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Committee advances micromobility ordinance—age, labeling and tampering rules added; enforcement to municipal court
Summary
The committee recommended City Council approve ordinance TC-3512, updating local rules for electric-assist bicycles and scooters: removing some local speed and street restrictions, adding an age limit for class 3 ebikes consistent with state law, requiring manufacturer labeling of wattage and top speed, and prohibiting tampering; local citations would be directed to Overland Park Municipal Court.
The Overland Park Public Safety Committee voted to recommend City Council adopt ordinance TC-3512, a redlined update to municipal code governing electric-assist bicycles and scooters. City Attorney Eric Blevins (S6) led the presentation and said the draft pulls together best practices from surrounding jurisdictions and state law.
Key provisions in the draft ordinance include removing a restriction that had prevented ebike operation on streets with posted speed limits greater than 35 mph, eliminating a local 20 mph speed cap for ebikes, adding an age restriction for class 3 ebikes (the faster class), requiring manufacturers to label ebikes with wattage classification and top speed, and prohibiting tampering or "jailbreaking" of controllers. The draft would also explicitly allow electric scooters to be ridden on designated bike paths when a usable bike path exists adjacent to the roadway.
Blevins said several of the proposed items replicate state law; adopting them locally would allow Overland Park officers to cite violations to the Overland Park Municipal Court rather than sending citations to Johnson County District Court. "By putting them in our local municipal ordinance, it allows our officers to write the tickets" that go to municipal court, he said. Police leadership and council members emphasized an initial educational approach for vendors and users, with enforcement used more for repeat violations or dangerous behavior.
Josh (S5) moved to recommend City Council passage of ordinance TC-3512; the motion passed by voice vote and will be forwarded to the council for final action.
