This month the City of Miami begins treating an e-bike on a sidewalk as a $100 offense. In Coconut Grove, though, that rule may not cover the sidewalks of the neighborhood's best-known roads. Coconut Grove Spotlight reported that the new restrictions cover city streets and sidewalks "but not to county roads like Main Highway, South Bayshore Drive, Grand Avenue and Douglas Road."
Those four names cover the Grove's shopping core, its bayfront edge and its western boundary. In this neighborhood, how far the ordinance actually reaches depends on which government has jurisdiction over a given road.
What the City Wrote Into Law
The Miami City Commission took up Ordinance No. 14497 on second reading on October 22, 2026. The ordinance record lists District 2 Commissioner Damian Pardo, District 3 Commissioner Rolando Escalona and District 4 Commissioner Ralph "Rafael" Rosado as sponsors. Local 10 reported that commissioners approved it unanimously.
The ordinance text creates a new Section 8-20 in the City Code covering e-bikes, motorized scooters and other micromobility devices. Its main provisions are below.
- Sidewalks and walkways. Riding is prohibited. Walking a device or parking it is still allowed.
- Speed. The maximum is 20 mph on city streets and rights-of-way.
- Where to ride. Riders must use bike lanes where they exist. Otherwise they must stay on streets with a posted limit of 30 mph or less.
- Age and ID. Riders under 16 may not ride on any city street, sidewalk or walkway. All riders must carry a valid government-issued photo ID.
- Passengers. One rider per device unless the device is built for more. An adult may carry a child who is securely attached and wearing a helmet.
- Parking. Devices may not block a business entrance and must leave at least 3 feet of sidewalk clear.
- Penalty. $100 per violation, and each day counts as a separate offense. A rider under 16, or that rider's parent or guardian, may get a warning and safety materials instead.
The ordinance defines its territory as "city public paths," meaning property in the city "regardless of ownership" such as streets, sidewalks and rights-of-way "that are in the City's jurisdiction and open to the public." That phrase sets the reach of everything in the list above, and it explains why a Grove sidewalk can fall outside it.
Four Grove Roads the City Doesn't Control
The ordinance never names a road. It applies wherever the city has jurisdiction. Spotlight reports that four of the Grove's main roads are county roads, which puts their sidewalks outside the city's ban.
Commissioners heard about this gap during the debate. At the meeting, Matthew Gultanoff asked the commission to "clarify the rule limiting riding to 30 miles per hour or less applies to city controlled roads, not county or state," according to Local 10.
The City of Miami publishes a Street Map by Jurisdiction that sorts streets into county, state, city and private categories. The ordinance's own test is the city's jurisdiction, though, not who owns the pavement.
How the Grove's Numbers Compare
The city drafted the ordinance with Fire-Rescue data in hand. In a September report, Coconut Grove Spotlight said City of Miami Fire-Rescue had logged 1,380 incidents involving e-bikes and scooters since September 2024. Of those, 606 were "confirmed" or "high confidence." Citywide they produced 47 trauma alerts and 418 hospital trips, and at least 15 pedestrians were struck by riders.
The same report gave Coconut Grove's share. Fire Station 8 responded to 58 incidents over that period, with two trauma alerts and 41 hospital trips. Commissioner Pardo called the issue a "really big crisis" for his district, Spotlight reported.
The County Rule Covers One Road
Miami-Dade County has its own micromobility rule. It is stricter than the city's in some ways, but it applies in only one place.
Ordinance 26-51 was adopted July 21, 2026. It applies only to Crandon Boulevard, from the Village of Key Biscayne's northern limit to the northern entrance of Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park, and only once a municipality signs an interlocal agreement to enforce it. The County said it was re-establishing the framework on a limited basis before deciding whether to apply it countywide.
The table compares the three local rules that bear on Grove riders and walkers. Pinecrest is included because, according to Spotlight, it went the other way on sidewalks.
City of Miami, Ord. 14497 | Miami-Dade County, Ord. 26-51 | Village of Pinecrest | |
|---|---|---|---|
Where it applies | City-jurisdiction streets and sidewalks | Crandon Boulevard only, under an interlocal agreement | Village sidewalks |
Sidewalk riding | Prohibited | Prohibited | Allowed, up to 10 mph |
Street speed cap | 20 mph | 20 mph | Not reported |
Allowed roadways | Bike lanes, or streets posted at 30 mph or less | Bike lanes, or streets posted at 30 mph or less | Not reported |
Fine | $100 per violation | $250 first, $500 after | Not reported |
Before enforcement | Warnings available for riders under 16 | At least a 60-day public campaign plus signage | Not reported |
In this table the strictest rule is the county's, and it covers one road on Key Biscayne. On Main Highway and South Bayshore Drive, which Spotlight reports are county roads, neither the county's rule nor the city's applies.
Why Each Government Writes Its Own Rule
Florida law treats e-bikes and motorized scooters roughly like bicycles. It lets local governments regulate them on the streets, sidewalks and paths under their own jurisdiction, including setting a minimum age and requiring photo ID. That's why each government writes its own rule, and why each rule stops at the edge of that government's jurisdiction.
The Legislature passed a statewide alternative this year. CS/SB 382 cleared both chambers, and Gov. Ron DeSantis vetoed it on June 25, 2026. According to Spotlight, the bill would have set a statewide 10 mph limit for e-bikes on sidewalks when pedestrians were present and created a state task force on e-bike safety.
Ira Leesfield, a Coconut Grove attorney who has pushed for e-bike rules since 2019, told Coconut Grove Spotlight that rules should be the same across the state: "I believe that a stop sign in Pensacola means the same thing as a stop sign in Fort Lauderdale. I think it means stop." Henrietta Schwarz, a Grove resident active on pedestrian safety, called the city rules a starting point in the same article. "It's better than nothing," she said, adding that keeping e-bikes off sidewalks was "a big thing."
When the Rules Take Effect
Local 10 reported that the ban "will officially take place the first week of November." The ordinance says it takes effect "thirty (30) days after final reading and adoption," unless the Mayor vetoes it within ten days. Counting from the October 22 vote, that would be around November 21, 2026.
On enforcement, Miami Police Chief Edwin Lopez said officers would be able to write $100 citations. He called that "the last resort we are trying to gain compliance through education," Local 10 reported. The ordinance also allows civil citations to be appealed to a special magistrate, and city police may issue Uniform Traffic Citations.
The age rule is written broadly. On city public path streets, roads, sidewalks, walkways and rights-of-way, riders under 16 may not operate an e-bike or motorized scooter. Like the rest of the ordinance, it is limited to roads within the city's jurisdiction, and Spotlight reports that Main Highway, South Bayshore Drive, Grand Avenue and Douglas Road fall outside it.
This post is general information, not legal advice. If a rule affects you or your family, confirm how it applies with the City of Miami or a qualified attorney.
Knowing which Grove streets fall under the city, the county or the state also comes up when buying or selling a home. It determines which government's rules apply on the street out front. At Miami Signature Homes, we can walk you through those details for a specific street. Schedule a private consultation and complimentary home valuation, and we'll start with the block you live on.
