A RESOLUTION BY COUNCILMEMBERS MATT WESTMORELAND, AMIR FAROKHI, JASON DOZIER, DUSTIN HILLIS, LILIANA BAKHTIARI, MARCI COLLIER OVERSTREET, ANDREA L. BOONE, JASON WINSTON, KEISHA SEAN WAITES, BYRON D. AMOS, ANTONIO LEWIS, MICHAEL JULIAN BOND AND ALEX WAN AS SUBSTITUTED BY TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE AND AS SUBSTITUTED BY ATLANTA CITY COUNCIL AUTHORIZING THE CITY OF ATLANTA TO DONATE A TOTAL AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED ONE MILLION DOLLARS AND ZERO CENTS ($1,000,000.00), TO THE ATLANTA REGIONAL COMMISSION AND PROPEL ATL, PURSUANT TO SECTION 6-306 OF THE CITY OF ATLANTA’S CHARTER, TO SUPPORT ELECTRIC BIKE INITIATIVES WITHIN THE CITY OF ATLANTA; AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR OR HIS DESIGNEE, TO ENTER INTO ANY NECESSARY AGREEMENTS TO EFFECTUATE THE DONATION; AND AUTHORIZE THE CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER OR HIS DESIGNEE, TO MAKE ALL PAYMENTS FROM THE ACCOUNTS LISTED HEREIN; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.

WHEREAS, to help combat the twin challenges of rising transportation costs and climate change, several cities and states across the country are launching e-bicycle rebate programs; and

WHEREAS, electric bicycles are quickly proving to be one of the best ways to reduce emissions by replacing car trips while still providing fast, efficient personal transportation; and

WHEREAS, subsidy programs that help reduce the cost of e-bikes are now making them more affordable than ever before; and

WHEREAS, when considering the combined costs of housing and transportation for residents making 80 percent or less of the region’s median income, these households spend some 62 percent of their income on housing and transportation; and

WHEREAS, the average Atlanta resident spends more than $11,000 annually on transportation costs; and

WHEREAS, In April 2022, the City of Denver launched a $3 million e-bike rebate program, divided evenly between instant rebates and income-eligible rebates, that included $400 instant vouchers for eligible residents and a $1,200 rebate for income-eligible residents; and

WHEREAS, In October 2022, the City of Boston launched a $1.5 million e-bike rebate program that included a $500 instant rebate for eligible residents and a $1,500 rebate for income-eligible residents; and

WHEREAS, Similar statewide programs are being launched or considered in Vermont, Colorado, California, Oregon, New York, and elsewhere; and

WHEREAS, In January 2023, the Atlanta City Council adopted 22-R-4801, which established an E-Bicycle Rebate Study Group to review national best practices and provide recommendations for the creation of an e-bicycle rebate program for the City of Atlanta; and

WHEREAS, Members of the Study Group included the Transportation Committee Chair of the Atlanta City Council, the Commissioner of the Department of Transportation, the Director of the Mayor’s Office of Sustainability and Resiliency, the Executive Director of Propel ATL, and representation from the Partnership for Southern Equity and the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta; and

WHEREAS, The E-Bicycle Study Group recommends making a donation to the Atlanta Regional Commission and Propel ATL to support electric bike initiatives within the City of Atlanta.

NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ATLANTA, GEORGIA, that pursuant to Section 6-306 of the City of Atlanta’s Charter, the Chief Financial Officer or his designee, is authorized to make a donation to the Atlanta Regional Commission and Propel ATL in a total amount not to exceed One Million Dollars and Zero Cents ($1,000,000.00) to support electric bike initiatives within the City of Atlanta.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that of the total not to exceed amount of One Million Dollars and Zero Cents ($1,000,000.00) that Nine Hundred Sixty Thousand Dollars and Zero Cents ($960,000.00) shall be donated to the Atlanta Regional Commission and Forty Thousand Dollars and Zero Cents ($40,000.00) shall be donated to Propel ATL.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Chief Financial Officer is hereby authorized to charge to and pay the donation authorized hereby from the following account: 1001 (General Fund) 200101 (Non-Departmental Reserve of Fund Appropriations) 5212001 (Consulting/Professional Services) 151200 (Accounting).

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that one payment in the amount of Five Hundred Thousand Dollars and Zero Cents ($500,000.00) shall be made in Fiscal Year 2024, and the remaining Five Hundred Thousand Dollars and Zero Cents ($500,000.00) payment shall be made in Fiscal Year 2025.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Mayor, or his designee is authorized to execute any agreements necessary to effectuate this donation.

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that all resolutions or parts of resolutions that are in conflict with the terms of this Resolution are hereby waived to the extent of the conflict.