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Tag: bike share

Mobility program dropped in favor of ban

Bike share regulations on hold

Written by SUN contributor on . Posted in Community News, Holmes Beach.

HOLMES BEACH – Commissioners are moving forward with a moratorium blocking bike and scooter share companies from setting up shop in the city but are waiting to tackle any regulations until January.

During the Dec. 11 regular commission meeting, Commissioners Jim Kihm, Rick Hurst and Kim Rash voted unanimously to approve the second reading of a six-month moratorium banning bicycle and scooter share services, whether they have a dock or not, from opening in the city. The moratorium continues through June 30 or when commissioners decide on regulations, if any, for the businesses, whichever comes first. If no agreement on regulations is reached, commissioners have the option to vote to extend the moratorium.

With Commissioners Pat Morton and Carol Soustek absent from the meeting and following work session, Hurst suggested postponing discussions about regulations until a future work session when the two can be present, particularly Morton who is an avid cyclist.

Commissioner Rash said that while he’s willing to discuss regulations, currently he doesn’t feel that unmanned bicycle rental stations are truly needed in the city with the amount of existing bicycle rental businesses.

Mayor Judy Titsworth said she understands Rash’s perspective, but that the bicycle share services would offer short-term rentals rather than the daily or weekly rentals offered by companies in Holmes Beach.

The moratorium does not impact existing bicycle or scooter rental services already established in the city.

When commissioners do discuss regulations, City Attorney Patricia Petruff said they should consider whether they want the services in the city at all, if the bicycles need to be docked or not, how many bicycles a company is allowed to place in Holmes Beach at one time, what the effects on parking may be and whether the bicycles can be placed for rent on private or public property.

Commissioners next meet Jan. 8 with a work session to follow the regular meeting.

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Bike share service proposed in Bradenton Beach

Locals present bike share option to city commissioners

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Bradenton Beach bike share

Bike share service proposed in Bradenton Beach

Written by Joe Hendricks on . Posted in Bradenton Beach, Community News.

BRADENTON BEACH – Mobile Muttley’s owners Thomas Pechous and Tracy Thrall presented their proposed bike share service to city commissioners last week.

While no commission action was required, the commission expressed tentative support for docked bike share services, as long as all the required building permits and business licenses are properly obtained.

Mayor John Chappie said he previously spoke with Pechous and wanted the commission to hear his presentation.

Pechous said he and Thrall have been working on a docked bike share system for 10 years, and they hope to eventually make this an Island-wide endeavor that can serve as a model for other communities.

Pechous envisions a bike share and docking service that provides easy and flexible access to bikes that can be rented by the hour or for the entire day. He provided as an example, a visitor who parks his/her car at Cortez Beach – a few blocks south of Bridge Street – rents a bike from that location and rides down to Bridge Street or some other location to eat lunch or go shopping. The client can turn the bike in at that time or grab that bike or another bike after lunch and continue the pedal-powered travels through the city and/or the Island.

Pechous said the docking stations would be solar-powered and the rentals would be conducted via smartphone applications and the company would be insured.

Thrall said the smartphone technology would also help the person hired to run the daily operations to monitor supply and demand and ensure there are spaces to dock the rented bikes when users are done with them.

Pechous said Holmes Beach architect Jeff Conners is providing the designs for the docking stations.

Chappie noted that docking stations located at the county beaches would require county permission and/or permitting too.

“It looks like a great system, I like the whole idea of it,” Commissioner Jake Spooner said, noting the bike share service might lessen congestion and the need to drive around searching for a place to park.

“It would be great if we were able to have it at Cortez Beach. People can hop on a bike and come to our downtown area. It’s a fun, healthy way for people to get around and people wouldn’t have to wait on the trolley or the Monkey Bus,” Spooner said.

At the recommendation of City Attorney Patricia Petruff, the Holmes Beach City Commission, on Sept. 25, imposed a six-month moratorium on bike and scooter sharing services. This was done to allow the city time to develop regulations for a business model not currently addressed by city ordinances or regulations.

During that same meeting, Holmes Beach commission chair Judy Titsworth said efforts would be made to push through regulations for docked bike sharing systems. The commission’s main concern is that the dockless systems present safety concerns and concerns about bikes and scooters being left in roadways and on private properties.

When addressing the Bradenton Beach commission, Pechous said he was confident the Holmes Beach moratorium would soon be resolved. He agrees that dockless bike and scooter sharing services can create the types of nuisances that he and Thrall want to avoid.

After the meeting, Thrall estimated the bike share service would cost approximately $5 an hour and $15-$20 a day. He said they did not yet know when the bike share service would become operational or how many docking stations would be needed.

Related coverage

Locals present bike share option to city commissioners

Mobility program dropped in favor of ban

Locals present bike share option to city commissioners

Written by SUN contributor on . Posted in Community News, Holmes Beach.

HOLMES BEACH – A new way to combat traffic on Anna Maria Island is being proposed by a couple of locals who want to install bicycle share docking stations where people can rent a bicycle using an app and leave it at any docking station that’s convenient for them.

Tracey Thrall, speaking on behalf of himself and business partner Thomas Pechous, made an informal presentation to Holmes Beach commissioners during an Aug. 28 meeting. Thrall introduced commissioners to the idea of the bike share program dubbed Mobile Muttley’s.

The program would feature concrete pads with locking bicycle docking stations located throughout the city and eventually the Island. Residents and visitors alike would be able to rent a bike from any of the docking stations where one was available, take it for a spin and return it to any Island docking station that’s convenient for them.

Because the docks lock, Thrall said it would help to reduce instances of bikes being left in roads, across sidewalks or on private property where they’d have to be collected and returned potentially by local law enforcement. He also said the business wouldn’t need a storefront and wouldn’t be selling any products. Instead, the business would be run from home with off-site storage and maintenance locations.

Proposed locations in Holmes Beach include the Island Branch Library, the Manatee Public Beach, near the intersection of Marina, Palm and Key Royale drives, across from Haley’s Motel, at city field, near the city tennis and basketball courts and at any trolley stops were enough space for the facility is available. Thrall said they have not presented their project to Bradenton Beach or Anna Maria commissioners. He added that a goal of the project is to not add to impervious space on the Island.

“I feel passionate about this because I feel it’s something that’s good for the community,” he said.

Commissioner Judy Titsworth said she had no problems personally with the idea of a bike share program, but a docking station couldn’t be placed at the city field complex because of deed restrictions. However, a minor site plan amendment would likely have to be approved at each location where a docking station was erected. For the station at the Manatee Public Beach, the business owners also would have to receive approval from Manatee County commissioners, she said.

City Attorney Patricia Petruff said that she would hesitate to allow the docking stations to be placed along the city’s right of way due to space and liability concerns. If Mobile Muttley’s is allowed to put their docking stations in the right of way, Petruff said it could be difficult to refuse the next person who wanted right of way space approval for a bicycle share or other industry. Before anything is decided about allowing this bicycle share program, Petruff said city leaders should consider creating regulations. With the popularity of bicycle, electric scooter and car shares, among others, rising throughout the county, she said it would only be a matter of time before all of those industries came to the Island.

Commissioner Carol Soustek suggested hosting the discussion at a future commission work session so that there would be an opportunity for a more detailed presentation and discussion among city leaders. She also suggested the Mobile Muttley’s attend the next Island Transportation Planning Organization meeting since the implementation of the bicycle share is planned as an island-wide project.