TITLE:
title
RESPONSES TO ORANGE COUNTY GRAND JURY REPORT - E-BIKES FRIEND OR FOE
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DEPARTMENT: PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT /TRANSPORTATION SERVICES DIVISION
PRESENTED BY: RAJA SETHURAMAN, PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR
CONTACT INFORMATION: BRETT ATENCIO THOMAS, ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION COORDINATOR, (714) 754-5343
RECOMMENDATION:
recommendation
Staff recommends the City Council approve the draft responses to Findings 1-3 and Recommendations 1-3 in the Orange County Grand Jury (OCGJ) Report titled "E-Bikes Friend or Foe."
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BACKGROUND:
On June 13, 2024, the City received a copy of the 2023-2024 OC Grand Jury Report titled "E-Bikes Friend or Foe" (Attachment 1). As the use of electric bicycles (e-bikes) has increased throughout the county, the report provides an investigation and analysis into e-bike regulation, education, and safety, focused on what pertinent regulations, if any, have been adopted by Orange County cities. The report seeks to press Orange County cities to actively seek common-sense rules for e-bikes to ensure their safe operation among conventional bicycles, pedestrians, and motor vehicles.
The OCGJ investigation and analysis included interviews and surveys of major retail bike shops, the Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA), the Orange County Sheriff's Department, and several cities throughout the county including Costa Mesa. Through the interviews and surveys, the OCGJ report found that there is a wide variation of rules on e-bikes and limited information regarding reporting of e-bike incidents, injuries, and basic rules of the road for e-bikes.
Following the investigation and analysis, the OCGJ arrived at three (3) principal findings, and three (3) principal recommendations. In accordance with California Penal Code Sections 933 and 933.05 (Attachment 2), the 2023-2024 OC Grand Jury requires responses to the three (3) Findings and three (3) Recommendations outlined in the report by September 19, 2024 (90 days after the OCGJ Report's pu...
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