Residents of Meadowlakes beware. A code enforcement officer may cite parents if youngsters travel around the neighborhoods on a prohibited type of electric bike (e-bike).
"We have received a significant number of reports of minors operating electric mo torcycles on our streets in a reckless manner - running stop signs, per forming stunts, driving on the wrong side of the road, and racing," said Mayor Garret Wood, in his weekly newsletter to residents. "This is both illegal and danger -
ous." The gated commu nity of Meadowlakes, located adjacent to Marble Falls, has about 2,000 residents. Known as a retirement golf course community, the municipality has ex perienced an influx of families with young children in the past sev eral years.
Officials responded with detailed codes ad dressing e-bikes.
"Not all of them are street-legal, and many residents may not be aware of the distinc tion," Wood continued. To be clear, e-motor cycles are prohibited. A simple e-bike has pedals and moves at slower speeds; where - as an e-motorcycle has no pedals and relies on propulsion to charge the electric motor and drives at faster speeds.
"I have directed our patrol officers to en -
E-MOTORBIKES ... Page 5
force these ordinances with significantly greater urgency," Wood stated. "Our streets are active roadways shared by cars, trucks, SUVs, and even eighteen wheelers es pecially considering how many commercial vehi cles are in and out of the city due to the construc tion of our new facilities. "Children are not trained in traffic law, and the consequences of unsupervised vehicle operation in that envi ronment can be tragic," he added. Officials are handling the e-motor -
bike issue similar to how under-aged golf cart op eration is prohibited.
The rules, which assess penalties, are detailed in the city's "Electric Motorcycles & Unlicensed Powered Vehicles - Sec. 28-21, Code of Ordinances." Specifically, 28-21 Section of the Unlicensed Power Vehicles states: It shall be unlawful to operate the following ve - hicles on the streets within the city limits of the city: All-terrain vehicles, as defined in V.T.C.A., Transportation Code § 663.001, except as au thorized by V.T.C.A., Transportation Code § 663.037.
Neighborhood elec tric vehicles, as defined in V.T.C.A., Transpor tation Code § 551.301, except golf carts, as defined in V.T.C.A., Transportation Code § 502.0071.
Motor-assisted scooters, as defined in V.T.C.A., Transportation Code § 551.301, except for those with a maxi mum rated speed of less than 16 miles per hour.
"Please be advised that parents and legal guardians will be held re sponsible for violations committed by minors in their care," Wood stated. The fines are $181 per of fense, subject to increase by the municipal judge for repeat violators.
"The safety of our streets is a matter I take seriously, and it is one that many of you have raised with me directly," Wood stated. "Speeding has long been a con cern in our community, and we have already increased patrol efforts and enforcement against violators. "Keeping Meadow lakes safe for everyone,
whether walking, cy cling, or driving is our obligation to enforce."
