The City of Helena adopted an updated Recreation Chapter to our Helena Open Lands Management Plan in June of 2020.

Section 1.2d under Community access and use states: Work with other land management agencies to develop consistent or complementary policies on e-bikes and other future user demands.

The Parks Department has started exploring potential Helena Open Lands policy options regarding e-bike use.

We have asked HOLMAC to assist us in the beginning phases of this effort by providing us potential alternatives to consider that the Parks Department would ultimately bring forward through a public process.

HOLMAC and Parks Department are currently researching and consider other policies adopted by other municipalities and land management agencies including but not limited to Municipalities and Counties in Montana and other states, the United States Forest Service, and Bureau of Land Management (see attached presentation).

HOLMAC is considering different types of e-bike technologies and the implications of those and how they are integrated into alternatives and potential policy recommendations.

The Parks Department will be putting out a community survey in March to gage general interest and concerns regarding e-bikes on open lands. 

The Parks department will review and bring appropriate alternatives and recommendations forward through to a public meeting/process this spring and summer.