HomeMy WebLinkAbout41. 15-158
MARCH 24, 2015 15-158 ORDINANCE
FIRST READING
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PURPOSE: APPROVE TEMPORARY SUSPENSION OF BICYCLE
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REGISTRATION FEE FROM APRIL 1 – MAY 20, 2015
INITIATED BY: COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
Bicycle & Pedestrian Advisory Committee Recommendation: Approved
A GENERAL ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF OSHKOSH PERTAINING TO BICYCLE
REGISTRATION FEES
The Common Council of the City of Oshkosh do ordain as follows:
SECTION 1. That the fees related to bicycle registration and license and
replacement of bicycle registration stickers, as provided in Sections 27-59 and 27-60 are
waived for bicycle registrations submitted to City officials between the dates of April 1,
2015 and May 20, 2015.
SECTION 2. Publication Notice. Please take notice that the City of Oshkosh
enacted Ordinance #15-XXX APPROVE TEMPORARY SUSPENSION OF BICYCLE
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REGISTRATION FEE FROM APRIL 1 – MAY 20, 2015 on March 24, 2015. The
Ordinance suspends bicycle registration and license fees from April 1-May 20, 2015. The
full text of the Ordinance may be obtained at the Office of the City Clerk, 215 Church Ave.
and on the City's website at www2.ci.oshkosh.wi.us. Clerk's phone: (920) 236-5011.
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TO: Honorable Mayor and Members of the Common Council
FROM : David Buck, Principal Planner
Planning Services Division
DATE: March 16, 2015
RE: TEMPORARY SUSPENSION OF BICYCLE REGISTRATION FEE FROM
APRIL 1 — MAY 20, 2015 (Pedestrian and Bicycle Advisory Committee
recommends approval)
BACKGROUND
Sections 27-57 through 27-62 of the Oshkosh Municipal Code provide for a bicycle registration
program, which includes a registration fee. This program has at least three primary objectives:
reducing bicycle theft, increasing the recovery rate of lost or stolen bicycles, and providing funding for
the City's bicycle fund.
In the past the bicycle registration program has not been as effective as it could be and in an attempt
to increase registration the Common Council enacted a bike registration fee "holiday" as Ordinance
13-67 in 2013 and Ordinance 14-231 in 2014. The fee "holiday" was very successful in 2013
increasing the number of registered bicycles tenfold and was less successful in 2014 but still showed
an increase over 2012 with more than doubling the number of registered bicycles. These numbers
have led the Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee to suggest a similar fee suspension again
for 2015.
The increased numbers of bicycle recoveries and registrations for a three year period (from 2012-
2014) support the effectiveness of the fee "holiday". In 2012, The Oshkosh Police Department had
188 bikes recovered and had 172 registrations. In 2013 (first year of free registrations) we had 172
bikes recovered and 1,178 registrations (578 regular fee registrations and 600 free) and in 2014
(second year of free registrations), there were 215 bikes recovered and 404 registered. These
numbers show that there was an increase of 1,006 bicycle registrations from 2012 to 2013 (first year
of free registrations). Between the years of 2013 to 2014 (second year of free registrations) shows
that registrations were lower but still increased over 2012 levels by 232. Additionally, recovery of
stolen bicycles increased the year after the 2013 fee "holiday" by 43 bicycles or 25%. Low registration
numbers also result in low income for the Bicycle Fund thereby inferring that with the increase in
registrations the year of the fee "holiday" also increases the Bike Fund, which may be used for other
pedestrian and bicycle improvements throughout the city.
This proposal would recreate another fee "holiday" for the spring of 2015, leading up to activities
which promote bicycling, including the annual Bicycle Rodeo and National Bike to School Day. During
this fee "holiday", the normal $3.00 registration fee will be waived. Police Department staff will work
concurrently and proactively with schools and other stakeholders to once again to attempt to
significantly increase the number of bicycles registered.
ANALYSIS
Bicycle registration between the years of 2004-2012 was fewer than 200 bicycles per year. The city
has seen an increase in these numbers in the two years that included the fee "holiday" with an
average registration of 791 bicycles registered per year. This increase is presumably associated with
the institution of the fee "holiday" and attributed to increased education and promotion efforts that
improve awareness of the registration. The inclusion of a fee "holiday" in 2015 should help to show
an increase in the number of bicycles which are registered.
FISCAL IMPACT
From a law enforcement perspective, increases in bicycle registration have benefits in personnel
savings and inventory requirements. On average, a Community Service Officer spends about three
hours conducting an investigation and processing each bicycle complaint. This includes contacting
the victim or reporting person, completing the report, transporting the bicycle, entering the bicycle into
inventory, following up on the investigation and finally the disposition of the bicycle. If a bicycle is
registered with the City of Oshkosh and stolen/recovered, the time spent on investigation would be
reduced by an estimate of two-thirds. With the bicycle being registered, the Community Service
Officer would look up the registration number and contact the owner for recovery.
Experience suggests that most of the bicycles that would be registered during the fee "holiday" would
not otherwise have been registered; therefore, it is unlikely the Bicycle Fund will see a meaningful loss
in revenue.
RECOMMENDATION
Recommend the Common Council approve this ordinance change for a 2015 Bicycle Registration Fee
"Holiday". The Pedestrian and Bicycle Advisory Committee approved the request at its February 19,
2015 meeting.
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