Garden City adopts ordinance restricting high‑speed e‑motor vehicles on Greenbelt

Garden City — The Garden City Council on July 13 adopted Ordinance 10‑68‑26, tightening local rules on high‑speed electric motorbikes and scooters and making unauthorized operation on the Boise River Greenbelt an infraction punishable by up to $300 in fines plus court costs.

City legal staff presented the ordinance at its second reading and said the draft seeks to distinguish between low‑speed electric‑assisted bicycles (ebikes) and high‑speed electric motorbikes or scooters, to close enforcement gaps and to align some definitions with neighboring jurisdictions. "If this passes in some iteration or another, I think it's also important to do several things: public education, a warning period and training for officers," the legal presenter said during the meeting.

The ordinance carves out titled and insured high‑powered electric vehicles for use on streets only; it expressly prohibits any motor vehicles on the Greenbelt and creates definitions limiting ebikes for Greenbelt use to pedal‑equipped models under 750 watts that cannot exceed 28 mph. The city’s counsel recommended keeping the new violations as civil infractions rather than elevating them to misdemeanors to avoid heavier court and public‑defender costs.

Mayor Jacobs, who led the meeting, said he favored the ordinance as written and emphasized public education after adoption: "I think the work has been really good…we'll put it on social media that we pass this ordinance, you know, if we adopt it today." Council President Page said the measure reflects a proactive safety approach for Garden City and moved to suspend the rules and adopt the ordinance as amended; the motion passed on a roll call vote.

The ordinance adds parental‑liability language and authority to impound vehicles where lawful, and it places the maximum civil penalty for infractions at about $300 plus court costs. Staff noted that Boise had taken a different enforcement route — classifying some violations as misdemeanors — but Garden City chose the infraction approach to avoid the time and cost of jury trials and increased court proceedings.

Council members said they intend to follow the ordinance with public outreach, a possible warning period before strict enforcement and coordination with local schools.

The ordinance was adopted by a recorded vote; the council also directed staff to coordinate implementation steps including public education and officer training. The council will revisit definitions or enforcement details in future meetings if technological changes require updates.