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Council advances first reading to restrict e-bikes, scooters and skateboards on downtown sidewalks and boardwalk
Summary
On first reading, Grand Haven moved to add electric bicycles, scooters and skateboards to city code and create a no-wheeled zone on closed blocks of Washington Avenue and on the boardwalk; staff said definitions will be added before second reading and enforcement will rely on education and targeted foot patrols.
The Grand Haven City Council held first readings July 20 to amend the city code to include electric bicycles, electric scooters and electric skateboards in definitions and to prohibit such modes on sidewalks within the 10-block Washington Avenue closure and on the boardwalk during closures.
Nicole Hudson, director of public safety, told council the ordinance update modernizes 2011 language and aims to address pedestrian safety where downtown foot traffic concentrates. Hudson said the change would create a 'no-wheeled' zone for closed-block sidewalks and the boardwalk during higher-use periods and that the city will pair the ordinance with signage, public education and additional weekend foot patrols to reduce enforcement needs.
Council members pressed staff on missing definition language for the new vehicle types. The council amended the first-reading motion to add the omitted definitions for section 25‑44 so the city can publish consistent language at the second reading; the amendment passed. Members also discussed practical enforcement limits, noting state classifications (class 1–3 e-bikes) can be hard to distinguish in the field. One councilmember said the city will start with focused no-wheeled zones rather than banning electric modes citywide.
Hudson said the boardwalk prohibition follows a long-running public-safety concern: “out of the complaints that we do get, a lot are on the boardwalk,” and enforcement is difficult “because by the time that someone actually calls us…those ebikes and electric scooters are gone.” She described the city's approach as “baby steps” while awaiting possible state-level clarifications.
Next steps: staff will provide the formal ordinance language, including the added definitions, for the second reading. Council recorded affirmative votes on the amendment and completed the first-reading process; final adoption will require a second reading with formal ordinance text.
Clarifying details: the first reading updates multiple code sections (chapter 36 and chapter 25) and the amendment added missing definition language to section 25‑44; the boardwalk prohibition applies to the boardwalk section starting at the gate near the state park and extending through downtown areas identified in city code.
