Powell Development Committee Meeting: E-Bike Safety Education — June 2, 2026

The Powell Development Committee met on Tuesday, June 2, 2026, at 6:30 PM in the Council Chambers at 47 Hall Street, Powell, Ohio. The sole business item was an informational presentation on electric bicycle (e-bike) safety and education delivered by Sergeant Jon Weirich of the Powell Police Department. The committee endorsed an education-first approach, approved the prior meeting minutes, and took no action on new policy.

Consent Calendar

• Minutes from the Development Committee meeting held on May 6, 2026, were approved unanimously by voice vote. Voting members present: Carlos Crawford, Tyler Herman, and Kurt Randley. Sean Simpson was absent.

Public Comments & Testimony

• A community member expressed appreciation that Powell was addressing e-bike safety, stating that parents are “scared to death” based on social media. The speaker raised concern about golf carts frequently using shared-use trails, asserting golf carts are not legal on shared-use paths and are permitted only on roads posted under 35 miles per hour when registered. The speaker also reported seeing e-bikes traveling approximately 50 miles per hour on the trail, which fall outside the three legal e-bike classes, and suggested posting condensed trail rules directly on the trails so users can see them.

Discussion Items

• E-Bike Classification and Rules (Sgt. Jon Weirich): An e-bike is an electric bicycle with pedals and a motor of 750 watts or less, in one of three Ohio classes: Class 1 (pedal-assist up to 20 mph), Class 2 (throttle permitted, up to 20 mph), and Class 3 (pedal-assist only, up to 28 mph). No driver’s license is required for Class 1 or 2; Class 3 riders must be at least 16, and riders under 18 must wear a helmet. E-bike riders must obey all bicycle traffic laws (stop signs, traffic lights, direction of travel, yielding to pedestrians, lights at night), and each bike must display a label showing motor wattage, class, and top speed, with relabeling required if modified.
• Safety Concerns: Sgt. Weirich identified excessive speed on trails, failure to yield to pedestrians, riding without lights at night, and modifications (removing pedals or increasing speed) as the main issues. Bikes modified outside the class definitions are treated as motorcycles, requiring a driver’s license and motorcycle endorsement. He noted that approximately the first 15 e-bikes returned in an Amazon search are not actually classified as e-bikes.
• Education and Outreach Tools: Powell PD has developed a trifold brochure covering motorized and electric vehicle classifications, and free ice cream scoop coupons, donated by the Citizens Academy Alumni and redeemable at Johnson’s Real Ice Cream, are handed out to youth observed wearing helmets or following safety rules. A QR code on the coupon links to the city’s website explaining the classes of electric vehicles and where they may be ridden. Social media was described as the best way to disseminate the information beyond handouts.
• Enforcement Approach: Officers generally educate and warn before citing, contact parents when juveniles are involved to keep them out of the criminal justice system, and will not chase an e-bike rider who flees. The department has discussed using drones to follow repeat offenders to their homes, though it has not yet had success with that method. Committee discussion included the potential for an informal courtesy notice (a “hey knucklehead” ticket) as an alternative to a citation.
• School Outreach: A committee member suggested presenting e-bike education to middle and elementary school students as a captive audience. Sgt. Weirich indicated this could occur in the new school year, noting the Police Chief has standing meetings with school security personnel and has a meeting the following week to raise the topic.
• Trail Signage: A committee member asked whether consideration had been given to posting condensed trail rules along the trails, noting this connects to the wayfinding discussion, which is being split into components since the full wayfinding project is not moving forward. The committee agreed this is worth investigating further.

Key Outcomes

• Minutes of the May 6, 2026, Development Committee meeting approved unanimously.
• No policy changes were adopted; the city will maintain an education-focused approach, and staff will continue to monitor the issue, returning to a policy discussion later only if warranted.
• Next steps identified: possible e-bike safety presentations in the new school year, further investigation of trail signage tied to the split wayfinding effort, and continued public education through school outreach, social media, brochures, and incentive coupons.