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Council holds first reading of ordinance to regulate electric motorcycles
Summary
At first reading the council introduced Ordinance 2,839 to define and restrict electric motorcycles’ use in Enumclaw, citing safety concerns and gaps in state guidance; staff recommended further action to align local code with forthcoming state work.
The Enumclaw City Council on June 22 read Ordinance 2,839 by title for a first reading and heard a staff presentation from the police chief about regulating electric motorcycles.
The chief told the council that high‑powered electric motorcycles and similar vehicles are increasingly operated on streets, sidewalks and multi‑use trails even when marketed as off‑road devices. "This regulatory gap creates ambiguity for riders, law enforcement, and the community," the chief said, and recommended that the council adopt a new municipal code chapter to define electric motorcycles, distinguish them from e‑bikes and mopeds, limit their use on sidewalks, parks and multi‑use trails, and require helmets, lighting and minimum safety equipment.
The proposed ordinance would also set age and licensing requirements and establish enforcement options including warnings, citation, impoundment and misdemeanor classifications for repeat or egregious cases. The chief noted recent state action and a work group mandated in Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill 6110 with a state due date of October 2027 and said the city attorney had reviewed the draft language to avoid conflict with state statutes.
Why it matters: Council members and staff framed the proposal as a public‑safety measure to reduce noise, unsafe operation on sidewalks and near‑miss incidents with pedestrians. The first reading does not adopt the ordinance; staff recommended returning with a refined draft for a second reading after additional council input and possible alignment with forthcoming state rulemaking.
Next steps: Ordinance 2,839 was presented for first reading and discussion; the transcript shows no final action or second reading vote at the June 22 meeting.
