Fort Myers Beach Council votes to allow electric bikes on sidewalks
2018 ordinance amended with speed limit of 15 mph
The Town of Fort Myers Beach Council voted unanimously on Monday to allow electric bikes on sidewalks with a speed limit of 15 miles per hour, which would amend an ordinance approved in 2018 by the town council which banned electric bikes on sidewalks.
The council’s actions on Monday followed a recommendation from the Fort Myers Beach Public Safety Committee to allow electric bikes on the sidewalks.
Fort Myers Beach Operations and Compliance Manager Tom Yozzo said the change in the ordinance will be tough to enforce due to the speed limit of 15 miles per hour. Yozzo said the average person walks about three miles per hour. He recommended the speed limit be seven miles per hour. He said enforcement “will be an issue” and that the success of the ordinance will be more based on public education and through signage.
Town counsel Nancy Stuparich said the speed limit should be 15 miles per hour due to Florida statute.
“The enforcement of this is going to be hard,” Yozzo said. Yozzo said it will lead to town rangers being pulled to spend more time on sidewalks. The rangers can’t use radar, Yozzo said.
Electric bikes can travel as fast as 30 mile per hour.
The ordinance requires bicyclists to slow down when approaching pedestrians, especially children and pets. Bicyclists are required to give audible warnings when approaching pedestrians where necessary.
There will also be signage requiring bicyclists to operate with the flow of traffic between Gulf View and Avenue C.
Violators of the ordinance could face fines of $15 for most violations with fines of $100 for failing to observe pedestrian-only zones and failing to remain in the area of the sidewalk designated for bicyclists. The new ordinance calls for marking the sidewalks to split between a pedestrian side of the sidewalk and a bicycle side of the sidewalk. Such a change would require approval from Lee County, which owns the sidewalks.
The sidewalks between Avenue C and Times Square would be marked as a no bike riding area.
Vice Mayor Jim Atterholt said he had some concerns but would support the ordinance change and successfully pushed for the ordinance change to sunset in a year after a review of data. That would require the council to vote again on the ordinance change next year.
Fort Myers Beach Observer Editor Nathan Mayberg can be reached at NMayberg@breezenewspapers.com