ST. AUGUSTINE BEACH, Fla. – Electric scooters could be coming to the streets and sidewalks of St. Augustine Beach.
It's a growing trend that was made legal earlier this year when Gov. DeSantis signed a bill allowing e-scooters to ride on city streets and bike lanes. Until now, scooters were limited to sidewalks and couldn't go faster than 15 miles per hour.
Commissioners heard from two companies -- FROG Scooter Company of St Augustine and eWhipz during Monday night's meeting. Commissioners also considered a draft ordinance that would regulate e-scooters within city limits.
Some suggested guidelines include:
- Limiting speed to 15 miles per hour or lower
- Required insurance
- Scooters could not be left in roads, sidewalks or parking lots unless docked at a bicycle stand
- Limiting how many rentals are available
While e-Scooters could give visitors a different way to get around the area, without putting more cars on the road, some are worried they are not safe and could crowd bike lanes and sidewalks
During public comment Monday, two residents spoke out against the plans and expressed safety concerns of the devices and the impact they would have on a person's weight and overall health.
The Commission also considered implementing a pilot program modeled after other cities to determine what will work best for the City of St. Augustine Beach. Commissioners did not vote on the ordinance but are planning to discuss it further at the November 4th Commission Meeting.