Residents press Chandler leaders over canal e-bikes and persistent nuisance bird problems

Two residents used the unscheduled public-comment portion of the Feb. 26 meeting to press Chandler officials for clearer enforcement and follow-up on recurring public-safety and nuisance issues.

Brooke Beal, who identified herself as "from Chandler," asked the council to invest more in patrols and monitoring along SRP-operated canals and said she opposed agenda items related to canal use until enforcement improved. She alleged that at the April 2025 family bike ride "someone encouraged people to ride their electric bikes on the canal, which is against the law," and asked whether that guidance—spoken while standing near the mayor at the time—conveyed color of authority. "We need to spend a little bit more money here on patrolling and putting up equipment so that you can monitor these trails," Beal said.

In response, the city manager said staff will ensure future family-bike communications clearly state that e-bikes are not allowed at those events and that the city will make the restriction explicit on registration materials and press releases. The manager also noted coordination with SRP and other agencies and said the city would continue joint enforcement partnerships.

Homeowner Thane Martin described a long-running nuisance-bird problem that has increased in size, created sanitation and rodent impacts at his home, and — he said — received insufficient follow-up from city staff despite prior council assurances. "I've done everything you've asked me to do, and yet you're not protecting me in my home," Martin said, adding he will continue to bring the matter to meetings until it is solved.

The city manager told the council staff has prepared an ordinance addressing the issue and will schedule it for a work session; no ordinance text was adopted at the meeting.

No formal enforcement action or ordinance was adopted at the Feb. 26 meeting; both residents asked for more proactive responses and staff said it would act to clarify event communications and bring proposed code language back to the council.

Quotes: "We need to spend a little bit more money here on patrolling and putting up equipment so that you can monitor these trails," Brooke Beal said. "I've done everything you've asked me to do, and yet you're not protecting me in my home," Thane Martin said.

Status: Staff committed to clearer event communications (explicitly banning e-bikes at the family ride) and to bringing a draft ordinance on nuisance birds to a future work session.