New E-Bike Ordinance Advances to Public Hearing
A new ordinance proposal discussed at the town council meeting on Monday night is aimed at curbing recent disturbing behavior by some e-bike riders.
“After several meetings, we’ve now come to an ordinance that we’re happy with that we’re passing on to the town council,” said Ordinance committee chairman Tony Morrison. “We began work on this issue back in March, actually. State legislation clarifies the definition and classification of e-bikes, but we tabled it to see our experience with e-bikes over the summer. In addition to the state legislation and our own experience with e-bikes going into these meetings, we use research from two other sources to help in the crafting of the ordinance. These were Southington Police Department data from this year‘s e-bike incidents, and already existing ordinances on the subject from eight Connecticut towns.”
The ordinance is divided into six sections:
a definition of what vehicles it applies to,
an explanation of what qualifies as inappropriate behavior,
an outline of the responsibilities of the parents of teenagers who utilize the vehicles,
a description of penalties for misuse,
an explanation of towing and impoundment that may occur if vehicles are improperly used,
a clarification of how state law applies to this ordinance.
For the first offense, an offender would receive a $250 fine, which increases to $750 for subsequent offenses. For each transgression, the responding officer will be able to have the vehicle towed if they find such to be applicable. The owner would be responsible for all fees related to the towing and storage, and the vehicle may then be released to the owner or parents of an owner who is a minor.
Notably, the fine for the impoundment of the vehicle could be variable. The Southington Police Department uses a rotating list of towing companies, which charge a variety of different fees for impoundment under a $250 limit.
“They will use their tow rotation schedule, and there’s a maximum set by the state so it can’t go over a certain amount,” said council member Joshua Serafino. “It could certainly be below that, but that’s the maximum they can charge.”
The use of e-bikes on the Farmington Canal Rail Trail has garnered concern from the community in recent weeks. While all motorized vehicles are already prohibited on the trail, some residents have felt speeding e-bike riders have put them in danger.
“I’ve had many incidents in Southington, where I’ve come close. I’ve watched e-bikes dodge mothers with strollers, families with little kids. It’s extremely dangerous out there on the trails,” said Southington resident Lewis Schlassler.
The new ordinance defines “reckless or uncontrolled operation” of e-bikes, manual bicycles, electric scooters and motorcycles as trick riding, weaving between traffic, not exercising reasonable control or putting the safety of other pedestrians in danger.
The ordinance committee has spent months debating and refining the ordinance, and residents have given testimony at multiple meetings of the committee and town council. Some have had dangerous encounters with e-bike riders, and urged the committee to impose serious penalties.
“Most problems we are concerned with are not caused by individual leisure riders, and they are particularly not being caused by senior citizens out for a casual ride, and the problems are not being caused by people with ambulatory issues,” said local resident Patricia Hackett. “Respectfully, if a parent can afford a $2,000, two-wheeled electric or gas-powered vehicle for their teenager who is capable of riding an unmotorized bicycle, then the parents need to take responsibility for their child, including financial responsibility.”
Other speakers have emphasized that many e-bike riders follow laws, act responsibly and take care to avoid collisions. Some encouraged the ordinance committee to impose restrictions on the actions committed on the vehicles, and not on the vehicles themselves.
The next step for the ordinance will be a public hearing at the Town Council meeting on October 13.
