Granville council introduces ordinance targeting unlicensed motorbikes, sets April 1 public hearing

Council members introduced an ordinance to define and prohibit non‑licensed motorbikes in the Village of Granville, and set a public hearing for April 1.

Staff described the draft ordinance (introduced as ordinance 04‑2026) as aimed at small two‑wheel vehicles — "pocket rockets" and non‑licensable battery or gas‑operated bikes with no pedals — that staff said are not licensable on city streets. The draft would add a new section (3.73.16 in the draft language) to the village code, expand existing impound authority to cover those vehicles and make the first offense a minor misdemeanor.

Staff said the ordinance is intended to be a phased approach to enforcement and education: "crawl, walk, run," the presenter said, and noted the village may add related language later for e‑bikes or other devices. Staff also said the draft would allow officers discretion to impound a vehicle, particularly for repeat offenders or serious incidents.

Council members discussed enforcement limits and existing Ohio law; one member referenced the Ohio Revised Code when asking whether current statutes already provide enforcement tools. Staff said the draft clarifies the village’s authority and supplements existing sections of the code so officers could cite multiple violations in a single incident.

The village will coordinate a signage plan (staff referenced a model used by Dublin and said they had consulted the Park District) and plans outreach and school education efforts. The council did not adopt the ordinance tonight; it set a public hearing on the introduced ordinance for April 1 and invited written questions in advance to help staff incorporate council feedback into the legislation.