UP Limits E-Bike Use to Licensed Drivers, Imposes Other Restrictions

The University Park City Council voted Nov. 19 to limit the use of electric bicycles to licensed drivers and to impose additional safety restrictions on e-bikes.

The city’s new ordinance is virtually identical to the one adopted by Highland Park in October, police chief Bill Mathes said. It will take effect on Jan. 1.

“This is a very, very strict approach,” Mathes told the council during a pre-meeting work session. “I think we have enough experience under our belts right now that if we’re going to err on one side or the other, we are going to err on the side of caution and safety.”

The new rules will:

• Require e-bike operators to have a valid driver’s license.
• Require e-bikes to be equipped with standard safety equipment, including reflectors, lights, and a speedometer.
• Raise the requirement that operators wear a helmet from under age 16 to under age 21.
• Require operators of e-bikes to obtain and display a permit issued by the city.
• Prohibit the operation of e-bikes at speeds greater than 30 miles per hour.

The regulations are a step-up from an ordinance passed by the city in 2023 prohibiting the operation of e-bikes on sidewalks, requiring the use of helmets for riders under 16, and mandating that e-bikes be operated at a reasonable speed.

The UP police department took an escalating approach to enforcing the 2023 ordinance. It spread the word about the regulations in a public information campaign, then gave warnings before adopting its current zero tolerance policy. Under zero tolerance, all violators of the rules are stopped and given citations, Mathes said. 

Any violators under the age of 17 must appear in court with a parent or guardian. A judge has discretion to impose a fine or send the violator to an e-bike safety course. So far, 18 participants have completed the course, Mathes said. 

“We’ve been playing catch up,” Mathes told the council during the work session. “I think we’re moving the ball vastly forward now with this, just to say, ‘alright, listen, let’s draw the line, and do our best.’”

Electric scooters are not permitted in University Park, with the exception of on the SMU campus and certain streets and sidewalks adjacent to the university. Operators at SMU must be at least 18 years old.

Also during the city council’s Nov. 19 meeting, council members:

• Heard complaints from residents of some streets around SMU. The residents accused the city of failing to enforce a section of its zoning ordinance that limits households to no more than two unrelated individuals or families. They asked the city to enforce the ordinance in buildings being used as student housing, or to change the ordinance and look for other solutions if it cannot be effectively enforced. 
• Recognized the city’s Parks and Recreation Department for earning accreditation through the Commission for Accreditation of Park and Recreation Agencies (CAPRA). Fewer than 2% of park agencies across the country have achieved CAPRA accreditation. To earn it, an agency must meet rigorous standards related to the management and administration of lands, facilities, resources, programs, safety, and services.