UP City Council Directs Staff to Draft More E-Bike Rules

The University Park City Council has directed staff to craft additional rules and regulations for electric bicycles.

“I would love to see them gone, just in general,” police chief Bill Mathes told the council during a Sept. 17 work session when members asked for his opinion on e-bikes. “I don’t know if (state law) allows it.”

Mathes pointed council members to section 551.106 of the Texas Transportation Code. It states that a local authority may not prohibit the operation of an e-bike “in an area in which the operation of a nonelectric bicycle is permitted” unless certain exceptions apply.

In response to a question from council member Bob Myers, Mathes said that he thought the city would receive negative feedback if it banned e-bikes because residents have already invested in them.

Council members discussed the possibility of requiring riders to complete a course and register their e-bikes. Council member Melissa Rieman said she thought most parents would welcome a proactive approach to safety.

City Manager Robbie Corder told the council that staff would work with the Town of Highland Park and HPISD on a “unified approach on additional rules and regulations for, specifically, e-bikes.” Any proposed regulations drafted by staff would need to be approved by the council before becoming a city ordinance.

Due to safety concerns, electric scooters have been banned from almost all University Park rights-of-way since 2009. The exception is certain streets and sidewalks around SMU, where riders 18 and older are permitted to operate scooters.

University Park adopted an ordinance regulating e-bikes in 2003. Its provisions require riders under the age of 16 to wear a helmet, prohibit the operation of e-bikes on sidewalks, and mandate that e-bikes be operated at a reasonable speed. The ordinance also prohibits more than one person from riding on a single e-bike seat.

The complete electric bicycle regulations are in section 12.08.010 of the city’s Code of Ordinances.

Until last week, UP police were warning ordinance violators. The city switched to issuing citations on Sept. 10, and had given out 28 by the time of the work session at 5 p.m. on Sept. 17. The fine typically ranges from $100 to $250 depending on the violation, Mathes said. Violators under the age of 17 must appear with a parent or guardian in court.

Mathes said he expects riders to correct their behavior to comply with the city’s ordinance as enforcement continues.

“I’m a big believer in warnings. I think that they can be effective, especially with the younger kids,” he told the council. “To be honest with you, I don’t think the warnings were effective in this case.”

Highland Park’s town council, which also met on Sept. 17, was slated to consult with and receive legal advice from the town’s attorney regarding “electric bike ordinance and regulations” in a session that was closed to the public.