Title
Ordinance Regulating Micromobility Services (B)
Ordinance No. 180115
An ordinance of the City of Gainesville, Florida, amending Chapter 26 of the City Code of Ordinances to create Article VII Micromobility Services, to regulate micromobility services within the City of Gainesville, Florida; establishing permit requirements; establishing operational requirements; establishing revocation, appeals and suspension processes; amending Appendix A - Schedule of Fees, Rates and Charges to establish regulatory fees; providing directions to the codifier; providing a severability clause; providing a repealing clause; and providing an effective date.
Explanation
This ordinance passed on first reading on March 5, 2020. However, due to the pandemic, the second reading was cancelled. Due to the length of time that has passed since the first reading, this ordinance has been re-advertised for a first reading on November 19, 2020 and a second reading on December 3, 2020.
Micromobility devices are motorized transportation devices, including electric scooters and motorized bicycles, made available for public use by reservation through an online application for point to point trips. Micromobility services rent micromobility devices on a short term basis. The micromobility services allow users to begin and end trips at any location following local parameters for parking. Mobility is enhanced as the devices can provide "door to door" access and are not limited to docking station locations. Micromobility services can remotely control the speed of the micromobility devices and the locations users can take the devices. At the end of a ride, the user can leave the micromobility device in any authorized location.
The proposed ordinance will regulate micromobility services, but not users. A micromobility service must apply for a permit from both the City and the University of Florida in order to operate within the City. The ordinance limits the number of micromobility services allowed to operate in the City to 3 companies. The initial fleet for each micromobility service will be between 100-200 micromobility devices. The ordinance includes a fee schedule for permitting and a $0.15 per ride fee to cover costs of this new regulatory program. The ordinance requires the micromobility service to provide an education plan to alert users of safe operation and parking requirements, an emergency plan for removal of micromobility devices in anticipation of severe weather, insurance and performance bond, and data sharing requirements. Micromobility devices will only be allowed to operate at speeds of 15 miles per hour or less. Micromobility devices will only be allowed to operate between the hours of 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. The ordinance also provides rules for parking, rebalancing, and removal of micromobility devices. Equity goals will be promoted by requiring 10% of the fleet, or more at the director's discretion, to be placed in a specific zone and requiring micromobility services to have payment/access options for unbanked users.
Fiscal note
Staff will collect and analyze data and report the findings about usage, complaints, and crash reports to the City Commission. Staff will be assigned to enforce the ordinance. The revenue associated with the permitting fees and $0.10 of the $0.15 per ride fee will be allocated to the Department of Mobility to fund regulatory program administration costs and fund a temporary part-time position to assist with enforcement and outreach/education. Five cents ($0.05) of the $0.15 per ride fee will be allocated toward development and implementation of Vision Zero strategies under the Department of Mobility's administration, which will benefit the micromobility regulatory program.
Recommendation
The City Commission adopt the proposed ordinance.