanisms can be defeated; another said a six-minute online video showed how some models can be modified to exceed their program speeds. "In 6 minutes or less, you can, modify these ebikes to exceed the program speed of about 28 miles an hour," a commissioner observed (S6).
During the public-hearing portion, Taylor Dean, who gave her address to the commission, said she recently bought e-bikes for a family member and welcomed clarity on rules and parental responsibility for fines. Phil Baker, a Winter Garden resident, recounted repeated unsafe rides near his neighborhood and told the commission, "This ordinance is very definitely needed" (Phil Baker, S12).
After discussion, Commissioner Bennett moved to approve ordinance 26-05 for its first reading; the motion was seconded and carried unanimously. Staff said the second reading and adoption hearing is scheduled for Jan. 8, 2026.
The ordinance includes class-based definitions that track state statute categories, speed and location restrictions (including a 10 mph sidewalk cap for Class 1/2 e-bikes), helmet and ID requirements for minors and a class-2 infraction fine structure starting at $100, with potential escalation for repeat offenses. Enforcement will be handled by the Winter Garden Police Department.
Next step: the commission will hold a second reading and adoption public hearing on Jan. 8, 2026.
