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The city of Celina will now require riders to register their electric bicycles, or e-bikes, with the Celina Police Department.
Celina City Council passed new rules regarding e-bikes, including the permit requirement, at a March 10 meeting.
The ordinance was driven by “increasing safety concerns related to juveniles operating e-motorcycles and e-bikes,” according to a report by city staff.
What you need to know
An e-bike is a bicycle with pedals and a motor with a maximum power of 750 watts, according to city documents. They can reach top speeds of 20-28 mph, and riders do not need a license or insurance.
Celina’s new regulations only apply to e-bikes, which must comply with bicycle traffic laws. Vehicles that don’t have pedals or have stronger motors are considered e-motorcycles and must obey traffic laws for motor vehicles.
Under the new ordinance, e-bikes have to be registered with the Celina Police Department.
Riders can apply for an individual permit or a family permit, which allows immediate family members living in the same household to use the same e-bike.
Within city parks and bike trails, e-bikes must follow the same rules as regular bicycles, and can only go up to 10 mph.
The ordinance also includes general rules about the operation of e-bikes within city limits:
E-bike classifications are determined by the motor system and top speed of an e-bike, with Class 3 being the fastest.
The context
Celina’s e-bike regulations are modeled after the e-bike ordinance Prosper Town Council passed last October.
At a Jan. 13 council meeting, Celina Police Chief John Cullison recommended adopting similar rules to prevent people from coming into Celina to avoid e-bike regulations.
“They’re coming over to our side,” Cullison said. “We’re going to become a fertile ground for some of these kids to get hurt, so this is a way to be proactive.”
Implementing the same set of rules in both municipalities will help create “a seamless set of rules that make it easy to follow for Celina residents,” according to city staff’s report.
Get involved
Parents are responsible for making sure children riding e-bikes follow traffic laws, according to a presentation by city staff.
The Celina Police Department has launched an education and enforcement initiative to inform parents and children about e-bike laws and safety practices.
