|
Agenda Item
ASR
Control 24-000397 |
||
|
MEETING
DATE: |
06/04/24 |
|
|
legal entity taking action: |
Board
of Supervisors |
|
|
board of supervisors district(s): |
All
Districts |
|
|
SUBMITTING Agency/Department: |
OC
Public Works (Approved) |
|
|
Department contact person(s): |
Nardy
Khan (714) 647-3906 |
|
|
|
Wei
Zhu (714) 647-3976 |
|
Subject: Adopt
Amendment to Ordinances for Electric Bicycle Safety Regulations
|
ceo CONCUR |
County Counsel Review |
Clerk of the
Board |
||||||||
|
Concur |
Approved Ordinance to Form |
Discussion |
||||||||
|
|
|
3 Votes Board Majority |
||||||||
|
|
|
|
||||||||
|
Budgeted: N/A |
Current
Year Cost: N/A |
Annual
Cost: N/A |
||||||||
|
|
|
|
||||||||
|
Staffing
Impact:
|
No |
#
of Positions: |
Sole
Source: N/A |
|||||||
|
Current Fiscal Year Revenue: N/A
|
||||||||||
|
Prior Board Action: 12/19/2023 S35D |
||||||||||
RECOMMENDED
ACTION(S):
|
1. |
Approve the Orange County Traffic
Committee Report of April 25, 2024 - Item A to amend Orange County Ordinances
for Electric Bicycle Safety Regulations. |
|
2. |
Read the title of the Ordinances to
amend Orange County Ordinances 6-4-102, 6-4-500, 6-4-501. |
|
3. |
Waive further reading of the amended
Ordinances. |
|
4. |
Consider the matter. |
|
5. |
Direct that the amended Ordinances be
placed on the agenda of the June 25, 2024, Board of Supervisors meeting for
adoption. |
|
6. |
At the meeting on June 25, 2024,
consider the matter and adopt the amended Ordinances. |
SUMMARY:
Approving the
Orange County Traffic Committee Report - Item A and adopting the amended
Ordinance sections 6-4-102, 6-4-500, 6-4-501 will allow for Electric Bicycle
Safety Regulations and will improve pedestrian and traffic safety.
BACKGROUND
INFORMATION:
On December 19,
2023, the Board of Supervisors (Board) directed OC Public Works, in
consultation with the Orange County Traffic Committee (Committee), to draft an
ordinance updating the County of Orange's (County) Municipal Code to adopt
Electric Bicycle Safety Regulations.
At the April 25,
2024, Committee meeting, the following item was agendized and discussed:
Item A - Amend
Traffic Ordinance for Electric Bicycle (E-bike) Regulations
The use of
E-bikes, which offer an affordable and convenient transportation alternative,
has seen a significant rise in Orange County, particularly in areas like Ladera
Ranch Community (Ladera). E-bikes pose a heightened risk of severe injuries
compared to traditional bikes due to their increased speed and weight. To address
safety concerns, in early 2023, OC Traffic Engineering conducted an E-bike
Study (Study) in Ladera to establish a framework for enhancing E-bike safety.
One of the key recommendations from the Study was the need to amend the
County’s Municipal Code to better regulate E-bikes.
Based on research
of existing state laws and policies of peer agencies, OC Public Works revised
certain County Ordinances with amendments tailored specifically to address
E-bikes. The amended Ordinances underwent a series of iterations and
collaborative efforts with County Counsel and the Committee.
OC Public Works
proposes amendments to the following County Ordinances to establish clearer
regulations regarding E-bikes:
Ordinance 6-4-102
Definitions: to define a bicycle, bicycle lane, bicycle path/bicycle trail,
bicycle route, electric bicycle, motorized bicycle, skateboard, as well as OC
Public Works.
Ordinance 6-4-500 Bicycle
Operation: to define unsafe operation, parking, helmets, operation of Class 3
E-bike, maximum number of riders and passengers.
Ordinance 6-4-501 Bicycle on
Sidewalks: to include E-bikes.
Committee members unanimously
approved the recommendation.
Compliance
with CEQA:
This action is not a project within the meaning of CEQA Guidelines Section
15378 and is therefore not subject to CEQA since it does not have the potential
for resulting in either a direct physical change in the environment or a
reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment. The
approval of this agenda item does not commit the County to a definite course of
action in regard to a project since it's an approval Committee Report Item A
and adoption of an Ordinance to amend Ordinance sections 6-4-102, 6-4-500 and
6-4-501 to allow for E-bike regulations. This proposed activity is therefore
not subject to CEQA. Any future action connected to this approval that
constitutes a project will be reviewed for compliance with CEQA.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
N/A
STAFFING IMPACT:
N/A
ATTACHMENT(S):
Attachment A - Orange County
Traffic Committee Meeting of April 25, 2024 - Agenda
Attachment B - Orange County Traffic Committee Report - Item A
Attachment C - Ordinance to amend 6-4-102, 6-4-500, 6-4-501
Attachment D - Redline to Ordinances 6-4-102, 6-4-500, 6-4-501