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Fairway council adopts ordinance regulating electric-assisted bikes and scooters
Summary
After months of committee review and community input, Fairway approved ordinance 18-37 to regulate electric-assisted bicycles and scooters within city limits; councilmembers cited recent regional safety concerns and enforcement questions during unanimous voice vote.
The Fairway City Council adopted ordinance 18-37 on Nov. 10, 2025, establishing local rules for electric-assisted bicycles and electric scooters within city limits.
City administrator Nathan said the proposal had undergone multiple committee and legal reviews and that staff and the municipal judge had been consulted. Councilmember Joseph Levin, who moved adoption, said a “prudent person” approach had guided staff work and that officials had looked at safety statistics, activity patterns and other cities’ approaches. “A prudent person would research statistics on ebike and e scooter injuries or fatalities,” Levin said.
Several councilmembers acknowledged the ordinance was the product of months of debate and public engagement. Councilmember Jerry Williams said he had struggled with the tradeoffs but that a recent fatality in Leawood influenced his vote: “After the tragedy in Leawood, my heart would not let me vote against this ordinance at this point,” he said. Lee Story and David Watkins also expressed concerns about parental choice and age limits but said they would support the measure as written out of concern for public safety.
Two residents spoke during public comment. Eric Rome, who lives on Reinhardt Drive, said he had not seen the studies referenced and urged the council to consider additional traffic-calming measures near the new park; Nancy Henry said walking near the park had felt less safe and welcomed the council’s action.
Joseph Levin moved to adopt ordinance 18-37; the motion was seconded and carried on a unanimous voice vote. The ordinance text in the agenda package amends sections of the municipal code to regulate the use and age limits for electric-assisted bicycles and scooters within Fairway. The vote was a voice vote; no roll-call tally was recorded in the public record.
The ordinance took effect as provided in the municipal code; council discussion said enforcement and potential future adjustments (including revisiting age limits) could return to a future council depending on experience and additional data.
