Chattanooga City Council's ban on electric scooters may become more permanent as Councilman Ken Smith looks to extend existing legislation.
Smith, of District 3, rallied against the dockless electric scooters in the spring and summer of 2019 as companies considered establishing in the city amid safety and nuisance concerns in other cities with scooters.
In late summer, the council put a 6-month moratorium on scooters, preventing any companies from establishing a presence in Chattanooga while council considered appropriate legislation.
Now, with the moratorium expiring earlier this month, Smith is proposing council extend the ban "indefinitely."
Chattanooga Councilman Ken Smith"We have reached the end of our moratorium on [dockless] scooters. It happened so fast, and it seems our city has continued to run just fine without them," Smith jeered during Tuesday's strategic planning meeting. "To that end, I'm going to send a piece of legislation around to council today which would put an indefinite moratorium on electric scooters."
Aside from District 4 Councilman Darrin Ledford seconding the motion and some argument over whether or not the new legislation should go to committee before a vote, council did not discuss the actual legislation.
The legislation is set for first reading at the Jan. 21 council meeting.
Multiple formerly interested scooter companies did not respond for requests for comment Tuesday afternoon.
Contact Sarah Grace Taylor at staylor@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6416. Follow her on Twitter @sarahgtaylor.