Regulating Electric
Gary Griffitts
Lieutenant, Police Department
06/17/2026
R E C O M M E N D E D A C T I O N
Approve first reading of an ordinance
amending CMC Chapter 10.48
(Bicycles) and Chapter 12.24 (Parks
and Recreation Areas)
02 W H Y N O W
E-bike collisions have climbed from zero
to 25 in five years
0 2 5
1 8
2 5
25 e-bike collisions in 2025 — up from zero
in 2021 , with rising juvenile involvement.
Traditional bicycle collisions stayed
steady over the same period.
03 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025
T H E C U R R E N T C O D E
Chapter 10.48 was not written for e-bikes
✕ No definition of an electric
bicycle or the State's three
classes.
✕ A 1978 registration & licensing
program the City no longer
administers.
✕ No sidewalk safety rules
were written to protect
pedestrians.
✕ No clear rules for bikes
and e-bikes in City parks.
04 F R O M D I R E C T I O N T O O R D I N A N C E
How we got here
COUNCIL DIRECTION
April 15,
2026
Staff presented a
proposed approach.
Council heard public
comment and directed
staff to return with
ordinance language.
INTRODUCTION TONIGHT
June 17, 2026
The proposed ordinance
incorporates the Council's
input, modernizes the
chapter, and ensures
consistency across the
parks chapter.
05 T H E O R D I N A N C E
What the ordinance does
Eight changes across Chapters 10.48 and
12.24, from definitions to enforcement.
06 D E F I N I T I O N S · S E C T I O N 1 0 . 4 8 . 0 1 0 Adopting the State's three-class system
CLASS 1
20 mph
Pedal-assist only. Motor
helps while you pedal.
CLASS 2
20 mph
Throttle-assisted. Motor
can move the bike on its
own.
CLASS 3
28 mph
Pedal-assist, higher
speed. Subject to extra
State rules.
"Bicycle" now follows CVC 231 and "electric bicycle" follows CVC 312.5 — so every rule in the chapter applies to both.
07 M O D E R N I Z I N G T H E C H A P T E R
Repeal obsolete sections, keep relevant
ones
Repeal the 1978 registration & licensing program
License tabs, ownership filings, and dealer records the City no longer administers.
✓ Keep the serial-number rule
Retained as a tool for investigating bicycle theft.
✕ Drop the duplicate equipment section
Lamp and reflector rules for darkness are already
set statewide by CVC 21201.
08 ✕
S I D E W A L K R I D I N G · S E C T I O N 1 0 . 4 8 . 0 5 0 ( P ) Allow bikes on sidewalks, except in business
districts
1 Driveway & intersection conflicts
The most common cause of collisions in
our business corridors.
2 Dense, unpredictable foot traffic
Shoppers, diners, and pedestrians who
can't react quickly.
3 Obstructed sight lines
Doors, signage, and parked cars hide
riders and walkers from each other.
E-bikes magnify every one of
these risks — heavier and faster,
with longer stopping distances and
more severe injuries.
Authority: CVC 21206. A bright-line rule is
clearer to post and enforce than a speed
limit alone — and keeps Corona consistent
with the region.
09 W H E R E R I D I N G I S A L L O W E D · 1 0 . 4 8 . 0 5 0 ( I ) , ( Q ) , ( R ) New safety rules for sidewalks and trails
10 10 mph limit
On any sidewalk or trail, unless
otherwise posted.
→
Ride with traffic
Travel the same direction as the
adjacent roadway when practicable.
♪
Yield & warn
Yield to pedestrians and give an audible
warning before passing.
10 C O N T E X T
In step with the region and the State
Local jurisdictions that restrict sidewalk riding in some fashion:
Riverside County City of
Riverside
Huntington Beach Santa
Ana
Irvine
Newport Beach
Pending State legislation would set a 10 mph sidewalk limit and other e-bike rules. These amendments were drafted to be consistent — so Corona would need little or no revision if those bills pass. 11 Orange
Local jurisdictions that do not restrict sidewalk riding:
Temecula Palm Springs Palm Desert
Anaheim Yorba Linda
C I T Y P A R K S · 1 0 . 4 8 . 0 5 0 ( J ) & C H A P T E R 1 2 . 2 4 Clear rules for bikes and e-bikes in
parks
✕
No riding on play areas
Playgrounds, sports fields, turf, and
landscaped areas are off-limits.
✓
Designated paths only
Ride only on designated walkways and
sidewalks, following Chapter 10.48.
Motorized scooters and go-carts remain
prohibited. Ejection from a park remains
available as a tool.
12 J U V E N I L E R I D E R S · S E C T I O N 1 0 . 4 8 . 0 6 0 Education before enforcement
A minor's first violation can be
resolved with an approved bicycle
safety course instead of a
citation.
It still counts as a first violation, so
penalties escalate if there's a next
time.
Parents stay responsible. A
parent or guardian is jointly liable
for any fine imposed on a minor.
Builds on parental civil liability
already set by Civil Code 1714.1.
13 P E N A L T I E S · C M C 1 . 0 8 . 0 2 5
An escalating penalty structure
$100
First offense
An education option is
available for a minor's first
violation.
$200
Second offense
For a second violation within
one year.
$500
Each additional
For every further violation
within the year.
Already in our code, and consistent with Riverside County Ordinance 995. 14 S E T T I N G E X P E C T A T I O N S
The City cannot generally seize e-bikes
State law preempts a local
seizure power. CVC 22651.08
allows removing only a Class 3 ebike ridden by someone under 16; CVC 21 bars the City from
going further.
The ordinance repeals an old 30-day impoundment provision the City couldn't lawfully use anyway.
What the City keeps: • Removing a Class
3 e-bike from a rider under 16. • Seizing a
bike as evidence in a crime or collision.
Our principal tools instead: the firstviolation education option, escalating penalties, and parental responsibility.
15 T H E R E C O M M E N D A T I O N
That the City Council:
✓ Approve first reading of an ordinance
amending CMC Chapter 10.48
(Bicycles) and Chapter 12.24 (Parks
and Recreation Areas)
16