The Paradise Valley Police Department counted 75 reported incidents involving e-bikes and similar motorized devices over the past 24 months. That works out to about 3.1 a month. Police Chief Freeman Carney gave those figures to the Town Council at its Oct. 8 study session. The Council then had to decide whether the Town should write its own e-bike rules. Its two neighbors have already answered that question. Scottsdale and Phoenix both have e-bike age limits in their city codes. Paradise Valley still relies on state law and its police department's outreach. For a family with a teenager who rides, the rule depends on which side of the town line the ride ends.
What 75 incidents look like up close
The staff report prepared for the Oct. 8 meeting by Town Manager Andrew Ching and Chief Carney breaks the two-year total down. Officers contacted riders in 36 of the 75 incidents, a little under half. Over the same period they issued 11 citations or warnings and towed three e-bikes. One reported collision involved a juvenile.
Those numbers show a department that mostly talks to riders. Over two years, officers contacted riders 36 times and issued 11 citations or warnings in total. The report calls the Town's current method a mix of "enforcement of existing laws, education and community outreach, officer contacts, and proactive monitoring." Citizen Portal's summary of the meeting adds detail. The chief described school presentations, social-media safety videos and direct contact with parents, with enforcement used selectively when a violation can be identified.
The staff report opens on a positive note about the devices. It says e-bikes give the community "valuable transportation and recreational options," especially for young people and families, and offer "an alternative to spending time on electronic devices." Young residents also had a part in the meeting. Before Oct. 8, the Paradise Valley Independent reported that Mayor's Youth Advisory Council members Oliver Wurth and Binay Singh were preparing a presentation for the Town Council. Vice Mayor Christine Labelle said the students would give a youth perspective on how young people use e-bikes in town and the effect they have had.
The state rulebook leaves room for towns to add their own
All three jurisdictions start from the same state law. A.R.S. § 28-101 defines an electric bicycle as one with fully operable pedals and an electric motor under 750 watts. It sorts them into three classes:
- Class 1: the motor assists only while the rider pedals and cuts off at 20 mph.
- Class 2: the motor can move the bike without pedaling, up to 20 mph.
- Class 3: the motor assists only while the rider pedals and cuts off at 28 mph.
The same statute says a motor-driven cycle is a motorcycle of five horsepower or less, and it excludes electric bicycles from that category. That boundary was part of the chief's briefing, since the agenda item covered how e-bikes differ from electric motorcycles.
The more important provision for Paradise Valley is A.R.S. § 28-819. It gives e-bike riders the same rights and duties as bicycle riders. It also exempts e-bikes from title, registration, vehicle license tax, driver license and insurance requirements. E-bikes follow the same state traffic rules as bicycles "except as otherwise regulated by a local authority." State law sets the minimum and leaves cities and towns free to add rules on top of it. Scottsdale and Phoenix have done so.
Two neighbors, two different ordinances
| Paradise Valley | Scottsdale | Phoenix | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local e-bike age rule | None adopted | Under 16 may not operate Class 3 e-bikes or similar devices capable of 21 mph or more on city property | 16 years old minimum |
| Sidewalk rule | None adopted | Not part of Ordinance No. 4680 | E-bikes prohibited on sidewalks |
| Where it is written | State law and police outreach | Ordinance No. 4680, adopted July 1, 2025 | Phoenix City Code 36-504 and 36-510 |
| Penalty floor | Not applicable | $100 minimum | Not specified on the city's guidance page |
Scottsdale's rule targets speed. Ordinance No. 4680 bars riders under 16 from Class 3 e-bikes and similar devices that can reach 21 mph. The ban covers city property, which the city defines broadly: public streets, sidewalks, multi-use paths, city parks, Scottsdale Civic Center and the McDowell Sonoran Preserve. The ordinance also bars electric motorcycles that are not titled and registered with the state from city roadways. Shops that sell Class 3 e-bikes or electric motorcycles must post a notice about these rules, and shops selling Class 3 bikes must attach a permanent Class 3 label before sale. Each violation carries a minimum fine of $100. Scottsdale's rule says nothing about Class 1 or Class 2 bikes.
Phoenix applies its rule more broadly. The Phoenix Police Department's e-bike page sets a minimum riding age of 16 under City Code 36-510. It also bans e-bikes from sidewalks under City Code 36-504. The page applies the age rule to electric bicycles in general, without limiting it to one class.
Take a 14-year-old on a Class 2 bike. Phoenix's code sets 16 as the minimum age, so that ride breaks Phoenix's rule. Scottsdale's ordinance applies only to Class 3 bikes and devices capable of 21 mph or more, so it does not reach this rider. Paradise Valley has no local age or helmet rule; its staff report lists those only as options to explore. Move the same rider onto a Class 3 bike and Scottsdale's rule applies too, while Paradise Valley still has no local rule.
What the Council was asked, and what the record shows
The staff report did not recommend an ordinance. It asked the Council to "receive the presentation and provide direction to staff" on whether to keep the current approach or explore local regulations. The presentation's last slide set out the two choices:
Continue current approach: enforce existing laws, continue community education, monitor trends and data, no local ordinance changes. Explore local regulations: age restrictions, helmet requirements, prohibited riding areas.
The second option borrows parts of both neighbors' rules. It includes an age line like Scottsdale's and Phoenix's, plus restricted riding areas, which could resemble Phoenix's sidewalk ban. It also adds helmets, which neither neighbor's rule covers.
Accounts of the Council's response differ. Citizen Portal reported that council members asked staff to look into age limits, helmet rules and sidewalk speed limits suited to the town. The Town's own action summary records the item, "Discussion of E-Bike Education and Enforcement," as "Received and Filed." It lists no direction to staff and no follow-up. That fits how study sessions work. The Oct. 8 agenda says study sessions take no vote or final action, but the Council may give staff direction or ask for an item to come back later.
As of this week, then, no local e-bike rule has been adopted or scheduled. Council members raised interest in age, helmet and sidewalk limits, according to one published account. The official record shows only that the briefing was received. The Town's calendar lists the next Council meeting on Oct. 22, and no published Town document puts e-bikes on a future agenda.
Why the town line matters
A rider on a Class 3 bike may be legal on a Paradise Valley street and in violation a few minutes later on a Scottsdale path or in a city park. The difference is Scottsdale's speed-based age rule, which Paradise Valley does not have. Phoenix's sidewalk ban means the same rider could also be breaking a rule there that does not exist in Paradise Valley. The 75 incidents happened in Paradise Valley, where only state law and the police department's education program apply. Any change would mean the Council adding local rules, which state law allows and both neighbors have already done.
Anyone who wants to follow the issue can watch the Town's Legistar calendar. Any return of the e-bike item would be posted there, along with the staff report and slides. This post is general information drawn from public records, not legal advice. Families should confirm how state law and any city ordinance apply to a particular rider and route with the relevant city or an attorney.
At Artie Baxter, we track Town Council agendas as closely as we track listings, because decisions like this one shape daily life in Paradise Valley. If you would like a short summary when the e-bike item comes back before the Council, book an appointment and we will make sure you get it.
