Castle Pines staff directed to draft ordinance targeting high-speed off-highway electric vehicles

Assistant City Attorney Evan King gave a broad overview of electric vehicle classifications and municipal policy options and told the council he would prepare ordinance text if the council wants regulation. "So what are you think do you wanna regulate them? If you do wanna regulate them, what do you wanna see? Because I will be drafting an ordinance if you wanna regulate them," King said.

King emphasized that the most problematic devices were e-motorcycles and e-dirt bikes (classed as OHVs) because they can match motorcycles in speed and danger while in many cases lacking license, age, helmet and insurance requirements. Council members repeatedly said public safety and enforcement should guide any ordinance and asked staff to consult the Douglas County Sheriff for enforcement feasibility and statistics.

Several council members urged strict rules for faster off-highway devices. One council member said, "I'd be an advocate for whatever regulations, whatever we can do that is the most strict," and another asked staff to aim to have draft language before the summer. King confirmed he will prepare draft ordinance options that may include parental- or owner-responsibility provisions, insurance and registration requirements, reckless-operation penalties, impoundment for repeat offenders and safety-equipment mandates for street-legal low-speed vehicles (LSEVs).

The council did not vote on an ordinance tonight; instead members directed staff to draft specific language and to get input from the sheriff's office on enforceability and local crash/contact statistics.