Upper Arlington's City Council passed an ordinance requiring unlicensed e-bike, scooter and skateboard riders to register with police or face impoundment.

The new rules take effect Nov. 4, NBC4 first reported. Riders who do not hold a valid driver's license must complete a free safety course through the Upper Arlington Police Division and obtain a registration sticker before riding on city property. The city can immobilize or impound any device used in violation, and owners face a $150 fee to get it back.

The ordinance grew out of rising police calls involving motorized micro-mobility devices, especially among juvenile riders, according to the city. More than 90% of respondents to a city survey called the devices a moderate or significant public safety concern.

The city flagged the issue on June 11, when it posted on X that electric dirt bikes had become more common and were not legal on Upper Arlington roads, sidewalks or bike paths.

The proposal had been in the works since at least May, when the city announced a registration and safety program. Under that May proposal, licensed drivers would register with an affidavit. Unlicensed operators, including many minors, would attend a free safety class run by the police division in cooperation with the Parks and Recreation Department, Upper Arlington City Schools and the Upper Arlington Public Library. Parents of riders under 18 would acknowledge financial responsibility for fines.

Not everyone is on board.

John Robinson, owner of Johnny Velo Bikes and executive secretary of the National Bicycle Dealers Association, said Upper Arlington did not consult his organization or other cycling groups before passing the ordinance. He said he worries riders will spend their time and money in other communities.

"Upper Arlington has made riding an e-bike in their city a potential crime," Robinson said.

Steve Magas, a Cincinnati attorney who has represented cyclists for more than 40 years, said the ordinance's language may miss its target. Writing on X on Thursday, Oct. 8, Magas said the law references "motorized bicycles," a term that under Ohio law applies to mopeds already subject to state registration and licensing.

Under Ohio Revised Code 4511.522, e-bikes fall into three classes. None require a state license or registration. Class 1 and Class 2 bikes top out at 20 mph. Class 3 bikes reach 28 mph and require a helmet and a minimum rider age of 16. Electric dirt bikes are already banned from public property in Upper Arlington.

The city has not announced when safety courses will begin, whether a grace period will precede enforcement, or how residents can weigh in before the Nov. 4 effective date.