Waukee is considering stricter e-bike and e-scooter rules, though some of the city's proposed regulations would also restrict where regular cyclists can go.

Why it matters: Local law enforcement says the rules are needed to stop kids from riding high-powered electric motorcycles, known as e-motos, but cycling advocates worry that the proposed rules could overstep their own rides.

Context: Parents are unknowingly buying their kids e-motos, which are often sold online as e-bikes.

• However, e-motos exceed Iowa's allowable 750 watts and can go over 40 mph. They're not allowed to be ridden by anyone under 16 in the state.

State of play: Ankeny recently passed an ordinance limiting trail users' speeds to 20 mph and prohibiting e-motos on trails, but Waukee's proposal takes things a step further.

• It's seeking to prohibit all cyclists and scooter users (including nonmotorized) from roads if there were a trail, bike lane or sidewalk available. If those weren't available, riders would be expected to remain close to the curb.
• It would also prohibit all cyclists and scooters from riding on roads with speed limits above 25 mph.

Flashback: Some of the proposed rules are similar to those in an "anti-biking bill" that failed to pass this year at the Legislature.

What they're saying: Waukee police chief Chad McCluskey says the additional rules are meant to prevent people from riding on car-heavy corridors, such as Hickman Avenue, University Avenue, Grand Prairie Parkway and Ashworth Road.

The other side: Kyle Robinson, owner of Kyle's Bikes, acknowledges the city is trying to regulate e-motos, but he says prohibiting all cyclists on roads over 25 mph would create a "lot of disgruntled folks."

• Rose Willey-Farver, board president of the Iowa Bicycle Coalition, notes that Waukee is "trying to solve a real issue," but says the ordinance goes too far, instead of just focusing on the high-speed devices.
• "We'd welcome the opportunity to help refine it so it improves safety without impacting responsible cyclists," she says.

How it works: Enforcement would be complaint-based, McCluskey says, because the police department doesn't have resources to have officers waiting on trails.

• Kids who already own an e-moto can use it only on private property, he says.
• The city's first goal is to educate families on allowable devices, safe speeds and handling. As a last resort, those violating the rule would be found to have committed a simple misdemeanor with a $25 fine.

What's next: The Waukee City Council already passed the first reading of the ordinance April 20, and the council is expected to consider a second reading during its meeting Monday night.

• The ordinance becomes code following three readings.

Des Moines Prep could construct a new athletic field and park in Des Moines' East Village.

Why it matters: The project could give students and residents shared outdoor space and support a more vibrant, connected neighborhood, the charter school said in rezoning application documents submitted to the city.

• It's also a sign of Iowa charter schools' growth.

Catch up quick: Des Moines Prep opened in the East Village last fall as a tuition-free public charter school serving eighth- and ninth-grade students.

• It's located in a former General Motors parts warehouse at 95 E. Fifth St., which served as Two Rivers Marketing's headquarters until the company recently relocated to another East Village site.
• About 120 students currently attend and the school plans to add a grade level each year until it becomes a full high school in fall 2028.

State of play: The school is asking the city to rezone three irregularly shaped parcels it already owns and currently uses for unpaved parking, located across from it on East Sixth Street.

• The proposal includes a field, a walking loop, bike parking, food truck space, landscaping, lighting and stormwater improvements.
• Last month, the DSM Plan and Zoning Commission unanimously recommended to the council that the request be approved.

What's next: If the City Council approves rezoning at Monday's council meeting, the project would return later for an additional site plan review.

• A construction timeline and cost estimate have not been disclosed publicly.

Congrats to our Axios Des Moines readers Camryn Carpenter and Elizabeth Ayala for correctly guessing Des Moines Prep as the answer to yesterday's Where's Jason?

• They won free plants from next week's Spring Garden Market, courtesy of the Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden.

Friday

🖼️ First Friday at Mainframe Studios | Explore open studios, animal-themed art, live music, interactive activities and even adoptable kittens. | 5–8pm | Free!

🛍️ DSM Flea store opening | Celebrate the new shop featuring vintage clothing, vinyl, and local makers in the former Marv's Records space. | 5–9pm | 506 E 6th St., #200 | Free!

🌱 Spring Plant Sale at Iowa Food Co-op | Shop veggie, herb, and flower plants from local growers and find unique varieties. | 2–6pm today and 10am-2pm tomorrow | Free!

🎬 Outdoor Movie: "The Princess Diaries" | Watch this classic with popcorn, pizza, and drinks. | 7:45pm | Colby Park | Free!

Saturday

🚴 Mayor's Annual Bike Ride | Join Mayor Connie Boesen for a community ride through Des Moines with routes for all ages. | 10am | Municipal Service Center | Registration varies

📚 DSM Book Festival | Meet authors, attend panels and workshops, and browse a large vendor fair at this all-day literary event. | 11am–7pm | Franklin Event Center | Free!

🌿 Farewell WCC Plant Sale | Shop student-grown plants and handmade goods while supporting future programming after Walnut Creek Campus closes. | 9am–noon | Free!

Sunday

🎤 Showtunes Sunday | Sing along to musical favorites during this lively afternoon benefiting the Des Moines Gay Men's Chorus. | 2–6pm | The Blazing Saddle

Linh here! I'm back with Hope the Pumpkin — my plant that I want to grow big and strong for the Iowa State Fair.

Last week, I shared that I'm planting Hope in my backyard on May 10.

• But if the growing season actually goes well, getting a forklift up a hill and over my deck seems next to impossible.

What's new: Seeing my struggles, Iowa State Fair pumpkin expert Don Young sent me a Facebook Marketplace listing for a trampoline tarp.

• He explained that if a trampoline tarp can hold the bouncing weight of many small children, surely it can hold the weight of a potentially 600-pound pumpkin.

So, after some haggling, I am the proud owner of a $15 trampoline tarp and springs.

By the numbers: By my calculations, I just need to roll the pumpkin on to the trampoline tarp, and then find enough people to carry it over the deck somehow.

• Pumpkin + tarp + forklift + pickup truck = Iowa State Fair?

The bottom vine: Oh, Hope. We will find a chariot worthy of you.

Countdown: 105 days until judgment day.