|
Adopted by City Council on September 20, 2004
<br />• AN ORDINANCE AMENDING AND RE -ORDAINING CHAPTERS 15 (MOTOR
<br />VEHICLES AND TRAFFIC) AND CHAPTER 20 (POLICE) OF THE CODE OF THE
<br />CITY OF CHARLOTTESVILLE (1990), AS AMENDED, TO PROVIDE FOR
<br />LICENSING AND REGULATION OF MOPEDS, BICYCLES, MOBILITY DEVICES
<br />AND SIMILAR VEHICLES
<br />WHEREAS, in order to protect the public health, safety, welfare and convenience, and as
<br />authorized by Title 46.2, Chapters 8 and 13 of the Code of Virginia (1950), as amended, this City Council
<br />desires to regulate the operation of mopeds, electric personal -assistive mobility devices, and electric
<br />power -assisted bicycles on City streets; and
<br />WHEREAS, this Council finds and determines that the use of City streets by unlicensed or
<br />unregistered motorcycles is detrimental to the welfare and safety of its citizens, particularly certain
<br />vehicles commonly referred to as `pocket bikes," `pocket rockets," and "mini -motorcycles," i.e., a new
<br />type of motorcycle of peculiarly small dimensions, which if not outfitted with all of the safety equipment
<br />required by state law for motorcycles, and if not operated by a person licensed by state law to operate a
<br />motorcycle, may present an unreasonable risk of harm to the public welfare and safety, and therefore, this
<br />Council desires to exercise the authority conferred by §46.2-916 of the Virginia Code to remove
<br />unregistered or unlicensed motorcycles from the City's roadways;
<br />NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED by the Charlottesville City Council THAT:
<br />• 1. Chapter 15 (Motor Vehicles and Traffic), Article II (Local Vehicle License) of the City Code is
<br />hereby amended and re -ordained, as follows:
<br />Sec. 15-52. License required for mopeds, mobility devices, etc.
<br />a) On or after August 1, 2005, it shall be unlawful for the city -resident owner of anv moped, electric
<br />personal -assistive mobility device, or electric power -assisted bicycle to operate such vehicle or device, or
<br />permit its operation, unless the vehicle or device is currently licensed pursuant to the provisions of this
<br />section. For the purposes of this section the terms moped electric personal assistive mobility device and
<br />electric power -assisted bicycle shall mean and refer to the vehicles defined by those terms within §46.2-
<br />100 of the Virginia Code. Any such vehicles operated or parked on any city street and not displaying a
<br />current, valid license plate, sticker or decal issued by the city shall be rebuttably presumed to be operated
<br />in violation of this section. This licensing reauirement shall not apply to anv vehicles or devices owned
<br />by the cit a�perated by a public safety officer
<br />b) Application for the required license shall be made by the owner to the city treasurer. The application
<br />shall contain information identifying the owner, his City address, and a serial number and description of
<br />the vehicle or device for which a license is sought (including the make and model). Upon receipt of a
<br />proper application, the treasurer shall issue the license and a license plate, sticker or decal to be attached
<br />to the vehicle or device for which the license is issued. The fee for the license required by this section
<br />shall be twenty-five dollars ($25.00). When a license plate, sticker or decal is lost, stolen, mutilated or
<br />otherwise becomes illegible, a duplicate may be furnished by the city treasurer upon payment of two
<br />"dollars ($2.00) to the city treasurer. An owner shall be allowed to purchase only one (1) duplicate at two
<br />dollars ($2.00) per license year; additional duplicates within the same license year must be purchased at
<br />• the fee for a new license.
<br />
|