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Planning Commission backs forwarding e-bike and e-scooter rules to council amid enforcement questions
Summary
The Planning Commission voted to forward a proposed Title 10 ordinance on electric bicycles and scooters to City Council after a presentation by Sergeant Dent Anderson that clarified class definitions, age limits aligned with state law, and enforcement challenges officers raised about distinguishing equipment classes in the field.
Sergeant Dent Anderson reviewed the proposed Title 10 ordinance to regulate electric bicycles and electric scooters and highlighted substantive changes and clarifications since an earlier draft.
Anderson summarized vehicle classes used in the draft: class 1 (pedal-assist, up to 20 mph), class 2 (throttle-enabled), and class 3 (up to 28 mph). He said the ordinance will match state statute and require riders to be 16 or older to operate class 3 e-bikes, citing Act 34 of 2019 as constraining local age limits. The draft adds definitions for sidewalks (impervious portions of the roadway under 8 feet wide) and bike paths (separated impervious surfaces 8 feet or wider) to clarify where different classes may operate and included a map of multi-use pathways that would accommodate all classes.
Members and public commenters pressed enforcement questions. Matt Johnson, a bike shop owner, said he worried an instruction to "keep right" and ride single file could be unsafe near parked cars, arguing that weaving can be safer than hugging the curb. Sergeant Anderson acknowledged classification and enforcement challenges: officers often cannot tell a bike’s class without close inspection, and he said enforcement will rely on discretion and identifying equipment markings (a required sticker on the down tube and watt/motor limits) rather than frequent ticketing. Anderson said the ordinance retains equipment descriptions to aid enforcement despite recognition that some bikes can be altered between classes.
The commission also discussed scooters and agreed to a cleaner definition: an electric scooter should be described as "powered by an electric motor and optionally by human power" (to avoid contradictory wording in the draft). City attorney edits and staff corrections were expected before council submission.
Following discussion, commissioners moved and voted to forward the Title 10 draft (electric bikes and scooters) to City Council with a favorable recommendation. The Planning Commission’s approval schedules the ordinance for Council consideration and public hearing but does not adopt the regulation.
