[HISTORY: Adopted by the City Council of the City of Lancaster as Article 529 of the Codified Ordinances. Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Skateboards — See Ch. 256.
Vehicles and traffic — See Ch. 285.
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
BICYCLE
A two-wheeled in tandem vehicle, either wheel of which is 20 inches or more in diameter, operated by human power, but excludes any power-driven vehicle which is required to be licensed under the laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
No person who resides within the city shall operate a bicycle upon any street, alley or public place within the city unless the same has first been properly registered and has affixed thereto a license issued by the city.
Every owner of any bicycle within the city shall, within 10 days of the purchase of such bicycle, file with the Bureau of Police a description of the bicycle upon a form to be provided for that purpose. Upon the execution and filing of the form, the same shall constitute a registration of such bicycle. All registrations shall be serially numbered and filed by the Bureau of Police and shall constitute a public record.
Upon the registration of a bicycle in accordance with this chapter, the Bureau of Police shall affix a license, serially numbered so as to correspond with the registration of such bicycle, in a prominent place thereon.
The registration of each bicycle shall be permanent and need not be renewed except:
A. 
If the bicycle is sold or transferred to a new owner, it shall be the duty of the new owner to have the bicycle registered in his or her name and to have a new license issued therefor.
B. 
If the original license has been mutilated or destroyed so as to be unreadable, the owner thereof shall obtain a new license and registration therefor.
[Amended 3-11-1997 by Ord. No. 5-1997]
The fee for registration or reregistration of each bicycle shall be $1, which shall be paid at the time the license therefor is issued.
All registrations and licenses issued hereunder are not assignable. Within 10 days after any bicycle has changed ownership or been dismantled, such information shall be reported to the Bureau of Police by the former owner, and the new owner shall register the bicycle and receive a new license therefor.
A. 
No person shall ride a bicycle upon any sidewalk, park, school yard or any public place so as to obstruct pedestrian traffic or endanger another person's safety. No person shall park or let a bicycle stand upon any sidewalk, park, path or any public place where it is an obstruction to pedestrians.
B. 
No person shall ride a bicycle on the sidewalk of that part of the district of the City of Lancaster known as the Downtown Investment District, as defined in Ordinance No. 11-2000,[1] except for members of the Bureau of Police, including the Chief of Police, while on duty, and except for employees of the Lancaster Downtown Investment District Authority serving as bicycle patrol while on duty, when required for emergency action and/or law enforcement activities.
[Amended 11-25-2008 by Ord. No. 13-2008]
[1]
Editor's Note: See Ch. 17, Municipal Authorities, § 17-11, Lancaster Downtown Investment District Authority.
Every bicycle operated upon a street, alley or public place within the city between 1/2 hour after sunset and 1/2 hour before sunrise shall be equipped with a battery-powered or generator-operated lamp on the front, exhibiting a light to the front of the bicycle visible for a distance of 500 feet and with a battery-powered lamp or red reflector on the rear which shall be visible for a distance of 500 feet to the rear.
Any person violating any provision of this chapter shall, upon conviction thereof, be fined not more than $50. A bicycle operated by any person in violation of this chapter may be impounded by the Bureau of Police, at its discretion, until such bicycle is registered as herein provided.