Winter Garden considers ordinance establishing e-bikes rules

Winter Garden is hoping to make the city safer with a new ordinance regarding electric bikes, motorized scooters and wheeled devices on the city’s streets, trails and sidewalks.

The Winter Garden City Commission unanimously approved Thursday, Dec. 11, the first reading of an ordinance regulating e-bikes, motorized scooters and wheeled devices. 

Kelly Carson, the planning director for the city, said the “growing popularity of e-bikes and motorized scooters has brought with it a slew of new safety concerns.”

“We’re seeing more riders, often minors, using these devices at high speeds on roadways, sidewalks and trails, including along the West Orange Trail,” she said. “These behaviors are creating situations that put both riders and other road and trail users at risk.”

She said the proposed ordinance is to establish a clear and comprehensive set of rules for the use of these devices. 

“Our goal is straightforward: to enhance public safety, reduce conflicts and to help prevent the kinds of serious or potentially fatal injuries that these unsafe practices can unfortunately lead to,” Carson said. 

Bicycles are allowed on roadways and sidewalks more than 8 feet wide in commercial areas, trails and other city-owned property, which is property owned, managed, maintained or regulated by the city.  

Class one and class two e-bikes also are allowed on roadways and sidewalks more than 8 feet wide in commercial areas, trails and other city-owned property but can’t exceed 10 mph on a sidewalk or off-road trail, including the West Orange Trail. Class one e-bikes have pedal-assist with a max assistance of up to 20 mph. Class two e-bikes have a max assistance of up to 20 mph but a pedal isn’t needed to reach that speed; it’ll throttle to the speed. 

Class three e-bikes, which are pedal-assist bikes with a max assistance of up to 28 mph, are allowed in the same areas as class one and two but not on the West Orange Trail. 

Motorized scooters are not allowed on the West Orange Trail, on roadways with speed limits 35 mph or higher, sidewalks less than 8 feet wide and in parks unless signage permits. 

If approved, the ordinance would require the minimum operator age of e-bikes be 15 years old. Helmets also would be required for any riders or passengers under 16 years old. E-bike lights will be required at night. Riders can go a maximum of 10 mph on sidewalks and off-road bike paths, including the West Orange Trail. Riders also must carry a government issued ID. 

The new ordinance also would allow the city to fine anyone who does not adhere to the regulations. Infractions would be considered a class two violation, which would result in a $100 fine, and that fine would potentially grow if there are repeat offenders. Parents of any minors who are given the fine would be responsible for the payment. 

The Winter Garden Police Department would enforce the ordinance. 

“The goals of this ordinance really are to promote the safe use of these vehicles in the city,” Carson said. “We just want to make sure that everyone is safe when they’re on the roads and the trails. We want to protect pedestrians, businesses, restaurants and residents throughout the city. We also want to align our regulations with state statutes while also addressing the city’s specific needs in regard to e-bike safety.”

Mayor John Rees said he’s witnessed people riding on e-bikes dangerously, going between 40 and 50 mph. 

“I’m going to tell you what the one that I saw, there’s no way he was even 10 years old weaving in and out of traffic on that one road,” he said. “That’s the issue where it needs to be regulated. It doesn’t need to be treated as bicycles. They need to be treated as motorcycles once they reach a certain speed, and the parents are responsible.”

Winter Garden resident Bill Baker said the ordinance is necessary. He’s seen several people riding e-bikes in the heavily trafficked streets around his home. 

“The other day, we saw one and a car had stopped on Smith (Street) and Highland (Avenue), and this kid actually blew around the car at the stop sign and through the stop sign without knowing if there was traffic or not,” he said. “A lot of them are wearing hoodies so they can’t see traffic. A lot of them have headphones on so they can’t hear traffic.”

City Manager Jon C. Williams said discussions surrounding e-bikes probably will be a priority coming out of the state legislative session, but the city felt it needed to bring the ordinance forward to put something in code to allow some enforcement. 

“We may bring this back at the end of the session and modify it to whatever ultimately comes out of the state legislative session,” he said. 

The second reading of the ordinance will be held at the Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026, meeting. 

Changes coming to Zanders Park — again

The Winter Garden City Commission dispensed as the commission and reconvened as the Community Redevelopment Agency, which unanimously approved a revised proposal and change in scope to converting basketball courts to pickleball courts. 

At the Oct. 23 meeting, the CRA approved the Zanders Park improvement project targeting the resurfacing of an existing western basketball court and the conversion of the other eastern basketball court, formerly an old tennis court, into four pickleball courts with a north-south orientation from a door-to-door survey conducted by One Winter Garden. 

Marc Hutchinson, the economic development director for the city, said One Winter Garden’s survey showed 73% of the neighborhood household respondents, or 56 households, were in favor of adding the pickleball amenity. 

Since the project was approved, Hutchinson said construction began Nov. 11, but several active court users approached members of One Winter Garden, including Commissioner Chloe Johnson, requesting to preserve the eastern basketball courts slated for the pickleball conversion. 

The request requires a switch in the basketball court designated for resurfacing and a switch in the basketball court designated for pickleball conversion with a change in the project scope.

Already completed work now will need to be undone, including removal and repair of the installed perimeter fence, installation of two brand new basketball hoops for the eastern court, — which were previously removed and disposed of — other changes related to the switch in the courts for pickleball conversion from the larger court to the smaller resulting into three pickleball courts instead of four. The pickleball courts now will have an east-west orientation. 

Hutchinson said the revised cost of the proposal is $79,954 instead of the original $50,248, an increase of $29,706. 

CRA member Larry Cappleman said the CRA had lively discussion that resulted in one dissenting vote for the proposal. 

Rees questioned the credibility of the survey as the city had to consider making changes after already approving work on the project in October based on the survey. 

Johnson said people were in favor of pickleball, but they didn’t want the pickleball court to go on the basketball court they use. 

Design modifications for Fire Station 21 approved

The commission unanimously approved a change order request for design modifications for Fire Station 21 in the amount of $250,000. 

Winter Garden Fire Chief Jose Gainza said the two design modifications to the new fire station will improve station safety, durability and operational effectiveness. 

The first change relates to the roof. Instead of asphalt shingles, the roof will be metal deck. 

“This upgrade provides greater structural durability, improves long term performance, reduces maintenance and stronger wind resistance, critical for a public safety facility,” Gainza said. 

The second change is to adjust the interior floor plan, which will improve and significantly strengthen station security by limiting the control access to the interior areas, Gainza said. 

All costs for the modifications will be funded through fire impact fees with no impact to the city’s General Fund. 

The anticipated budget is $250,000, but Gainza said the intent is not to use all of the budgeted amount.