While Oakwood termed them a “public nuisance” in a measure approved last year, Kettering’s administrative staff recommends allowing them “with regulations to reap the benefits of these devices for Kettering residents and visitors while minimizing the risks,” records show.
Last week legislation to extend a one-year ban approved in February 2020 was introduced by Kettering City Council with a vote set to happen later.
Meanwhile, “staff will begin the work to prepare draft regulations for council to review later this summer so that we can allow these devices in the city … with regulations for their use,” Kettering Assistant City Manager Steve Bergstresser said.
Staff recommends limiting the bikes and scooters to either “station-based or lock-to-hub models only and banning dockless models to lessen the greater risks of safety and aesthetic issues associated with those models,” Kettering records show.
Dayton, Athens, Cincinnati, Cleveland and Columbus allow the devices with some regulations.
Area cities with no guidelines regarding them include Beavercreek, Centerville, Springboro and Yellow Springs, according to Kettering documents.
The popularity of the vehicles is growing. In 2018, people took 84 million rides on micromobility devices in the U.S., twice as many as the previous year, according to Kettering.
Meanwhile, there were about 133,000 emergency room visits associated with all micromobility products from 2017 through 2019, records show.
About the Author
