Storm Lake’s long ride toward new rules for e-bikes, e-scooters and personal mobility devices hit a major speed bump Tuesday night, as the city council’s proposed ordinance failed on a 2-2 vote after a public hearing.

The proposed ordinance would have rewritten Storm Lake’s bicycle code for the first time in decades, creating detailed rules for where personal mobility devices can operate, how fast they can travel and what equipment riders must use. The draft included a helmet requirement for anyone under the age of 18, limits on riding in parks and green spaces, a “reasonable and prudent” speed standard on trails and a prohibition on high-powered electric mobility devices on city property. It also outlined fines ranging from $100 to $300 and an impound process for repeat violations.

The ordinance mirrored portions of Iowa law, which classifies e-bikes into three categories and requires riders to be at least 16 years old to operate Class 3 models. But Iowa does not mandate bicycle helmets, leaving cities to decide whether to adopt their own rules. Several Iowa communities, including Spirit Lake, have recently tightened regulations after reports of kids riding off trails and damaging landscaping. Others have lowered trail speed limits to 15 miles per hour.