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1; Cityo- <br />Om Louisville <br />COLORADO • SINCE 1 878 <br />CITY COUNCIL COMMUNICATION <br />AGENDA ITEM 8B <br />SUBJECT: <br />ORDINANCE NO. 1736, SERIES 2017 — AN ORDINANCE <br />AMENDING TITLE 4, TITLE 10 AND TITLE 14 OF THE <br />LOUISVILLE MUNICIPAL CODE REGARDING ELECTRICAL <br />ASSISTED BICYCLES — 2nd Reading — Public Hearing <br />(advertised Daily Camera 04/23/2017) <br />DATE: MAY 2, 2017 <br />PRESENTED BY: LISA RITCHIE, ASSOCIATE PLANNER <br />PLANNING AND BUILDING SAFETY DEPARTMENT <br />SUMMARY: <br />The attached ordinance amends Titles 4, 10 and 14 of the Louisville Municipal Code <br />(LMC) to allow Class 1 and Class 2 electrical assisted bicycles (e -bikes) within the City. <br />Commuting Solutions, the regional multi -modal transportation advocacy organization, is <br />working on an effort to promote e -bikes on the recently opened US 36 Bikeway. They <br />are requesting each jurisdiction allow e -bikes on the Bikeway, as well as more broadly <br />throughout the City. <br />At the April 18, 2017 City Council meeting for first reading of the ordinance, Council <br />directed staff to revise the ordinance to allow both Class 1 and Class 2 e -bikes, rather <br />than just Class 1 e -bikes. Staff has amended the ordinance accordingly, and provided <br />additional resources at the end of this communication to learn more about the <br />differences between e -bike classes. <br />At this time, the City regulates e -bikes as vehicles and allows them on public streets, <br />but not on trails. The proposed ordinance would permit Class 1 and Class 2 e -bikes <br />throughout the City, on all streets and trails (the Background section below describes e - <br />bike classifications in more detail). The ordinance, as revised after first reading, <br />includes the following definition describing the allowed types of e -bikes if the ordinance <br />is approved: <br />Electrical assisted bicycle shall mean a vehicle having two (2) tandem wheels or <br />two (2) parallel wheels and one (1) forward wheel, fully operable pedals, an <br />electric motor not exceeding seven hundred fifty (750) watts of power and a top <br />motor -powered speed of twenty (20) miles per hour. <br />BACKGROUND: <br />Most e -bikes look almost identical to a traditional bicycle in appearance; however, they <br />have a small electric motor and battery to provide electrical motorized assistance <br />through a pedal or throttle. There are many different types of e -bikes with varying <br />CITY COUNCIL COMMUNICATION <br />