(A) Electric skateboard users. In addition to the restrictions on parking and operation of electric skateboards found in the Michigan Motor Vehicle Code and the Uniform Traffic Code, electric skateboard users are subject to the following restrictions:
(1) Electric skateboards shall be parked upright on hard surfaces on the sidewalk but only if at least five linear feet of unobstructed sidewalk is preserved for safe pedestrian travel and where designated, if at all, by the city manager through an administrative order.
(2) Electric skateboards may not park in such a manner that impedes or interferes with access to or use of: sidewalks, crosswalks, or sidewalk ramps; bus stops, shelters, or waiting areas; loading zones or handicapped parking spaces; fire hydrants; benches; parking meters or pay stations; commercial window displays; access to or from any buildings; any bicycle racks; and streets, driveways or alleys.
(3) Electric skateboards may not be parked in street metered vehicular parking spaces or vehicular spaces within city parking garages and surface lots.
(4) Electric skateboards may be parked on streets without sidewalks only if the roadway travel lanes and bike lanes are not impeded.
(5) While on sidewalks within the city, electric skateboards shall be driven at no more than ten miles per hour.
(6) Electric skateboards are to stay to the right of street lanes and to offer the right-of-way to bicycles on bike lanes and bike paths.
(7) An electric skateboard being operated between one-half hour after sunset and one-half hour before sunrise shall be equipped with and have in operation a lamp on the front that emits a white light visible from a distance of at least 500 feet to the front and with a red reflector on the rear that shall be visible from all distances from 100 feet to 600 feet to the rear when directly in front of lawful lower beams of head lamps on a motor vehicle. A lamp emitting a red light visible from a distance of 500 feet to the rear may be used in addition to the red reflector.
(8) No person may consume, or possess in a container which is open, uncapped or upon which the seal was broken, any beer, wine, spirits, or a mixed spirits drink (collectively "alcoholic beverage") while riding an electric skateboard.
(B) Electric skateboard companies.
(1) Electric skateboard companies shall only permit it to be so driven or operated if the device is in compliance with all of the requirements of this chapter.
(2) Electric skateboard companies shall provide easily visible contact information on each electric skateboard, including: a logo or other branding; a unique identification number that is visible while the electric skateboard is parked upright; and contact information for the company that is visible while the electric skateboard is parked upright, including telephone number, email address, and website.
(3) Electric skateboard companies shall maintain a 24-hour customer service phone number for customers and members of the public to report safety concerns, complaints, or to ask questions.
(4) Within two hours of receiving notice, electric skateboard companies shall respond to requests from any person or entity for rebalancing, reports of incorrectly parked electric skateboards, or reports of unsafe/inoperable electric skateboards, damaged, in low battery state or when blocking the public right-of-way by relocating, reparking, or removing the electric skateboard, as appropriate. Electric skateboard companies shall respond to reports from any person or entity of safety or maintenance issues with a specific device, by remotely making that electric skateboard unavailable to users in addition to removing the electric skateboard as required in this section.
(5) Electric skateboard companies shall ensure that any inoperable or unsafe device shall be repaired before it is put back into service.
(6) Electric skateboard companies shall provide education to shared electric scooter riders on the city's existing rules and regulations, safe and courteous riding, and proper parking.
(7) Electric skateboard companies shall ensure each electric scooter must be equipped with the following in working condition: a proper braking system, a speedometer, a lamp on the front that emits a white light visible from a distance of at least 500 feet to the front and with a red reflector on the rear that shall be visible from all distances from 100 feet to 600 feet to the rear when directly in front of lawful lower beams of head lamps on a motor vehicle (a lamp emitting a red light visible from a distance of 500 feet to the rear may be used in addition to the red reflector), and any other equipment required to comply with all applicable federal and state laws.
(8) Electric skateboard companies shall ensure that the use policy includes clear prohibition on more than one person riding on an electric skateboard at a time.
(9) Electric skateboard companies shall indemnify, defend, and hold harmless the city against any and all liability, actions, or claims resulting from the conduct or operations related to electric skateboards by any person or entity.
(10) Electric skateboard companies shall maintain insurance providing liability coverage in an amount not less than $500,000 per incident and $1,000,000 aggregate;
(11) Electric skateboard companies shall deploy electric skateboards only in areas so designated by the city.
(12) Electric skateboard companies shall, at least once every 24 hours, reset all electric skateboards owned or operated by it in an upright, neatly lined up position in areas designated by the Public Safety Director (or their designee) and in a manner that does not interfere with pedestrian and vehicular travel. An electric skateboard company shall, upon request by the Public Safety Director (or their designee) in his or her sole determination that the operation of electric scooters owned or operated by the company has become a nuisance or hazard to the public, remove all electric scooters from the public rights-of-way until such time as the company prepares a written plan satisfactory to the Public Safety Director (or their designee) that addresses the conditions causing the nuisance or hazard.
(13) Electric skateboard companies shall remove all electric skateboards from the public rights-of-way within the city when snow/ice or other weather conditions require removal for purposes reasonably related to city operations such as plowing and maintenance of streets and sidewalks and access to public facilities, as determined by the city manager.
(14) The city reserves the right to restrict the number of electric skateboards deployed in the city by any licensee.
(Ord. 1085, passed 10-10-22; Am. Ord. 1086, passed 2-13-23)