Fort Mitchell's city council was set to hold the first reading Aug. 17, of an ordinance that would ban the fastest e-bikes and electric motor-driven cycles from all city sidewalks, a move with direct implications for pedestrians and cyclists along the Dixie Highway commercial corridor.

The 6:30 p.m. meeting at the Fort Mitchell City Building, 2355 Dixie Highway, put Ordinance 07-ORD-2026-12 before council for the first time. The measure targets Class 3 electric bicycles, those capable of reaching 28 mph, and electric motor-driven cycles including e-dirt bikes and mini motorcycles exceeding 28 mph or 750 watts. If adopted after a required second reading, the ban would cover every sidewalk in the city.

Slower e-bikes would still be allowed. Class 1 and Class 2 models, both capped at 20 mph, could continue using sidewalks but must yield to pedestrians and stay under 15 mph. Riders under 18 would be required to wear helmets, and all e-bikes on sidewalks would need headlamps, a rear red light or reflector, a horn or bell audible from 200 feet and functional brakes.

Mayor Greg Pohlgeers first raised the idea at the June 1 council meeting, citing resident complaints about e-bikes on sidewalks. "The safety of the walker must take precedent over the safety of the e-bike rider," he said at that meeting, according to council minutes.

The push gained urgency after recent incidents. At a Kenton County Mayors Group meeting on Aug. 16, Pohlgeers recounted two collisions involving children on e-bikes in Fort Mitchell, including a child struck in a crosswalk at an expressway entrance the Friday before.

"I think it is better to take a scalpel approach rather than a sledge hammer approach," Pohlgeers told fellow mayors, according to LINK nky. "Right now, we are just banning them from the sidewalks."

The issue resonated across city lines. Villa Hills Mayor Heather Jansen asked Pohlgeers to share the ordinance text with all Kenton County mayors, and Crestview Hills Mayor Paul Meier engaged in the discussion. Pohlgeers agreed to distribute the legislation. Alexandria, Fort Thomas, Florence and Union are also pursuing similar e-bike regulations, according to LINK nky.

Kentucky law does not create a separate classification for e-bikes, treating them the same as traditional bicycles. That limits cities' ability to ban them outright, though local governments can regulate where they operate. Pohlgeers said he plans to lobby in Frankfort next year for state-level regulation.

The ordinance was posted on the city's website on Aug. 14. A second reading is required before final adoption, but that date has not been announced.