SUNBURY — A growing trend of minors riding dirt bike-style electronic bicycles has made its way to Sunbury.
But Sunbury officials are almost ready to get a better handle on the issue — within their jurisdiction, at least.
City council tabled an extensive piece of legislation during its Aug. 19 meeting that lays out what/who can and can’t ride on different roadways and paths around Sunbury regarding e-bikes.
Mayor Joe St. John and council have been adamant about getting this legislation right and making it uniquely fit Sunbury, as opposed to recycling legislation from surrounding communities or higher levels of government.
However, council tabled the ordinance because while they want their e-bike rules to be unique, they don’t want to conflict with other nearby communities.
“We did get an email from a resident, I would find it to be enlightening for me and probably eye-opening that we don’t want to be in conflict with other jurisdictions and what they’re doing as well [with e-bikes],” St. John said during the meeting.
“Generally, e-bikes being on shared-use paths, the ordinance that we are in the reading process of basically says [e-bikes are] only allowed with the motor disengaged. … [This means] you can only pedal any e-bike on a shared-use path.”
Council tabled the ordinance because of this issue and the resident’s concern. St. John said council plans to send the ordinance back to the Services Committee and Parks and Recreation Committee to review again.
Additionally, he said he hopes to bring the legislation back to council in a month, with a change that allows riders to engage their e-bike motors on a shared-use path.
“We have to remember why we’re doing all of this,” Councilwoman Cindi Cooper said.
“[Residents] weren’t upset about a 40-plus-year-old person [riding an e-bike] on a trail, so I don’t want to overthink and over-legislate what is already working. I think we really need to focus on minors and what they’re doing [on e-bikes].”
E-BIKE LEGISLATION AROUND THE COUNTY:
What else is in Sunbury’s e-bike legislation?
The city has created a six-page guide explaining what residents need to know about e-bikes, including who can ride them, where they’re permitted and what rules riders must follow.
It is important to note that none of the following information is final or signed into law in Sunbury right now. Council will read and vote on this with or without changes once they vote to un-table it at a later date.
Notably, like other communities around Delaware County, the document states that Sunbury prohibits riders from engaging an e-bike motor on the sidewalk.
However, riders can still use an e-bike on the sidewalk as they would a traditional bicycle, but only by pedaling without assistance from the motor.
Electric scooters and similar devices are also prohibited from being ridden on roads, highways and parking areas. Unlike e-bikes, they do not have an exception allowing them to be ridden on sidewalks, meaning users must dismount and walk the devices along sidewalks and through crosswalks.
“Anyone under the age of 18 who operates or rides as an approved passenger on an e-bike, electric scooter, or Segway-type device must wear a properly fitted and fastened helmet,” the document states.
“Ohio law separately requires every Class 3 e-bike operator and passenger, regardless of age, to wear a qualifying helmet.”
More about the rules for e-bike and other devices the city of Sunbury is actively working on:
