E-bike use in Carlsbad is now subject to rules under a new city ordinance. (Carlsbad city photo by Kristina Chartier)
The City of Carlsbad’s Traffic Safety & Mobility Commission will hold a special meeting Tuesday, Sept. 16, at 5 p.m. to gather community input on whether Carlsbad should prohibit e-bike use by children under age 12, in accordance with Assembly Bill 2234.
The Carlsbad City Council requested that the commission hold this meeting to receive resident feedback and make a recommendation for City Council consideration. When the city asked for community input before launching its Safer Streets Together program in 2022, one of the top requests was to require licenses or establish a minimum age for riding e-bikes. Carlsbad was the first city in the region to pass local laws to curtail reckless riding and address other unsafe use of e-bikes, but state law limits the city’s ability to adopt licensing and minimum age requirements.
The city’s legislative team worked with State Assemblymember Tasha Boerner to sponsor AB 2234 to address this issue. Here are a few important notes about how the legislation works:
It allows cities in San Diego County, as well as the county itself, to establish a minimum age of 12 for riding e-bikes.
Technically, this new law applies only to “class 1” and “class 2” e-bikes. Class 3 e-bikes already have a minimum age of 16.
State law still prevents cities from adopting licensing requirements. However, school districts operating in Carlsbad have worked with the city to develop bike safety or permit programs for students.
The City Council is seeking community input before considering whether to establish the e-bike minimum age in Carlsbad. There are two ways to provide input: email traffic@carlsbadca.gov by 1 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 16, or attend the meeting and provide a comment in person.
The Special Traffic Safety and Mobility Commission meeting will be held in the City Council Chamber, 1200 Carlsbad Village Drive. The agenda and staff report will be available online by Friday, Sept. 12. Those unable to attend can watch the meeting live on the city’s website or the city’s cable channel, Spectrum channel 24 or AT&T U-verse channel 99.
All feedback will be shared with the City Council.
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