Folsom residents who ride e-bikes in city parks will face fines up to $500 and new speed limits under an ordinance the City Council advanced Tuesday, Oct. 27, on a 4-1 vote.

As we reported Oct. 28, the council approved the first reading of Ordinance No. 1380, which would repeal and reenact Chapter 10.40 of the Folsom Municipal Code. The measure still needs a second reading and final adoption, expected in roughly two weeks, according to Folsom Times.

The ordinance sets fines of $100 for a first offense, $250 for a second within one year and $500 for each additional violation in that period. The Parks and Recreation Commission had recommended steeper penalties, but the council advanced the structure developed during earlier discussions.

E-bikes would be capped at 15 mph on Class I bicycle paths and 10 mph on paved walkways inside parks. The 15 mph limit would also apply to conventional bicycles, electric scooters and other covered devices on Class I paths. Riding on playgrounds, athletic fields, sports courts and unpaved areas would be prohibited.

Two parks singled out

City staff identified Economy Family Park and Prospector Park as the first candidates for outright e-bike bans, citing the highest volume of complaints and calls for service. The ordinance gives Parks and Recreation Director Kelly Gonzalez authority to close individual parks or trails to e-bikes on a case-by-case basis without requiring a code amendment each time. Signs would be required before enforcement begins.

Gonzalez told the council she would meet monthly with police and evaluate complaints, and had committed to attending an upcoming Folsom Athletic Association meeting.

Parents on the hook

Parents and legal guardians of riders under 18 could face financial responsibility for their children's violations. Penalties could be assessed against both the minor and the parent or guardian. The ordinance draws a line between administrative fines and criminal liability: parents would not face criminal charges simply because their child received an infraction.

Speakers describe escalating conflicts

Bryan Greenwalt, speaking for the Folsom Athletic Association, a coalition of 19 sports leagues, two booster clubs and two adult teams, said groups of teens on e-bikes have damaged turf, harassed players and used threatening language at Economy Park.

Dr. Del Cotton, an emergency physician at a Sacramento trauma center and a 10-year Folsom resident, urged the council to treat e-bikes more like motor vehicles. He described treating a 10-year-old who he said arrived at his emergency room with no brain activity following an e-scooter crash.

Iain Fraser, director of coaching for Folsom Lake Surf, said he is at Economy Park three to four times a week and has called police repeatedly about confrontations involving groups of riders.

Greg Weiss, who lives near Economy Park, offered a different take. "Unfortunately, the problem isn't the bikes, it's the kids who are operating them," Weiss said.

Lone dissent

Councilmember Barbara Leary cast the only no vote.

She sought a substitute motion requiring a defined process for residents to petition for park bans in their neighborhoods, but it died for lack of a second.

Mayor Justin Raithel said the ordinance gives police new enforcement tools rather than banning e-bikes everywhere, and preserves flexibility to close additional parks later.

Commander Andrew Bates of the Folsom Police Department, who presented the ordinance alongside the Parks Department, described targeted enforcement using motor officers, unmarked cars and drones. "The word gets out and riders are talking to each other," Bates said.

The ordinance also bans stunt riding, requires riders to yield to pedestrians and prohibits handheld device use while riding. Electric wheelchairs and mobility scooters are exempt.

If adopted at the second reading, the ordinance would take effect 30 days later. Council members indicated they expect to potentially revisit the rollout in three to six months.