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Windsor Heights council asks public safety committee to craft e‑scooter, mobility‑device ordinance
Summary
City staff presented a proposed process to draft an ordinance regulating e‑scooters, e‑bikes and similar mobility devices; council agreed to refer the issue to the Public Safety Committee for review at its June 18 meeting to work toward a fall proposal.
Windsor Heights City Council on Monday began a formal process to draft a local ordinance regulating electric scooters, e‑bikes and similar motorized mobility devices, largely mirroring approaches adopted by nearby cities.
AJ, a city staff member leading the review, told council that multiple metro cities have adopted or are drafting rules that set speed limits for trails, define device classes and establish where devices may be operated (trails, bike lanes, sidewalks or streets). “We’re just looking to try and determine what steps we want to take,” AJ said, noting staff and the police chief have reviewed Ankeny, Clive and others as models and that the bicycle coalition has circulated draft language the city can use.
Why it matters: council members described safety and enforcement as the central issues. One council member noted examples of young operators and devices that function like motorcycles, raising questions about when licensing, registration or impoundment rules would apply. Council members also emphasized the importance of resident input and consistent definitions that align with Iowa code for e‑bikes and mopeds.
Councilmember Teresa Hars said resident participation will be essential: “I think it’ll be important to have resident feedback and still have residents on there,” she said, urging outreach to neighborhood stakeholders and cycling groups.
On next steps, council agreed to ask the public safety committee to review a draft and return recommended options. The committee’s next meeting is scheduled for June 18; staff said a work program and possible fall ordinance introduction would follow committee review. The council did not adopt an ordinance at the meeting and did not vote on specific regulatory language.
Context: staff recommended drawing on Ankeny’s ordinance and the bicycle coalition’s draft while ensuring local definitions follow state code for e‑bikes (class distinctions) and devices that meet motorcycle/moped criteria. Council and staff flagged enforcement challenges — for example, how officers would handle a minor operating a device that statutory definitions treat as a motor vehicle — as an item the committee should address.
The issue will return after committee work and resident engagement; council members suggested the process could include multiple sessions or a work session with the full council.
