EMERGENCY ORDINANCE: City Council enacts new e-bike restrictions
by Mark McDermott Local e-bike riders will face a new legal terrain after the Manhattan Beach Council on Tuesday night enacted an emergency ordinance that will enforce a 15 mph speed limit on the beach bike path, outlaw bikes in several locations in the city, including the Greenbelt and all sidewalks, and impose fines ranging from $500 to $1000 for infractions. Mayor Richard Montgomery said the City could not wait for state action on an issue that is threatening public safety. “The urgency ordinance was needed due to the ever-increasing number of e-bike riders and interactions between e-bikes, pedestrians and motorists,” Montgomery said, in an interview after the meeting. “State law, as it currently exists, is extremely weak on protecting all concerned. The City of Manhattan Beach acted with urgency to protect everyone.” MBPD initially proposed a 20 mph speed limit on the Marvin Braude Bike Path, the County bike lanes that exist closest to the beach, running parallel to the pedestrian path. Previously, no speed limit existed. MBPD Chief Rachel Johnson said that the 20 mph limit would enable officers to identify those who are speeding without necessarily using radar devices. “We’re…
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