City of Alexandria, Virginia
________________
MEMORANDUM
DATE: NOVEMBER 18, 2020
TO: THE HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL
FROM: MARK B. JINKS, CITY MANAGER /s/
DOCKET TITLE:
TITLE
Consideration of a Resolution to extend the Phase II Dockless Mobility Pilot Program through 2021. [ROLL-CALL VOTE]
BODY
ISSUE: Consideration of a Resolution to extend the Phase II Dockless Mobility Pilot Program until December 31, 2021.
RECOMMENDATION: That City Council:
(1) Approve a resolution for a 12-month extension of the Phase II Dockless Mobility Pilot Program from January 1, 2021 to December 31, 2021; and
(2) Authorize the City Manager to amend the existing Memorandum of Understanding (Attachment 1) with permitted dockless mobility operators to extend the terms of the MOU.
BACKGROUND: City Council approved the Phase II Dockless Mobility Pilot Program and the establishment of the Ad Hoc Scooter Task Force in December 2019. The Phase II Pilot Program officially started in January, and a total of five companies have obtained permits and deployed scooters. Key Council-directed program changes for Phase II included a prohibition of sidewalk riding, companies being required to deploy a minimum percentage of the fleet in equity zones, and a requirement to deploy devices in corrals when one is nearby.
Due to the ongoing COVID-19 health emergency, scooter usage and deployments reduced significantly in spring 2020 into the summer and continued to remain significantly lower than 2019 (Attachment 2). Additionally, staff was not able to conduct community outreach events or meet with the Ad Hoc Scooter Task Force as planned for 2020 due to restrictions on gatherings. Public meetings were not held in the spring and summer, but a virtual meeting of the Task Force was held in September 2020.
If the attached resolution is not approved, the City's current Phase II Pilot Program would expire on December 31, 2020. After this date, City Code provisions regulating mi...
Click here for full text