Two more Orange County cities are moving to regulate e-bikes over public safety concerns – joining a growing rank of municipalities cracking down on what they say are unsafe circumstances.
Orange city officials came up with new ways to better enforce current regulations while officials in Cypress considered updating their city codes to address e-bikes again.
Orange County continues to see more cities revisit or consider updating local laws to crack down on e-bikes that in recent years generated controversy among many residents while the bikes grew in popularity.
It’s an issue that elected officials, police departments and school districts have been scrambling to solve after resident complaints spiked and a grand jury report criticized local officials across the county for lacking regulations against unruly e-bike riders.
But some local bicycle advocates say a better approach would be to standardize e-bike rules and laws throughout the county.
Last week, Orange City Council members drew up new ordinances on e-bikes for better public safety, including adding a speed limit for riding on sidewalks and laying ground rules for safely riding on the streets.
This comes nearly a month after Buena Park created its own ordinance that prohibited e-bike usage on sidewalks among adults, along with establishing a speed limit to be codified in the city law.
[Read: Orange County’s Latest Wave of E-Bike Crackdowns]
These actions also come nearly a year after OC Supervisors put cities on notice after laying out new county regulations including speed limits and new definitions for e-bikes for unincorporated parts of the county – a move that triggered similar ordinances around the county.
Under California law, cities are unable to outright ban e-bikes or require a license to ride one.
Since 2022, cities throughout Orange County have taken a crack at creating new rules in response to safety concerns, often aimed at pushing bike riders away from sidewalks and implementing new speed limits.
[Read: Orange County Cities Struggle To Handle Electric Bike Regulations]
Grappling With E-bike Regulations
Despite many cities updating their local regulations, some bicycle advocates are raising concerns that the regulations vary from city to city.
Bill Sellin, a board member for the OC Bike Coalition, said in a phone interview that it’s inefficient to have each individual city in Orange County create their own set of rules on e-bikes, particularly when elected officials often have little knowledge on the matter.
He said that people shouldn’t have to look up every local jurisdiction to cross city boundaries, and creating an ordinance that prohibits e-bike use on sidewalks or adding speed limits “is missing the point.”
Sellin said that Class 2 e-bikes – which have a throttle attached to a motor – can easily exceed the maximum speed limit of 20 mph set by the California Vehicle Code.
Under state law, Class 3 e-bikes are classified as pedal-assisted vehicles that can reach speeds up to 28 mph. These bikes require the rider to be at least 16 years old.
Identifying the different classes of e-bikes has also been an issue for local law enforcement.
Class 2 e-bikes, which aren’t age restricted in the state, are often marketed with the caveat of the bike ceasing to assist at 20 mph to fall under state regulations when being sold, according to Sellin.
But those same bikes can often be unlocked or modified to reach speeds much faster, some without needing to pedal.
At that point, “it’s no longer a bicycle,” Sellin added.
“Big tires, heavy suspension, full-shock absorbers, you can’t lift it up and put it in your car without a ramp,” Sellin continued, “and that’s what they’re selling to children.”
City of Orange Sets New Rules
During last Tuesday’s city council meeting, Orange City Council members unanimously approved an ordinance to crack down on e-bikes in the city, with some city leaders pushing for more enforcement.
“We need to do a little more than what this has,” said Councilman Jon Dimitru during the March 12 meeting.
Some of the new rules include requiring riders under the age of 18 to wear a helmet and riding at 5 mph on the sidewalk when pedestrians are around.
But for local police officers, creating an ordinance might not solve every problem.
Orange Police Chief Adam Jevec at the same meeting laid out the issues with any enforcement of a new e-bike ordinance.
“It’s treated like a normal dirt bike you would ride out in the desert, and they’re riding on a city street,” adding that some e-bikes can go over 50 mph, which would under normal circumstances require a license and registration to ride at such speeds in California.
Cypress Considers Banning E-bikes on Sidewalks
In some cities, drafting laws to prohibit the use of e-bike is a matter of trial and error.
Last year, Cypress city leaders approved an ordinance banning e-bikes at public parks and recreational facilities.
But this wasn’t enough for Cypress City Council to still consider more restrictions.
Councilman Kyle Chang suggested prohibiting Class 2 and Class 3 e-bikes from riding on the sidewalk altogether.
“My idea would be to try and discourage people from buying Class 2 e-bikes,” Chang said during the March 11 meeting, particularly when referring to teenagers.
In agreement with Councilman Chang, Mayor David Burke said banning e-bikes from the sidewalk “is something we can consider in the future.”
“If we as a city ban Class 2 and Class 3 e-bikes from sidewalks, I would have to guess that a lot of parents would be upset that as a city we’re forcing kids onto the street,” said Councilman Scott Minikus, cautioning against forcing e-bikes onto the street.
For some city leaders, like Councilman Leo Medrano, the state law is already enough for police officers to continue giving out citations toward unruly behavior and educating riders when necessary.
He applauded the city’s police department working with local school districts, an aspect that Cypress Police Chief Mark Lauderback highlighted was crucial for future enforcement.
At the same meeting, Lauderback said that the police department issued 37 citations to those on bikes and e-bikes on March 7 alone.
Hugo Rios is a Voice of OC reporting fellow. Contact him at hugo.toni.rios@gmail.com or on Twitter @hugoriosss.