10.01.135 Electric-Assisted Bicycles – Traffic Law Application.
(a) Except as specifically provided, an electric-assisted bicycle or a rider of an electric-assisted bicycle shall be afforded all the rights and privileges, and be subject to all of the duties, of a bicycle or the rider of a bicycle. An electric-assisted bicycle is a vehicle to the same extent as a bicycle.
(b) An electric-assisted bicycle or a person riding an electric-assisted bicycle shall not be required to maintain: (1) Vehicle liability insurance coverage; (2) a driver’s license; (3) vehicle registration; (4) a certificate of title; or (5) a license plate. An electric-assisted bicycle shall not be considered a motor vehicle.
(c) On and after January 1, 2021, manufacturers and distributors of electric-assisted bicycles shall apply a label that is permanently affixed, in a prominent location, to each electric-assisted bicycle. The label shall contain the classification number, top assisted speed and motor wattage of the electric-assisted bicycle and shall be printed in Arial font in at least nine (9) point type.
(d) A person shall not tamper with or modify an electric-assisted bicycle in a manner that changes the motor-powered speed capability or engagement of an electric-assisted bicycle, unless the label indicating the classification required in subsection (c) of this section is replaced after modification.
(e) An electric-assisted bicycle shall comply with the equipment and manufacturing requirements adopted by the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission, 16 C.F.R. 1512.
(f) An electric-assisted bicycle may be ridden in places where bicycles are allowed, including, but not limited to, streets, highways, roadways, bicycle lanes, bicycle or multi-use paths, trails or trail networks, except that:
(a) A local authority or state agency having jurisdiction over a trail that is specifically designated as nonmotorized and that has a natural surface tread that is made by clearing and grading the native soil with no added surfacing materials may regulate the use of an electric-assisted bicycle on such trail;
(b) It shall be unlawful for any person to operate an electric-assisted bicycle on any interstate highway, federal or state highway within the City; provided, that nothing in this section shall prohibit an electric-assisted bicycle from crossing a federal or state highway; and
(c) It shall be unlawful for any person to operate an electric-assisted bicycle on a street with a posted speed limit greater than thirty-five (35) miles per hour.
(g) It shall be unlawful for any person to operate an electric-assisted bicycle at a speed in excess of twenty (20) miles per hour. (Ord. 22-24 § 2, 2022; Ord. 01-89 § 2, 2001.)