Erie City Council repeals outdated bicycle licensing/registration requirements
Bicycle licensing/registration is no longer a requirement in the city of Erie.
At its regular meeting on Wednesday morning, Erie City Council voted unanimously to amend a 1964 ordinance and repeal sections of that law mandating the registration and licensing of bicycles within city limits.
Repeal it: Why Erie City Council is set to put the brakes on an obsolete bicycle licensing law
City officials argued the little-known law was outdated and impractical. Violating the ordinance was a summary offense that carried a fine of up to $25.
Many U.S. cities still have bicycle licensing and registration laws on the books, even though they are rarely enforced and often the public does not know about them.
Such laws were historically enacted across the country to help locate stolen or lost bikes, collect revenue or improve public safety.
Vendettis seek zoning changes for housing development
City Council also hosted a public hearing Wednesday morning on zoning changes requested by Vendetti Brothers Associates regarding 40 acres at the northeast corner of McClelland Avenue and the Bayfront Connector.
Previous coverage: Southeast Erie housing plan that concerns neighbors seeks zoning changes
Chester and Richard Vendetti want to build new homes on the property; some neighbors in the area oppose the plan.
The Vendettis previously received a zoning variance from the city that would allow homes to be built on the property, which is currently zoned commercial.
However, the Vendettis are now asking the property be zoned residential, because that zoning classification is a better fit with the surrounding neighborhoods.
The Erie Planning Commission has unanimously endorsed the zoning change the Vendettis’ are requesting.
City Council, which took no action on the request on Wednesday, must approve any change in zoning before construction can begin.
Chester Vendetti told City Council on Wednesday that he and his brother are pursuing the project, in large part, to "bring people back into the city.”
Rice Avenue resident Jason Conner, who lives near the Vendetti property, told City Council he is concerned about increased traffic in the area.
“The traffic (in the area) is an issue already,” Conner said. “I’m not opposed to it; it’s his property… I would just be very mindful of that.”
Other business
City Council on Wednesday also approved an ordinance on first reading that adjusts fines and penalties for the city’s quality of life ticketing program, which allows the city to issue a notice similar to a parking ticket when code violations are visible on the exterior of a private property.
Code enforcement: Erie City Council to discuss quality-of-life ticketing
Council also approved an ordinance on first reading that requires short-term rentals to be part of the city’s rental registration and licensing program.
Erie City Council: Panel OKs new regulations for Airbnb, other short-term rentals
Contact Kevin Flowers at kflowers@timesnews.com. Follow him on Twitter at @ETNflowers.
This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: Obsolete bicycle licensing/registration law now off the books in Erie
