With kids and adults flying through stop signs and near misses piling up, Storm Lake residents turned out in force Monday night to demand action on e‑bike and e‑scooter safety.
More than 50 people packed into the Chautauqua Park shelterhouse for the city council’s first public input session on the issue. Mayor Meg McKeon opened the forum by saying the council wants community guidance before drafting any ordinance.
And as residents shared those experiences, electric bikes and scooters kept zipping past the shelterhouse — a real‑time reminder of why the crowd had gathered.
Police Chief Chris Cole outlined Iowa’s e‑bike classifications and the enforcement challenges officers face — especially on trails and sidewalks.
Cole also reminded residents that some high‑powered scooters and minibikes legally qualify as motor vehicles.
Assistant Fire Chief Blake Severson warned about the fire risks tied to damaged or poorly made lithium‑ion batteries, which are used in the devices.
He added that injuries nationwide are rising sharply.
Residents spent more than an hour sharing concerns — from near misses downtown to kids riding double, ignoring stop signs and operating devices too powerful for their age. One resident described a close call on Lake Avenue.
Others stressed the need for education alongside enforcement.
Several residents urged the city to consider age limits, trail etiquette signs and safety courses similar to moped certification. Others warned against banning devices from trails entirely, noting that in some neighborhoods, trails are the only safe connection to parks.
McKeon said any solution will require both community involvement and accountability.
By the end of the meeting, a clear majority supported both education and some form of ordinance. The mayor encouraged residents to continue the conversation at neighborhood gatherings like National Night Out in August.
After the discussion wrapped up, attendees stepped outside for live demonstrations of a stand‑up e‑scooter, a Class 1 e‑bike and a Class 3 e‑bike — giving residents a firsthand look at how quickly the devices can reach 20 miles per hour.
The city council will hold its next work session on e‑bike and e‑scooter regulations on July 20, where members will review ordinance options and consider the public feedback gathered this week.
