The City of Statesboro will host a public information meeting on personal mobility devices (PMDs) next Tuesday, Jan. 23. The meeting will take place at 6 p.m. in the Statesboro City Hall council chambers located at 50 E Main Street, Statesboro. The purpose of the meeting will be to review two proposed personal mobility ordinances and to solicit public feedback.
Statesboro’s current laws were written before scooters and other forms of PMDs were popular methods of transit. The two proposed ordinances would adopt unified standards for companies that rent or lease PMDs within the city and clarify how users must operate the PMDs.
The City has contracted Atlanta-based planning consultants TSW to facilitate the meeting and oversee the drafting of the proposed ordinances. TSW previously worked with the City of Statesboro on the creation of its “Unified Development Code,” which was formally adopted by the Statesboro City Council in the fall of 2023.
Some of the proposed regulations for PMD users that will be discussed during the meeting include a maximum operating speed of 15 MPH, an operator age minimum of 15 years old, and a prohibition on passengers. Many of these recommendations are already codified by the state of Georgia, but the City of Statesboro is hoping to formally adopt these regulations and set a clear expectation for the use of the devices within the city limits.
The city is also looking to hold PMD companies responsible who choose to operate in Statesboro. Some of the proposed regulations include an annual fee to operate in the city, a limit on the number of shareable PMDs, and compliance with storage and parking standards.
Members of the public are invited to attend the stakeholder meeting and share their ideas on how the city can responsibly regulate the use of personal mobility devices while also ensuring greater access to affordable and alternative methods of transportation.
