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Home My WebLink AboutX-D-01 Micromobility RecommendationsCity Council Memorandum To: Mayor Fasbender and City Council Members From:David Wilske, Chief of Police Date:August 4th, 2025 Item:Micromobility Ordinance Recommendations from PSAC Council Action Requested: Accept recommended ordinance additions to 70.09 regarding Micromobility Vehicles as provided by the Public Safety Advisory Commission. Background Information: The Public Safety Advisory Commission (PSAC) was requested to review city ordinance 70.09 regarding Micromobility vehicle use in the City of Hastings. The PSAC reviewed the Micromobility ordinance, ordinances in neighboring jurisdictions and reviewed state statute language regarding these modes of transportation. The PSAC developed ordinance recommendations to be added to 70.09 –Micromobility Vehicles. Your packet also includes PSAC’s cover letter, proposed changes to 70.09 and MN State Statute 169.225 as it relates to motorized foot scooters. Financial Impact: None Advisory Commission Discussion: None Council Committee Discussion: None Attachments: PSAC Memorandum PSAC Cover Letter MN State Statute 169.225 X-D-01 To: Hasting City Council Hastings City Administration From: Public Safety Advisory Commission Chair: Theresa Auge` July 18, 2025 Subject: Micromobility Vehicle Proposed Changes to Ordinance 70.09B The Commission thanks the council and administration for allowing us to extend an opinion on the topic of “other micromobility vehicles” for possible ordinance consideration in the city of Hastings. The commission spent many months reviewing and discussing this topic. We reviewed various MN statutes, and other city ordinances including City of Woodbury, City of Cottage Grove, City of Oakdale and the City of Hopkins. We felt that our own city of Hastings ordinance; 70.09 would serve as our best resource to offer recommendations. The commission reached consensus on this topic and concluded their discussion at our July 17, 2025,meeting. The following action was completed at our July 17, 2025,meeting. Motion:We, the Public Safety Advisory Commission support the proposed recommendations to Hastings Ordinance 70.09.Moved by Commissioner Braun and seconded by Commissioner Sherry. The motion passed unanimously. Should the council wish to question or discuss this proposal, the Chair will make themselves available at a city council meeting. Attachment:Micromobility Ordinance(s) X-D-01 Hastings 169.225 MOTORIZED FOOT SCOOTER. Subdivision 1.Application of traffic laws.Every person operating a motorized foot scooter shall have all rights and duties applicable to the operator of a bicycle,except in respect to those provisions relating expressly to motorized foot scooters and in respect to those provisions of law that by their nature cannot reasonably be applied to motorized foot scooters. Subd.2.Sidewalk and passenger prohibition.No person may operate a motorized foot scooter upon a sidewalk,except when necessary to enter or leave adjacent property.No person may operate a motorized foot scooter that is carrying any person other than the operator. Subd.3.Minimum age for operator.No person under the age of 12 years may operate a motorized foot scooter. Subd.4.Protective headgear.No person under the age of 18 years may operate a motorized foot scooter without wearing properly fitted and fastened protective headgear that complies with standards established by the commissioner of public safety. Subd.5.Required lighting equipment.A motorized foot scooter must be equipped with a headlight and a taillight that comply with standards established by the commissioner of public safety if the vehicle is operated under conditions when vehicle lights are required by law. Subd.6.Operation requirements and prohibitions.(a)A person operating a motorized foot scooter on a roadway shall ride as close as practicable to the right-hand curb or edge of the roadway,except in the following situations: (1)when overtaking and passing another vehicle proceeding in the same direction; (2)when preparing for a left turn,in which case the operator shall stop and dismount at the right-hand curb or right edge of the roadway,and shall complete the turn by crossing the roadway on foot,subject to restrictions placed by law on pedestrians;or (3)when reasonably necessary to avoid impediments or conditions that make it unsafe to continue along the right-hand curb or edge,including,but not limited to,fixed or moving objects,vehicles,bicycles, pedestrians,animals,surface hazards,or narrow lanes. (b)A person may operate a motorized foot scooter on a bicycle path,bicycle lane,bicycle trail,or bikeway that is not reserved for the exclusive use of nonmotorized traffic,unless the local authority or governing body having jurisdiction over that path,lane,trail,or bikeway prohibits operation by law. History:2005 c 135 s 6 Official Publication of the State of Minnesota Revisor of Statutes 169.225MINNESOTA STATUTES 20241 X-D-01 Micromobility Vehicle Ordinance(s) Our directive from Hastings City Council in March 2025 was to consider possible ordinance suggestions for other forms of micromobility and a review of Hastings City Ordinance 70.09. The Public Safety Advisory Commission reviewed several other city ordinances and state statutes surrounding the topic of micromobility vehicles. They were Woodbury, Oakdale, Cottage Grove and Hopkins.State Statute review included 169.225 –Motorized Foot Scooters and 169.212 – Operation of Electric Personal Assistive Mobility Devices. After 4 months of robust dialogue we reached consensus and recommendations on the following: 1) Update ‘Definition’ in 70.09B to: Definition:Items designed for individual use, a vehicle that:Is capable of being propelled solely by human power, being powered solely by an electric motor drawing current from rechargeable storage batteries, fuel cells, or other portable sources of electrical current.Examples of electric micromobility vehicles include but are not limited to electric skateboards, segways, kick scooters, hover boards, electric unicycles, e-scooters. 2) Remove the following definitions in 70.09B (they have their own ordinances): -Bicycle -Electric-Assisted Bicycle 3) Include the following language in the ordinance: Motorized Foot Scooter laws are governed by MN State Statute 169.225 and the City of Hastings enforces these laws. 4) Include the following Operational Restrictions for Micromobility Vehicles: It will be unlawful for anyone to operate under the following conditions: a.Within the city while being pushed, pulled or in any way propelled by any motorized vehicle or being a person on a bicycle. Single individual per device. b.In a careless, reckless, or negligent manner in disregard for the rights or safety of property or any other person, including pedestrians. c.On any sidewalk adjacent to that part of 2nd Street lying between Eddy Street and Bailly Street,except for “electric personal assistive mobility devices”. X-D-01 £uKt18S7HastingsMINNESOTA*-? Hastings 5) Include the following Hold Harmless language: We suggest the following be included: Nothing in this ordinance shall be construed as an assumption of liability by the City of Hastings for any injuries to people on which may result from the operation of such items. In conclusion: whatever direction the council takes concerning micromobility vehicles we encourage the City of Hastings to publish the “rules”concerning these devices. There is great confusion over the term “vehicle” to which many ignore the rules. Age has been determined by the state for both electric scooters and electric bicycles. Where they ride has been determined by those ordinances. X-D-01