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Farmington public hearing probes private-property definition, limits e-bikes to class 1 for now
Summary
Residents and board members debated a proposed amendment to chapter 155 that would restrict motor-driven recreational vehicles on town property; concerns focused on a missing or inconsistent definition of "private property" and whether class 2 e-bikes should be allowed.
A public hearing on a proposed amendment to Chapter 155 drew questions from residents about how the draft defines "private property" and which types of electric bicycles the town would allow. A resident raising concerns said the draft lacked a definition and warned that language in Section 155–3.0 was inconsistent with the private-property clause in the amendment.
Clerk (speaker 1) and staff explained the amendment was written as an update to existing Chapter 155 rather than the whole chapter, and the board discussed narrowing allowed e-bikes to class 1. "Let's put it in as class 1 for now, and then if there's a problem, we can go back and revisit it," a town board member said. The resident explained the practical difference: class 1 requires pedaling assistance while class 2 may use a throttle, though both are limited to 20 mph in the draft.
Board members and staff agreed the draft needs clearer cross-references to the existing code so that the private-property definition is not lost when the amendment is adopted. The public hearing was closed with the board indicating it will revisit wording and enforcement details if residents report problems once the change is implemented.
