'Burb Bites: Fishers' new e-bike rules
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This week's news from around the region includes an e-bike ban, a demolition plan and the best cities in the Hoosier state.
🚲 The Fishers City Council unanimously approved an expansion of the city's electric-powered vehicle ordinance last week after police raised concerns about unsafe driving throughout the community.
- The new rules focus on making trails, sidewalks and bike lanes safer by restricting e-motos to roadways.
- E-motos are defined as motorized, pedal-lacking vehicles with more than 750 watts of power that can go faster than 20 mph.
- The changes also allow Class 3 e-bikes anywhere bicycles are allowed, and requires all e-moto riders under 18 to wear a helmet.
🏠 Carmel city officials are considering a proposal to demolish a 123-year-old home in the city's Arts & Design District to make way for a bookstore and coffee shop.
- The owners of the home at 31 S. Rangeline Road had the approval to open a business called Stella House Books & Cafe after renovating and adding to the property.
Yes, but: That plan is no longer feasible, so the owners are requesting permission to demolish the home and build a new structure that matches the design to house the business.
- The Carmel Plan Commission unanimously voted to send the amended plan to the commission's Combined Commercial & Residential Committee to make a final decision.
🏆 HamCo was well represented on U.S. News & World Report's annual ranking of the Best Places to Live in the U.S., with Carmel and Fishers taking the top two spots.
- Other Central Indiana cities cracking the top 50 were Noblesville at No. 18 and Greenwood at No. 26.
- Indianapolis came in 279th, and a total of 19 Indiana cities made the list.
🏈 The Indy-area's newest sports team will have to wait a bit longer to make their Westfield debut.
- The Indianapolis Capitols, announced earlier this year as the final franchise in the Continental Football League's Northern Division, has been placed on hiatus by the debuting minor league pro football organization.
- Despite missing the CFL's inaugural season, which started over the weekend, the Capitols will play home games at Grand Park Sports Campus when they arrive in 2027.
🌈 Speaking of Grand Park, it is now also the home of the annual Westfield Pride Festival.
- Westfield Pride leaders say making the move from Asa Bales Park to Grand Park will give the celebration more space and support new experiences when it happens this September.