REPORT TO COUNCIL
SUBJECT
Title
Presentation of the Workplan for Developing New Ordinances and Regulations for Motorized Scooter and Bicycle Share Programs
Report
BACKGROUND
As heard earlier in today's Council Agenda, the City Council has taken recent actions on a moratorium of Scooter and Bicycle Share programs. Below is a summary of recent actions:
* Emergency Ordinance:
o Went into effect immediately, December 20, 2018.
o Will expire 45 days later, on February, 3, 2019, unless extended by City Council action.
o Extension being heard today, January 29, 2019.
o Staff is recommending that the City Council extend the moratorium, at today's Council meeting, for 10 months and 15 days.
o If extended, the moratorium will then expire on December 19, 2019.
* Regular Ordinance:
o Introduced on December 20, 2018.
o Adopted on January 15, 2019.
o Ordinance goes into effect 30 days after adoption, February 14, 2019.
o To match the emergency ordinance, the regular ordinance is set to expire on December 19, 2019.
When implemented correctly, shared mobility services can be an integral part of a multimodal network. However, there are also significant concerns that have arisen in other cities where similar scooters have been implemented:
* They can travel at up to 15 mph, much faster than pedestrians.
* While the California Vehicle Code prohibits the use on sidewalks, scooters are frequently being used and stored on sidewalks.
* Scooters can amass at bus stops and transit hubs in a disorganized manner that affects transit access.
* Scooters are sometimes left along pedestrian paths of travel where they impair accessibility for mobility devices, block the public right-of-way, and become trip hazards.
The opportunity for the City to establish regulations prior to permitting this activity allows for the City to mitigate the above outcomes and work collaboratively to establish business practices in Santa Clara. Having the appropriate regulatory program is a necessity to...
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