An initial attempt to “soften” speed and location regulations aimed at drawing electric scooter companies that have left town back, was defeated by a 5-3 City Council vote on Jan. 22.
Council members particularly balked at a proposal that would allow scooters to travel 15 mph rather than 5 mph on sidewalks. The City Council however didn’t close the door on the issue, asking that proposed softening amendments be re-evaluated by the City and stakeholders.
At issue on Jan. 22 was the introduction of an ordinance amending Chapter 8, Article 3, Division 3 of the San Diego Municipal Code relating to shared mobility devices, which include electric scooters and e-bikes. After lengthy public testimony and debate among council members, a motion was made and passed by the council board to request the City Attorney’s Office and Sustainability and Mobility Department to work with the office of Council District 6 to review any additional changes, and to bring those re-evaluated changes back to City Council at a future date.
City staff told council members that “providing a broad portfolio of micro-mobility options is critical to building livable communities, achieving the City’s climate action goals (establishing a community-wide goal of net zero carbon emissions by 2035) and to provide options, both for San Diegans and visitors, to avoid (car) driving.”
One of the stated goals by the City in encouraging the use of electric scooters as alternatives to cars is to assist commuters in getting to and from the last mile of their destinations.
That contention was disputed by Larry Webb representing the Coastal Coalition and Mission Beach Town Council, who testified: “We are strongly opposed to the proposed amendment to the shared mobility device program. Historically, operators cluster the vast majority of devices (scooters) in Council Districts 1, 2, and 3 where ‘recreational’ use of the devices is heaviest. There is very little first- and last-mile use. Coastal communities know through lived experience, that most of the (scooter) trips in the coastal zone were recreational use in nature, and did not save any vehicle trips.”
“Safety must come first,” noted District 1 Councilmember Joe LaCava representing La Jolla and Pacific Beach. He pointed out, following the Jan. 22 council meeting on scooters that “the cost of scooters has come down so much that people are buying rather than renting them,” thus decreasing their demand in the City’s mobility mix.
“People on scooters speeding down sidewalks cause fear, injury, and death,” said District 3 Councilmember Stephen Whitburn. “More scooters, able to go 15 mph on the sidewalk is more dangerous than fewer scooters limited to 3 mph on the sidewalk. I’m not opposed to scooters per se. But I can’t support today’s proposal that would reduce safety and increase noise.”
“One of the reasons we learn history is so that we can try and not repeat the mistakes of the past,” said District 2 Councilmember Jennifer Campbell representing Mission Beach and the Peninsula. “These devices (scooters and e-bikes) were running rampant in tourist areas, on boardwalks, streets, sidewalks, etc. Now it has been proposed to again help these (scooter) companies out, and bring scooters back under the guise of decreased (carbon) emissions. This has been tried and has not worked. The chief job of government is to protect the health and safety of the citizens. I will continue to learn from history and vote against this proposal as it is bad for the City.”
