Updates on e-bikes, new fire station, and pedestrian bridge

Greetings, I wanted to give an update on a few things that are happening at the City. 

First, we had our first reading of our pending e-bike ordinance last week. That ordinance does a few things. 1) It clarifies the difference between a moped, an e-moto, and an e-bike.  2) It makes it illegal to modify the vehicle. 3) It makes it illegal to operate e-bikes or mopeds on sidewalks and shared use paths. 4) It makes it illegal to operate an e-bike without a helmet. 5) It makes it illegal to operate an e-bike recklessly. 5) It increases the fine for violation up to $500. 

Based on my observations and discussions with members of our community, many of the e-bikes we are hearing complaints about are not actually e-bikes. They are mopeds or e-motos according to state law. Please note, the operators of these vehicles are required to have a license and registration. Also, note that doing wheelies on an e-bike, e-moped, or e-moto falls within the definition of reckless operation. I have had discussions with the police department, and they have increased enforcement of existing laws and will be enforcing the new ordinance when it takes effect in a few weeks. 

Also, we are in the process of acquiring five (+/-) acres of property at the corner of Clements Ferry Road and Beresford Run for a replacement of Fire Station #20. In addition, we are in the process of acquiring 34 (+/-) acres of property adjacent to the Mikasa factory for a future police station, fire station, and public works facility. These facilities will help to improve public safety as well as position our public works resources more closely to the growing Clement’s Ferry Road corridor. These parcels are zoned light and heavy industrial which allows for more intense uses, so this is a two-fold benefit; we are improving public safety and public works service and preventing more intense development on these parcels. 

Lastly, you may have seen some of the construction on the Nowell Creek pedestrian bridge. The embankments have now been built and currently the engineers are waiting on the proper amount of settlement to occur in the soil to make it structurally sound. Construction of the sidewalks and crosswalks will be starting soon as well as some of the piles for the bridge. After the proper amount of settlement occurs, construction will proceed on the pedestrian bridge connecting the two embankments and then the remainderof the trail connecting the Beresford Creek Bridge and the Shell Ring neighborhood will be completed. 

As always, if you have any concerns or questions, please email me at greggb@charleston-sc.gov. 

Thank you, 

Boyd 

Boyd Gregg is a Charleston City councilmember representing District 1, which covers most of Daniel Island, Clements Ferry Road, and the Point Hope communities.