Clermont's proposed ban on e-bikes and scooters on sidewalks, trails and parks west of U.S. 27 was withdrawn Oct. 13 before a vote. Here is what it would have done.

Updated Oct. 17: The city manager withdrew Ordinance 2026-036 at the start of the Oct. 13 City Council meeting, so the council never voted on it and the Oct. 27 final hearing will not go ahead on this version. No reason was given on the record. The ban is not in force; the existing city code and posted signs still apply. Details are in our story on the Oct. 13 meeting. The original story follows.

Clermont would ban e-bikes, electric scooters and similar devices from sidewalks, trails and parks across the northwest part of the city under an ordinance the City Council takes up Tuesday.

The ban covers public property west of U.S. 27 and north of State Road 50. That area takes in downtown Clermont and the Lake Minneola waterfront. Riders could still use the streets.

Ordinance No. 2026-036 is set out in the council’s agenda packet for Oct. 13. Tuesday is the first reading. A legal notice in the same packet sets the public hearing and final vote for 3 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 27, at City Hall. The draft says it takes effect immediately once adopted.

Why the city wants it

The ordinance says the city “has experienced an increase in complaints, crashes, and other public safety concerns involving micro-mobility devices.”

City staff wrote that council members had asked for e-bike rules “specifically on roads, sidewalks, and trails.” Staff said they reviewed similar ordinances in nearby cities before drafting this one. The packet does not include crash or complaint figures.

What the ordinance would do

The draft rewrites two sections of Chapter 26 of the city code, the parks and recreation chapter. As rewritten, they:

  • make it unlawful to ride an e-bike, micro-mobility device or motorized scooter “at any time upon any sidewalk, trail, park, beach, or other public property, other than a street, highway, or roadway,” west of U.S. 27 and north of S.R. 50
  • bar anyone from parking, “staging” or leaving bikes, e-bikes or scooters on a street, sidewalk or right of way in a way that blocks traffic, pedestrians or a parking space
  • let the council close a road to bikes, e-bikes or scooters by resolution
  • widen the definition of a micro-mobility device to cover e-scooters, hoverboards, self-balancing devices, electric skateboards, electric dirt bikes and minibikes, including devices modified past their factory settings

“Staging” in the draft means leaving devices on public property to advertise or rent them.

The ordinance cites the Florida law that lets cities regulate bicycles on their streets and sidewalks. It also cites a 1987 appeals court ruling, McCrimmon v. State, which the city says lets it ban bikes and e-bikes from sidewalks.

Ordinary pedal bicycles are not covered by the area-wide ban. They stay barred only where the code or a posted sign already prohibits them.

Also on Tuesday’s agenda

The council meets at 3 p.m. Tuesday at City Hall, 685 W. Montrose St. The agenda also includes:

  • accepting a federal grant to hire 18 firefighters for a sixth fire station (our full story)
  • a $15.36 million state water loan, half of it forgiven (our full story)
  • sending the draft Clermont 2045 Comprehensive Plan to state agencies for review, the first full rewrite of the plan since 2009, staff said
  • a land-use change and rezoning for 5 vacant acres northeast of Oakley Seaver Drive and Hunt Trace Boulevard, where the applicant proposes a 30,000-square-foot building with three restaurants and four indoor pickleball courts
  • a council member’s request to limit council members to three minutes to ask questions
  • tabling the “dark sky” lighting rules to Nov. 10

What it means for you

If you ride an e-bike or scooter on the waterfront trail, downtown sidewalks or in city parks west of U.S. 27 and north of S.R. 50, nothing changes for now: the ordinance was withdrawn on Oct. 13. If the city brings back a new version, it will appear on a council agenda first.

You can speak at either meeting. Each speaker gets three minutes. You can also read the ordinance at the City Clerk’s Office, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays, or email cityclerk@clermontfl.org.

Our parks and trails guide and walking and biking trails guide list the trails in and around the city. Our who to call at City Hall page has the contacts for each department.