San Clemente plans to enforce 10 mph speed limit on beach path, after complaints about reckless driving of electric bikes
SAN CLEMENTE — In response to complaints about riders speeding along the city’s popular beach trail on electric bikes, San Clemente officials are planning to step up enforcement — citing those riding at excessive speeds or otherwise operating their bicycles recklessly.
The City Council on Tuesday, Aug. 21, voted 4-0 in favor of an ordinance that calls for ticketing bicycles ridden in excess of the posted 10 mph speed limit and agreed that all bikes should be prohibited on the beaches during the summer.
Enforcement of the new ordinance will be done by city-hired park monitors, the city’s Marine Safety Department, and Orange County sheriff’s deputies when they are available. Specific fines, and exact summer bike restriction dates, are yet to be determined.
The ordinance is set for final review at the council’s Sept. 4 meeting.
Currently, all bicycles — including electric — are allowed on the trail but are restricted in certain areas at various times of the year. From June 15 until Labor Day, bicycles are prohibited from being on the trail from the pier to Trafalgar Canyon Bridge. From Labor Day to June 14, bicycles can be used everywhere except for the Riviera and Montalvo bridges.
“I’m struggling with this. How do you assess 10 miles per hour in a meaningful way?” said Mayor Tim Brown. “I’d like to see us give folks the ability to cite anyone that is unsafe. The citation has to be meaningful. It has to be something that will hurt a little bit. We should give folks that monitor this discretion. I’m against an all-out prohibition.”
The council decided to allow electric bikes (except “type 3” bikes, which can reach 28 mph) along the 2 1/2-mile beach trail that runs from North Beach to San Clemente State Beach. City officials are following state law enacted in 2016 that made it legal for electric bicycles to be treated the same was as non-electric bicycles. The law made it possible for cities to create their own regulation.
“We’re the only ones with a beach trail,” said Samantha Thomas, the city’s recreation manager. “It’s not a boardwalk like Newport Beach has or even what Laguna Beach has. We’re the only one with a narrow trail directly on the beach.”
Tuesday’s vote follows earlier discussions by the city’s Beaches, Parks and Recreation Commission which in April voted to prohibit electric bicycles unless they were being used to assist someone with a disability. The commission’s review came after complaints from beach trail users who said some electric bike riders were speeding.
Most residents who spoke at Tuesday’s meeting supported greater enforcement of the 10 mph speed limit. Others wanted to see electric bikes prohibited altogether.
“Don’t add more regulations. rather enforce the ones that exist,” said resident Brenda Miller. “I’ve had people tell me they were going to walk Dana Point Harbor because they were treated like slaloms — that’s not acceptable. The beach trail is the only opportunity to have a beautiful, quiet experience. Let’s keep in mind it’s a tremendous resource. Don’t let a few spoil it for everyone.”
Resident C.L. Snider said electric bikes should be disallowed, referring to them as motorized vehicles.
“Two-and-a-half million people use the beach trail a year,” he said. “That means there could be 10 million arms and legs that could be hit. If you enforce the rules and laws, including no motorized vehicles, that would include electric bikes.”
Mike Dollar, a lifelong user of the beach trail, also pushed for enforcement.
“I’m a daily user there, either walking, biking or pushing my grand-kids,” he said. “Let’s enforce the laws and set a speed limit.”