City Council passes micro-mobility ordinance

The Zyp BikeShare program in Birmingham, a five-year project, came to an end in December.

But at its regular meeting for Tuesday, Feb. 11, the Birmingham City Council voted 8-0 to approve an ordinance that will permit and regulate the use of shared micro-mobility device systems, including dockless bikes and scooters, in the city. The ordinance is an amendment to the city's general code.

“This is something that's really been driven by the community, especially with the close-out of the Zyp project,” said Councilor Darrell O’Quinn, who serves as chair of the Transportation Committee.

Many emerging companies, including tech firms, have “demanded” that the city provide these options for personal transportation, O’Quinn said.

“For some of the larger employers, they see this as a recruiting and retention tool,” he said.

That makes the ordinance “important on the economic development side,” O’Quinn said.

Vendors who seek to offer micro-mobility services in the city will apply to, and negotiate an agreement with, the Birmingham Department of Transportation, O’Quinn said.

The item was recommended by Mayor Randall Woodfin and the council's Transportation Committee.