Timeline

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SUMMARY

Below is a brief outline of the main events in the history of our advocacy and the scooter rental industry in San Diego.

2015

DecoBike docked pedal bike scheme starts.

Feb 2018

Bird motorized scooters for rent appear on sidewalks in San Diego.

Feb 2018 - June 2019

City Refuses to enforce regulations prohibiting encroachment of sidewalks and running unpermitted business from sidewalks.

March 2018

Bird is reported to have initiated their Save Our Sidewalks pledge of $1 per scooter to be donated to each city in which they operate to build more bike lanes. A public records request later reveals no donated money was received by the City of San Diego.

June 2018

 Safe Walkways group formed on Facebook.

Summer/Fall 2018

CM Bry & Gomez working group works on a new SMD ordinance.

2018 & 2019

Safe Walkways testimony to numerous meetings of Council.

September 2018

Assembly Member Todd Gloria and D3 Council Member Chris Ward attend and promote Bird's announcement of their Community Program to address safety issues affecting pedestrians. The public was told that this would enable the reporting of dangerous driving such as driving on sidewalks, but it didn't.

September 19 2018

Scooter companies make presentations to Public Safety & Livable Neighborhoods committee.

Fall 2018

Mayor Faulconer announces his dept. will develop the SMD ordinance, replacing CMs Bry and Gomez. Consideration of the proposals is transferred from Public Safety & Livable Neighborhoods committee to the Active Transportation & Infrastructure committee.

2019

DecoBike Scheme ends

January 2019

Safe Walkways publishes paper on Carbon Footprint Impact of Scooter rental industry in SD

January 19 2019

Disability Rights California class-action lawsuit against City and Scooter companies filed.

February 6 2019

Safe Walkways presentation to Public Safety & Livable Neighborhoods committee on ticketing illegally parked scooters and geofencing needed for streets that are illegal for motorized scooters.

April 2019

Mission Beach Town Council proposes City ban scooters from boardwalk. MB residents hold protest on boardwalk in support.

April 2019

California Assembly Member Todd Gloria writes letter to City with recommendations for SMD ordinance.

April 23 2019

City Council considers Mayor Faulconer's proposed ordinance to regulate Shared Mobility Device companies in San Diego. This will establish a permitting scheme, require indemnification by the companies against City liability and require data to be provided to the City. It also legitimizes the use of sidewalks for staging and parking outside of downtown.

May 14 2019

Second reading by Council of Mayor's proposed ordinance governing SMD companies.

June 2019

June 2019

City of SD SMD ordinance starts.

August thru January inc 2019

1st. 6mo permit period starts. 22,000 scooters requested and allocated.

August thru January inc 2019

City impounds thousands of scooters during Comic-con

October 2019

City fines for blocking street sweeping start.

December 2019

City of SD submits response to CGJ report.

December 2019

Citizens meet with Mayor's staff to discuss update to SMD ordinance. No update is proposed to Council. No update is made.

January 21 2020

DRC class-action lawsuit - scooter companies removed.

February thru July inc 2020

2nd 6mo permit period starts. Scooters requested and allocated = 11,500.

February 2020

Sweep 5-year contract starts: $540,000/yr for 2 teams 14h / day 7 days / week

February 2020

City stops fines for blocking street sweeping.

March 2020

COVID restrictions imposed on public gatherings. Hospitality businesses close.

April 2020

June, July, August 2020

July 2020

3rd 6mo permit period starts. Scooters requested and allocated = 6,500.

November 3, 2020

Elections for Mayor and Council held. Todd Gloria elected Mayor.

December 2020

City ceases to produce Weekly Scooter Metric report.

December 10, 2020

Todd Gloria takes office as Mayor of San Diego, replacing Kevin Faulconer.

January 20, 2021

Members of Council take office.

January 2021

As the ordinance governing SMD companies has not been updated, as the public was promised in 2019, Safe Walkways publishes its own proposed ordinance update.

February thru July inc 2021

4th 6mo permit period starts. Scooters requested and allocated = 11,500.

May 2021

Director Muto presents RFP and MC change proposals to AT&I committee for approval. Not approved. Committee requests proposals to get scooters off sidewalks and account for the full cost of the SMD industry on the City.

February thru August inc 2021

City contractor Sweep impounds one scooter per day on average.

August thru January inc 2021

5th 6mo permit period starts. Scooters requested and allocated = 14,500.

September 2021

City fines for blocking street sweeping re-start.

September 2021

 Safe Walkways presents GET SCOOTERS OFF WALKWAYS petition to Mayor

September 2021

Sweep impounds 15 scooters.

November 10, 2021.

City RFP for SMD service published

November 2021

Safe Walkways Presents RFP Action Requests to Council, Mayor and Director of S&M dept. 

February thru July inc 2022

 6th 6mo permit period starts. Scooters requested and allocated = unknown.

January 21, 2022:

Deadline for RFP proposals.

July 31, 2022

End of 6th permitting period. Possible start of RFP contracts with selected SMD companies.