Olathe is the latest Johnson County city to pass new regulations on e-scooters and similar devices as local leaders respond to growing safety concerns.
The Olathe City Council on Tuesday unanimously approved an updated ordinance in a 7-0 vote after several months of discussion, revisions and feedback from residents and city staff.
Cities across Johnson County have been updating their rules for e-scooters and e-bikes over the past year as the devices — some of which can clock speeds approaching 40 miles per hour — have grown in popularity, particularly among children and teens.
Those efforts have been given renewed urgency following the death of 10-year-old Duke Ommert, who was killed while riding a motorized scooter in Leawood last October.
What Olathe’s scooter and bike ordinance does
The ordinance makes several changes to how e-scooters, e-bikes and similar devices are regulated in Olathe.
One of the primary goals, city officials said, was to make the rules easier to understand and enforce.
The updated ordinance groups e-scooters, motorized skateboards and similar devices into a single “micromobility device” category.
Under the new rules, riders under 18 will be required to wear helmets when operating such “micromobility” devices.
Riders can only use the devices on the street if there is no sidewalk available and the speed limit is under 30 mph.
Other regulations include:
Devices may be used on sidewalks, paths and trails
Riders can’t go over 15 mph on sidewalks
Riders must yield to pedestrians and give an audible signal before passing
The number of riders on one device is limited to how many it was designed for. (For example, two people can’t ride on a scooter meant for one person
Parents may not knowingly let their children violate the regulations
Violations fall under the city’s municipal court schedule of fines, which typically range from about $40 to $110.
Education will come before enforcement, police say
With the new regulations in place, city leaders say the next step is education, not enforcement.
Police Chief Mike Butaud said the department plans to focus on outreach before issuing citations.
“Education is going to be the way to go for an extended period of time,” Butaud said. “But at some stage in the future, then, we can conceive of a scenario where a child actually receives a ticket, and the parent would be notified.”
Butaud said the city is working on an “extensive” education campaign that will include partnering with Olathe Public Schools and using city communication channels to reach both students and parents to inform them of the new rules
“I can see for the many months going forward, there’s going to be a great need for educating kids and parents,” he said.
Assistant City Attorney Bob Gallimore told the city council that educating Olathe residents has been part of the plan from the beginning.
“From the first time we came to you last fall, that’s been our intent and what we think is the major thing that’s needed,” he said.
Other JoCo cities are taking action
A sign outside the Hen House at the Shops of Prairie Village. File photo.
Olathe’s action comes as other Johnson County cities and private property owners have adopted their own restrictions regarding scooters and e-bikes.
In Overland Park, some shopping centers — including Stanley Square, Ranch Mart and commercial spaces near 135th Street and Antioch Road — have banned e-scooters and e-bikes for riders under 17.
“The reason that we wanted to ban [these] is that it’s a safety measure,” said Len Corsi, president of Johnson County Management.
In Prairie Village, major shopping centers like Corinth Square and Corinth Quarter have implemented full bans on e-scooters and e-bikes.
Prairie Village Police Chief Eric McMullough has said many complaints involve children riding the devices recklessly.
Leawood, meanwhile, made helmets mandatory for e-scooter riders under 18 earlier this year.
Shawnee and Fairway have also adopted new scooter and e-bike rules in the past year.