Storm Lake’s long ride toward new rules for e‑bikes, e‑scooters and personal mobility devices hit a major speed bump Tuesday night, as the city council’s proposed ordinance failed on a 2‑2 vote after a public hearing.
The proposed ordinance would have rewritten Storm Lake’s bicycle code for the first time in decades, creating detailed rules for where personal mobility devices can operate, how fast they can travel and what equipment riders must use. The draft included a helmet requirement for anyone under the age of 18, limits on riding in parks and green spaces, a “reasonable and prudent” speed standard on trails and a prohibition on high‑powered electric mobility devices on city property. It also outlined fines ranging from $100 to $300 and an impound process for repeat violations.
The ordinance mirrored portions of Iowa law, which classifies e‑bikes into three categories and requires riders to be at least 16 years old to operate Class 3 models. But Iowa does not mandate bicycle helmets, leaving cities to decide whether to adopt their own rules. Several Iowa communities, including Spirit Lake, have recently tightened regulations after reports of kids riding off trails and damaging landscaping. Others have lowered trail speed limits to 15 miles per hour.
Tuesday’s hearing drew residents, longtime trail users and statewide advocates. The first speaker, Storm Lake resident and avid trike rider Rick Wimer, told the council he has logged more than 10,000 miles on local trails since moving here and has watched safety concerns grow.
Wimer urged the council to consider a minimum age of 16 and some form of licensing or training. He also questioned enforcement, saying he has spoken to many park users and Storm Lake residents who oppose the proposal.
The Iowa Bicycle Coalition also weighed in, offering a statewide perspective on how other Iowa cities regulate e‑bikes and scooters. Safe Routes to School Director Matt Burkey called Storm Lake’s draft one of the most punitive he has seen in Iowa, particularly the helmet mandate for minors.
Burkey encouraged the council to vote the ordinance down and work with the coalition on a statewide‑consistent model ordinance. He also noted Iowa law already requires riders to be 16 to operate Class 3 e‑bikes and questioned whether police officers could reliably distinguish e‑bike classes in the field.
Several local residents supported stricter rules. Longtime Storm Laker Dennis Frederick told the council he believes helmets should be required and speed limits lowered.
Another resident, Andriette Wickstrom, who has biked and run in Storm Lake for more than four decades, suggested lowering trail speeds even further.
Council members also weighed in during the public hearing, with Don Piercy Jr. raising concerns about enforcement, legal consistency and the impact of a helmet mandate on families and visitors.
He also warned that the ordinance could create confusion between state motor vehicle laws and local penalties.
Piercy urged the council to remove the helmet mandate and push for statewide consistency. He also warned that stopping out‑of‑town children for a local‑only rule could harm Storm Lake’s reputation.
Council member Maggie Martinez defended the police department’s educational approach.
After closing the public hearing, the council moved to vote on the ordinance. It failed on a 2‑2 vote, with Martinez and Richard Riner voting yes and Piercy and Matt Ricklefs voting no. Council member Maria Ramos was not present.
Before adjourning, Ricklefs asked that the e‑bike discussion continue at a future work session, saying he does not want the issue to “be dead.”
