Concerns about high speeds and safety involving e-bikes and motorized foot scooters led the Andover City Council to approve a new ordinance Sept. 15 regulating the devices.
The council voted 4-0 on the measure, which establishes standards that mirror Minnesota law.
City Administrator Sarah Cotton said the council previously discussed concerns about high speeds, minors operating the devices, sidewalk conflicts and high-powered electric motorcycles.
Over the past year, city staff and the Anoka County Sheriff’s Office have conducted public education efforts. Despite those efforts, the city continued to receive inquiries about safety.
The ordinance addresses speed restrictions for motorized foot scooters and e-bikes. Under Minnesota law, motorized foot scooters are limited to devices capable of no more than 15 miles per hour, while electric-assisted bicycles have different motor assistance limits depending on classification.
High-powered devices that fall outside the applicable classifications are subject to motor vehicle regulations and restrictions on where they can operate.
The ordinance also authorizes the Anoka County Sheriff’s Office to issue citations for violations.
Council Member Rick Engelhardt asked whether the ordinance covered electric single-wheel boards.
City Attorney Scott Baumgartner said neither the ordinance nor state law specifically addresses the device Engelhardt referenced, but the city could revisit the ordinance as new technology emerges.
“We’re going to view this ordinance as a flexible document,” Baumgartner said. “And it’s going to be tweaked as these new devices come about.”
Baumgartner said the ordinance is intended to make state regulations easier for residents to understand, particularly parents considering purchasing electric bikes or scooters for their children.
“The purpose of this ordinance is really to clarify what the statute says,” Baumgartner said. “If a resident wants to try and understand what you can and cannot do, before you make that purchase for your son and daughter, you try to read that statute you’re gonna walk away saying I can’t do anything, because I don’t understand it.”
Mayor Jamie Barthel said he had received considerable feedback about e-bikes and similar devices and welcomed the ordinance.
“So I’m really glad we’ve got this ordinance in place, so I’m excited for this,” Barthel said.