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Resident asks Terrace Park council to consider supervised track, safety classes for off‑road e‑motorbikes
Summary
Nick Watterson of 720 Elm Avenue urged the Village of Terrace Park council not to ban off‑road electric motorcycles and toy motorbikes, proposed building a supervised track and offered to run safety training; council members said class 1–3 e‑bikes are governed by state law and the village can add inspection or registration requirements.
Nick Watterson, who identified himself as a Terrace Park resident at 720 Elm Avenue, used the public‑comment portion of the May 12 council meeting to urge officials not to adopt an outright ban on off‑road electric motorcycles or toy motorbikes.
"I just feel like there's a lot of them, and I think if we gave them a place to ride these things and a safety course, I think that'd be great," Watterson said, offering to volunteer to build trails, run safety classes and help draft any amendments needed to create supervised local options.
Watterson told council he is concerned that decisions appear preordained and that some riders — including children on toy electric motorcycles that can reach 20 mph — need safe, monitored places to ride rather than a blanket prohibition.
Council members and staff responded with procedural clarifications. The chair and other members said state law governs class 1–3 electric bicycles and that the village's scope is limited; the village can adopt inspection or registration requirements but cannot override state prohibitions.
The chair noted that matters such as septic regulation and certain water‑management rules are governed by Hamilton County or state agencies, not the village, to underline limits on local authority.
The council indicated it would make educational resources available: members discussed posting online training links for e‑bike operation and noted staff would place such resources on the village website so parents and guardians can choose to have children complete them.
No formal change to policy or an exception was adopted at the May 12 meeting; Watterson's proposal and the council's comments remain a part of the public record for future consideration.
