$1.00 per device, per day fee, approved.
By Sam Catanzaro
At their regular meeting Tuesday night, Santa Monica City Council approved a public land use fee for scooter and shared mobility companies. Under the Council’s action, as of September 17, the City will charge scooter companies a $1.00 per device, per day fee for the right to use public land for commercial activities.
“This model is similar to the City’s outdoor dining license fees,” wrote City Public Information Officer Constance Farrell in a press release.
Revenue collected from this fee, which City Staff estimates to be approximately $89,000 a month, will fund transportation infrastructure improvements like protected bike lanes, mobility hubs, Vision Zero improvements and educational programs that will help integrate shared mobility devices safely into the Santa Monica.
“The public right-of-way fee will fuel infrastructure investments for safe streets,” said Deputy City Manager Anuj Gupta.
Also at the meeting Tuesday night, City Council amend the Santa Monica Municipal Code to clarify that motorized scooters are prohibited on the beach bike path and City parks.
“Last night’s Council actions around shared mobility devices are focused on public safety,” Gupta said. “Prohibiting devices on the beach bike path is aimed at reducing collisions and increasing safety for all users of this popular bike path.”
Existing rules already bar these devices but the Council’s action makes clear that all non-human powered devices are prohibited in these areas.
“Updating the Municipal Code to clearly prohibit electric and motorized devices, as defined by the California Vehicle Code, clarifies the law and eliminates potential confusion regarding enforcement and regulation of such devices throughout Santa Monica, particularly on the beach bike path, on the Pier and in City parks,” Farrell wrote.
According to the City, The Santa Monica Police Department and the Code Enforcement Division will begin actively enforcing the illegal use of scooters and shared mobility devices on the beach bike path, the Pier and in parks.
