At their monthly meeting Monday, St. Augustine Beach city commissioners discussed an ordinance that would crack down on reckless electric bike riders and advanced another ordinance prohibiting smoking or vaping in public parks.
The new e-bike rules would prohibit riding e-bikes on pathways, courtyards, arcades, promenades, seawalls, and boardwalks. E-bikes are already prohibited on sidewalks.
Children younger than 12 will be barred from operating e-bikes, though they may still ride as passengers if the bike is designed to safely accommodate a passenger. E-bike riders will have to slow to 5 mph in school zones when lights are flashing.
The measure also clarifies that e-bikes are subject to all other traffic and safety laws governing non-electric bikes, including being required to slow down when approaching pedestrians, giving an audible signal before passing and yielding the right-of-way.
First-time violators are subject to fines of $100, with penalties increasing to $150 and $200 for the second and third infractions.
Commissioners made revisions to the language of the proposed ordinance, which means it must undergo another first reading at the next meeting in August before commissioners can vote on final approval in September.
St. Augustine Beach’s push to regulate e-bikes comes after Gov. Ron DeSantis vetoed Senate Bill 382 on June 25, a bill that would have capped e-bike speeds at 10 mph when within 50 feet of pedestrians and created a “Micromobility Device Safety Task Force.” DeSantis argued the speed and distance requirements were difficult to measure and enforce, and worried the bill would create unnecessary government surveillance and fines.
Commissioners also advanced a measure prohibiting vaping and tobacco use in all city parks, beaches and public facilities. Littering cigarette butts is also prohibited.
The ordinance would align St. Augustine Beach with the county, which banned smoking in county parks and beaches in December. In accordance with state statutes, cigars are exempt from the prohibition.
The smoking prohibition was unanimously advanced, and will be on the agenda again at next month’s commission meeting for second reading and final passage.
The commission will hold a special meeting on Monday, July 27, at 5:01 p.m. to set the tentative property tax millage for fiscal year 2027.
