TITLE
Recommendation to request City Manager to report to City Council in 30 days the feasibility, costs and benefit analysis of eliminating the bicycle registration requirement and instead moving towards a voluntary registration program.
DISCUSSION
The City of Long Beach currently requires all residents who ride a bicycle to register their Bike with the City. This program was designed to enhance police responses to reports of stolen bicycles, and also to provide an opportunity to educate cyclists about bicycle laws, safety, and road courtesy.
However, the registration program has been a challenge to cyclists. Most cyclists do not register. The times and locations available for registration - fire stations on Saturday mornings - are not convenient, and even during those hours, registration services are often unavailable due to the other responsibilities of the fire fighters. The registration process does not include proof of ownership, nor does it include any educational element.
The registration program costs more money than it generates. Furthermore, enforcement is difficult since cyclists who are not residents of Long Beach cannot be required to register, and no neighboring cities require registration. Few California cities, in fact, require registration. Los Angeles eliminated its mandatory registration requirement, and Santa Monica has encountered problems similar to those Long Beach is experiencing.
The cyclist community in Long Beach is almost unanimous in opposing mandatory registration and support making the program voluntary. Doing so would allow those cyclists concerned about theft to register with the City, but also would eliminate the problems of requiring registration without providing the necessary services to make registration convenient and practical.
SUGGESTED ACTION
Approve recommendation.
Respectfully Submitted,
Councilmember Robert Garcia, First District
Councilmember Suja lowenthal, Second Distrct
Councilmember Gary Delong, Third District