Souderton council authorizes advertising of proposed e‑bike ordinance after requested wording change

Souderton Borough Council voted on July 6 to authorize advertising of a proposed ordinance that would regulate e‑bikes and e‑scooters on borough property and streets when those devices can operate up to 20 miles per hour, the council chair said.

The measure, drafted by the borough solicitor with input from the safety committee and the police chief, removes earlier provisions that affected ordinary bicycles and focuses on motorized devices capable of speeds up to 20 mph. The solicitor recommended advertising the ordinance for public comment but asked that the council delete the second sentence of section 2 to resolve an internal inconsistency; councilors approved the advertising subject to that revision.

Chief O'Brien, the borough police chief, told the council the ordinance is intended to give the borough clarity about where e‑bikes and e‑scooters may operate and to allow local enforcement in parks and alleys where the state vehicle code may not apply. He described the approach as aiming to avoid applying harsh vehicle‑code penalties to young riders while still providing local consequences: "1st offense is a $100. 2nd violation, $2.50. 3rd and subsequent violation is $500," he said in the meeting transcript. He also said officers will retain discretion about issuing citations.

Council members asked what additional enforcement authority the measure provides beyond the state vehicle code. Chief O'Brien said the vehicle code covers many street uses, but local ordinance language helps regulate use on borough property (parks, alleys) and provide graduated penalties. He emphasized officer discretion in enforcement rather than a mandatory citation policy.

By voting to advertise the revised draft, the council opened the proposal to public review and comment. The advertising was authorized with the deletion requested by the solicitor; the council chair said the motion passed.