Hickman council reviews draft municipal code codification, tables e‑bike rules after enforcement worries

City Administrator Kelly presented a draft of Ordinance 2026‑05, a comprehensive codification of Hickman’s municipal code that includes proposed language for e‑bikes and e‑scooters developed in coordination with Lancaster County law enforcement. Kelly said the draft incorporated state statute definitions and would give deputies a regulatory basis for enforcement on city trails and streets.

Kelly said the proposed regulation would require helmets for riders 14 and younger and that the language was intended to align with state classifications. “The proposed regulation does require helmets for those 14 and under,” Kelly said. She cautioned that many of the trails were constructed with federal non‑motorized funding and reminded council that trail designation (non‑motorized versus shared use) affects permissible vehicles.

Council members pressed for clearer definitions and enforcement mechanics. One council member said the draft contains ambiguities about where the rules would apply, asking, “So what is a shared use path?” Another council member flagged enforcement: “Enforcement is always an issue in our smaller towns in Lancaster County because we don't have police patrol 24/7” and said the document should start with education and safety awareness before relying on citations.

A separate council member questioned specific technical details in the draft — including how to measure headlight visibility distances and whether fines could be imposed on parents who did not know their child was using an e‑vehicle. That council member warned that the proposed penalty structure could produce public backlash if the language remained vague: “If it could be up to a $500 fine ... I'd be freaking furious,” the council member said.

Kelly said Lancaster County deputies will provide draft adjustments and county public relations will help produce consistent outreach materials for all municipalities participating in the template. She also noted that the document is still under legal review and that several neighboring towns (Bennett, Firth, Waverly) are reviewing similar language to create uniform countywide regulations.

After discussion about definitions, enforcement and helmet requirements, the council took no final vote on the codebook e‑bike language and left the ordinance on the agenda for the scheduled second reading at a future meeting pending attorney review and suggested edits.

Next steps: staff will collect feedback, incorporate deputy sheriff edits and return revised language for council review and the next reading. No enforcement changes take effect until the code amendment is adopted.