Burr Ridge board votes to advance ordinance restricting electric scooters and motorized play vehicles on sidewalks and pathways

The Burr Ridge Board of Trustees voted March 10 to prepare and advance an ordinance that would ban electric scooters and a category described in the draft as “motorized play vehicles” from public sidewalks and village pathways while continuing to allow low-speed electric bicycles on streets in accordance with state law. The motion passed on a roll-call vote with the trustees recorded in favor.

The ordinance as presented would: prohibit electric scooters and similar motorized play vehicles on public sidewalks and village pathways; confirm that low-speed electric bicycles are permitted on streets subject to state rules; make violations subject to administrative adjudication with fines ranging from $1 to $750 per day; and incorporate parental liability for offenses by minors. Village staff said the ordinance could take effect immediately if the board directs it.

Deputy Chief Dave Allen, speaking for the police department, framed enforcement as a safety issue: “Our position is safety — that’s sort of where we start and end.” He said most calls involve young riders and that the department received 31 complaints last year (24 the year before). Allen also told the board that many incidents reported to police occur on private property or in private shopping-center areas, which limits enforceability and makes education a primary tool.

Trustees discussed enforcement challenges and the limits of local authority. One trustee noted that nearby Clarendon Hills has enacted a similar broad prohibition, and several trustees favored a restrictive approach combined with an initial period of education and warnings rather than immediate heavy citation. The board also asked staff to clarify language so the ordinance explicitly bans low-speed electric bicycles from public pathways and sidewalks while preserving their right to operate on streets under state law.

Public commenters urged the board to act. George Daker, a resident, described frequent unsafe riding on 79th Street and other roadways and said, “these bikes are ridiculous — they’re totally unsafe.” Mary Bradley and Ursula Galika told the board they regularly see fast electric vehicles near the Village Center and in neighborhoods and said more restrictive rules were needed to protect pedestrians.

The board amended the draft language to pair the street permission (under state law) with an explicit prohibition on pathways and sidewalks and then approved the motion to prepare the ordinance by unanimous roll-call. The board did not adopt the ordinance on first reading; it directed staff to prepare the final ordinance language for a subsequent meeting.

Next steps: staff will prepare the ordinance language as amended and return it to the board for formal consideration and an effective-date decision. The police and village staff said they will pursue a public-education effort alongside the ordinance work.