RIVER FALLS — The city’s Plan Commission passed ordinance amendments to regulate bike usage on the Main Street sidewalk and the use of ATVs, UTVs and off-highway motorcycles on city public property, tabling e-bike regulations during the Feb. 3 meeting.

City Police Sergeant Denton Anderson presented the three ordinances, the first being bicycles. The forwarded ordinance prevents usage of bicycles in the downtown district sidewalks on Main Street from Division to Cascade, east to Second Street and west to RiverWalk.

“Basically, we want to prohibit bicycle usage in the downtown area, given the amount of pedestrian traffic and the potential for injury,” Anderson said.

Bicycle usage on the street would still be legal, as would usage on the sidewalk by children 12 years of age and younger.

The electric bicycle and electric scooter ordinance is in response to complaints the police department has regarding a danger to pedestrians.

“We had no ordinance on the books. There was really no framework governing their usage,” Anderson said. “Some of these things, I will tell you, they’re just as powerful as a Honda Enduro bike, except with an electric motor.”

The proposed ordinance defines classes of electric bicycles and scooters, establishes minimum age and licensing requirements for operation, requires compliance with state traffic laws, establishes lighting requirements and assigns responsibility to guardians who "knowingly permit violations by minors.”

Plan Commission Member Mike Woolsey spoke about the specific class delineations and said it may confuse residents or become outdated with rapid technology changes.

“I was looking through this, and I don’t know if it makes it complicated for the consumer and for law enforcement to be looking at specific types of equipment,” Woolsey said. “Is there a way that we could strike some of this that gives the same safety for the public and also helps the consumer and law enforcement without having a specific type of equipment.”

Anderson said local ordinances cannot override state statutes, including the class specifications and age requirements. He cited an experience where someone sped down the sidewalk on an off-highway motorcycle at 40 miles per hour with a suspended license.

“When I got down to brass tacks, I get to my computer, and I’m scratching my head. I’m like, I have nothing here. I might have disorderly conduct, and that would be relatively wide in scope,” Anderson said.

Woolsey suggested the city focus on regulation of behavior in addition to regulation of the equipment itself, including speeding regulations and implementing limits to where each class can go. The commission tabled the discussion to allow for time to differentiate e-bike classes and determine where they can be used in the city.

The final ordinance amendment was forwarded to council, regulating off-highway motorcycles, ATVs and UTVs.

“While state law governs registration and use on designated routes and trails, the Municipal Code does not currently provide a comprehensive local framework clearly addressing the operation of these vehicles on city-owned streets, sidewalks, trails, parks, and other public property,” city documents state.

According to city documents, the key elements of the ordinance include compliance with state law, establishing enforcement and penalties, designated routes and trails, and the prohibition of operation on city streets, sidewalks, trails and parks except when authorized by state law and by the ordinance.

Wildflower Meadows Development

The commission forwarded a Specific Implementation Plan (SIP) for Wildflower Meadows, a development planned to branch off Powell Avenue near East Woodridge Drive. Senior Planner Harley Mehlhorn presented the SIP, which establishes 45 of the 92 lots (37 single-family homes, eight twin homes).

The property was annexed from the Town of Troy in July, and City Council approved the General Development Plan and Preliminary Plat back in November.

“Annexation is often the first step toward development, because there is less and less open land available inside of the city each year,” Mehlhorn said.

The specific implementation plan deals with the first phase of the development (45 of 92 lots), with Mehlhorn showcasing a variety of home renderings.

Council will take up the item at the Feb. 24 meeting. If approved, development work will start in early spring and home construction in mid to late summer or early fall.

Jerry’s Auto Rezoning

The commission forwarded the rezoning of a portion of Jerry's Automotive on West Summit Street off of North Main Street from Industrial to Highway Commercial. Currently, the piece of the property being rezoned is used for parking and storage, but the business is looking to expand the auto repair facility.

“The intent of the rezoning, which was initiated by the ownership of Jerry’s, is to allow for the expansion of the existing auto service and repair facility to the west, and to unify the zoning of the site, as the intent is to combine the parcels into one via a Certified Survey Map,” Mehlhorn said.

The council will first hear the rezoning at the Feb. 24 meeting, with voting expected March 10.