Walton Commissioners Propose E-Bike Age Limits, Helmet Rules at July 28 Hearing
Walton County commissioners took up a proposed e-bike safety ordinance at their July 28 public hearing, laying out age limits, helmet requirements, and operating restrictions that would apply to riders across the county — including Freeport.
The proposed ordinance, discussed at the Board of County Commissioners meeting at the South Walton Annex in Santa Rosa Beach, would set an age minimum of 15 for riders of Class 1 and Class 2 e-bikes and 16 for Class 3 e-bikes, which can reach speeds of 28 mph. Riders would also be required to carry a government-issued photo ID and wear a helmet. The ordinance would prohibit e-bike riders from using sidewalks, a response to long-standing complaints from pedestrians and residents along the Scenic Highway 30A corridor and multi-use trails.
The hearing marks the latest step in a monthslong process that began with a community workshop in June and a public survey in May. Commissioner Donna Johns, whose District 4 covers much of the 30A area where the complaints have concentrated, has been a leading voice for regulation. County Engineer Chance Powell presented the findings from the public workshop and survey, which fed into the draft ordinance language. The commission previously continued the ordinance from July 14, when County Attorney Clay Adkinson requested the hearing be scheduled and advertised for July 28.
For Freeport residents, a county-wide e-bike ordinance would apply on local roads and trails — including the multi-use path circling the Hammock Bay development and along Highway 20 and US 331, where cyclists regularly share pavement with vehicles. Freeport’s own city council has discussed e-bike regulations in parks, but Florida state law limits municipal authority over e-bikes on public roads, making the county-level ordinance the primary mechanism for enforceable rules. The ordinance would also address the enforcement challenge flagged by the Walton County Sheriff’s Office — distinguishing between legal e-bikes and illegal e-motorcycles that have proliferated on area paths.
The commission’s discussion did not immediately conclude with a final vote. The county is also monitoring Senate Bill 382, pending state legislation that could affect how local governments regulate e-bikes. Any adopted ordinance would need to be reconciled with whatever framework the state ultimately passes.
Originally reported by MyPanhandle (WMBB). Additional reporting from Mid Bay News and WJHG Newschannel 7.
Image: MyPanhandle (WMBB)
