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Council holds work session on draft ordinance for e-bikes, scooters and other personal mobility devices; helmet education emphasized
Summary
Chief Cole walked the council through a draft ordinance covering definitions, equipment requirements, helmet provisions, operation rules, impoundment and fines for personal mobility devices; council members emphasized education and discretionary enforcement and set a follow-up work session for Aug. 3.
Chief Cole led a work session on a draft ordinance to regulate bicycles, e-bikes, electric scooters, hoverboards, electric unicycles and other personal mobility devices (PMDs) on sidewalks, streets and trails. He reviewed the draft section by section, including definitions that adopt state-law terms and local classes, equipment requirements (lights, reflectors, brakes), and proposed helmet provisions for minors. "I would envision our officers ... being more in the educational role," Chief Cole said when discussing helmet enforcement for people under 18.
Council members discussed several key policy choices: whether to require helmets for those under 18 or for all riders (several council members favored a helmet requirement for minors and an educational approach), how to apply motor-vehicle laws to PMD operation on streets, speed controls and prudent-operation standards on trails during crowded conditions, and impoundment and storage procedures tied to battery fire hazards. The council debated fines versus warnings and suggested building an educational first-offense warning into the ordinance language. Staff said they will return with revised language and schedule the next work session for Aug. 3.
