Nampa has new rules for e-bikes, citing ongoing incidents, public safety

Nampa City Council members on Monday approved new regulations for e-bikes, e-scooters and electric motorcycles, giving police more tools to enforce moving violations within city limits. 

The ordinance, which passed in a 4-3 vote, tightens rules for how personal electric vehicles can be operated, including where they can be ridden, speed restrictions, equipment requirements and penalties for violations.

Nampa City Council members on Monday approved new regulations for e-bikes, e-scooters and electric motorcycles, giving police more tools to enforce moving violations within city limits. 

The ordinance, which passed in a 4-3 vote, tightens rules for how personal electric vehicles can be operated, including where they can be ridden, speed restrictions, equipment requirements and penalties for violations.

The new rules prohibit e-motos capable of speeds above 28 mph from being ridden on sidewalks and greenbelts. They also establish a 15-mph speed limit on sidewalks and greenbelts for qualifying vehicles. 

All e-bikes must follow speed limits on city streets and use bike lanes whenever they are available. Nampa police bike patrols are exempt from the requirement. Police are allowed to impound bikes in certain circumstances, and parents can be held responsible for code violations when the person who committed the violation is a minor. 

The ordinance establishes a $300 fine for a first offense. Subsequent violations can result in fines of up to $1,000 and up to six months in jail. Nampa police said the changes would give officers more authority to distinguish between e-bikes and e-motos and address violations. 

“I was just dealing with an officer today who received 40 videos from a citizen of these e-motos racing up and down their street and trying to figure out what we can do with it,” Shankel said. “I’d told them to wait until after tonight.” 

The council initially considered allowing residents to voluntarily register their e-bikes or scooters with the city. 

Council member Dale Reynolds, who first made the motion to approve the ordinance, questioned whether there was any incentive for the public to willingly register their bikes. 

“Our world is changing fast, and I didn’t think we’d ever have the day when we had gangs of these,” Reynolds said. 

Reynolds immediately clarified that he did not mean literal gangs, describing groups of children riding in the road. Shankel asked that the registration provision be removed, saying it would create an administrative burden for the department. 

Nampa police asked the council to remove the registration requirement from the ordinance while preserving the other new rules. Council member Sebastian Griffin suggested the council also remove a section regulating commercial e-bike and scooter programs, which would require companies to come before City Council before placing any vehicles in Nampa. 

Reynolds argued that the provision would require commercial operators to receive City Council approval before operating in Nampa. It was ultimately kept in the final version for the new ordinance.

The debate reflected a broader disagreement over how far the city should go in regulating electric bikes and motorcycles. Some council members said the city needed additional tools to address unsafe riding, particularly among juveniles. 

Council member Debbie Skaug, who voted against the ordinance, expressed concern that the new rules went too far.

“I think if we’re going to allow our citizens to have freedoms like we want in Nampa that we are way overreaching with codes and regulations as it is,” Skaug said. 

Nampa’s existing rules already distinguish between conventional e-bikes and higher-powered electric motorcycles. Compliant Class 1 through Class 3 e-bikes have motors of less than 750 watts, while vehicles without operable pedals or exceeding 750 watts can be classified as motor-driven cycles or motorcycles, according to the city website. Since high-speed e-bikes first arrived in the Treasure Valley, the Idaho Statesman has reported on how cities are handling the issue differently. 

Boise and Garden City adopted regulations this summer distinguishing e-motorcycles from e-bikes and imposing additional requirements for their use on city streets. 

Officials in Meridian and Eagle are relying on Idaho state laws to dictate how e-bike rules will be enforced. Nampa Mayor Darl Bruner also cited safety concerns in supporting the ordinance. 

“Freedoms are so doggone important, but we need to think about the safety of not only the young people that are maybe even recklessly riding,” Bruner said. “We also need to make sure we protect our citizens that are not on the e-bikes.” 

Bruner’s vote broke the tie, passing the motion 4-3.