The Vienna City Council on Oct. 28 adopted, on second reading, an amended ordinance restricting operation of motorized scooters and certain electric bicycles by people 14 years of age or younger and setting device speed and penalty rules.

The council revised the ordinance on a package of amendments that (1) lowered the covered age from 15 to 14, (2) incorporated a definition of "low‑speed mini scooter" with a maximum speed of 19 miles per hour, (3) aligned the low‑speed threshold with the state's class‑3 e‑bike speed limit, and (4) replaced the prior penalty schedule with a three‑tier system: a written warning with corrective training for a first offense; a fine of $25 to $150 for a second offense; and a fine of $100 to $250 for a third or subsequent offense.

"If you're 15 or under, you can't ride anything that you could sit or stand on," the presiding officer summarized while explaining the ordinance as it appeared in the draft before the council. Councilmember Bill Hopkins, who reviewed the draft amendments for colleagues, said the 19‑mph threshold was selected because manufacturers and state classifications distinguish devices at that speed. Hopkins also explained that "corrective training" would consist of an officer instructing an operator about safe operation and the rules they violated.

Another council member praised the collaborative drafting and said the ordinance "is ultimately about keeping our children safe," noting the measure also presents an opportunity to educate elementary and middle school students about traffic rules and device safety.

Council members adopted the consolidated amendment package by voice vote and then passed the second reading of the ordinance with the amendments; the presiding officer recorded the motion as passing unanimously. The council chair said a clean copy reflecting the amendments would be circulated to members following the meeting.

The ordinance, as amended, applies to motorized devices designed for one person and powered by gas or electricity, and it explicitly incorporates definitions for low‑speed mini scooters and certain classes of electric personal mobility devices. The meeting record shows council members debated definitions, speed thresholds, the age cutoff language and the revised fine schedule before adopting the changes.

No change to state law was proposed; council members referenced the state's class‑3 electric bicycle speed limit of 20 miles per hour when explaining the 19‑mph threshold used in the local definition.

The council's action was the second reading; the ordinance will be reflected in the city's code once the second reading is finalized in the adopted ordinance text and posted as the "clean copy."