Title
An Ordinance to Amend Section 10:162 of Chapter 127 of the City Code (Bicyclists - Registration Procedure) (Ordinance No. ORD-10-02)
Memorandum
Attached for your approval is an Ordinance Amendment designed to improve the bicycle registration program. The existing program, created three decades ago, provides a one-time registration process for a bicycle. Once a bike is registered, the record stays on file permanently. The registrant receives a registration sticker and the information from the registration form about the owner and the bicycle is maintained in the City Clerk's Office indefinitely. There is no information provided to the registrant related to the City's bike system elements or proper bicycling techniques.
It is believed that many of the registrations on file relate to bicycles that are no longer in use or located in the City. This is due to the age of the registration(s) and the number of registrations believed related to college students. Student registrations might only be relevant for a period of four or five years while a student resides in the City.
Since the adoption of the Bicycle Registration Ordinance, thousands of bicycles have been registered. City Staff and the Alternative Transportation Committee recommend the process be amended for several reasons. A primary benefit of the proposed amendment is streamlined recordkeeping. Staff and the Alternative Transportation Committee recommend a City of Ann Arbor Bicycle Registration be valid for a period of five years, eliminating the requirement that registration records be maintained indefinitely. With a five-year renewal period, the bicycle registration files will be more directly related to the bicycles being operated in the City.
In addition to the benefits of streamlining the quantity of information maintained in the City Clerk's office, the Alternative Transportation Committee also recommends that any individual registering a bicycle be provided information about bicycling in our community. Registrants will be provided a City of Ann Arbor Bicycle Map and information on how to bicycle safely in the City. It is widely recognized by City Staff, the Alternative Transportation Committee and the bicycling community that public education and information is a fundamental component of a successful bicycling program.
Additionally, Section 10:162(3)(f) requires the fees for registration to be established by City Council resolution. A resolution will be submitted for Council consideration at the time of Second Reading. The intent is to revise the fee to address administrative costs at the time the revised process is placed into effect. At this time, the revised fee is expected to be three dollars for the five-year bicycle registration. The current charge is eight dollars for a permanent license.
Staff
Prepared by: Eli Cooper, Transportation Program Manager, Systems Planning Unit
Reviewed by: Jacqueline Beaudry, City Clerk
Reviewed by: Sue F. McCormick, Public Services Administrator
Approved by: Roger W. Fraser, City Administrator
Body
See Attached Ordinance.