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Council holds first reading of ordinance to regulate electric motorcycles
Summary
City staff presented Ordinance 2839 to create a municipal code chapter defining and regulating electric motorcycles, restricting sidewalk and trail use, setting operator and equipment requirements, and aligning city rules with upcoming state work on vehicle definitions.
The council conducted a first reading of Ordinance 2839, which would add a municipal code chapter defining electric motorcycles and set operational restrictions and equipment requirements to address safety and enforcement gaps.
The city clerk read the ordinance title for the first reading, and the police chief presented the staff report, explaining that high‑powered electric dirt bikes are increasingly being used on public streets, sidewalks and trails. The chief said current municipal code “does not specifically address electric motorcycles as a distinct vehicle category,” creating ambiguity for enforcement and safety. The staff report cited recent state legislation (gross substitute Senate Bill 6110) that directs the Department of Licensing to work on definitions and guidance by October 2027 and recommended the council adopt local rules to address gaps in the interim.
The proposed ordinance would distinguish electric motorcycles from e‑bikes and mopeds by power and speed, prohibit operation on sidewalks, parks and multi‑use trails unless authorized, require helmets and lighting consistent with state law, establish minimum safety equipment, and create enforcement options including warnings, citations and impound for repeat or egregious violations. Because this was a first reading, the council may amend language before a second reading and final vote.
