Changes coming for golf cart use in community

by Marianne Gasaway

Effective Jan. 1, modifications to the city’s Golf Cart Ordinance will go into effect in an effort to make their operation more safe.

Police Chief Pete Roth presented revisions to the current ordinance during a special City Council meeting Monday morning.  His proposed amendments were based on suggestions made by Council members at a recent workshop session.

Highlights of the amendment, which will be formally adopted in December, are:

•All persons must be seated properly in a golf cart and not seated on another person while in motion on a City street, alley or City-owned property.

•No one may stand in a golf cart while it is in motion.

•All persons under the age of 18 riding in a golf cart in a rear facing seating position must wear a safety belt, safety harness, or seat belt when the golf cart is in motion.

•All rear facing seating areas must have safety or seat belts.

Roth also proposed raising the annual fee

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to operate a golf cart in city limits from $25 to $40, saying the administrative time needed to inspect, process and approve permits has steadily increased in the five years since the city allowed their use on city streets.  The fee has been $25 since 2017.

There had been discussion about making the permit good for more than one year, but Roth told Council members he preferred to keep it annual as a good way to speak to golf cart operators about regulations and inspect for necessary safety equipment.

In response to a question from a Council member, Roth explained that seat belts are necessary on rear-facing seats, even if the cart owner does not intend to ever have passengers in the seat.

Those not complying with the City’s golf cart ordinance will face a $105 fine for a first offense and $150 fine for a second of subsequent offense.

Council members Mike Callanan and Gary Hugi, who brought the issue to the workshop session, said they were thrilled by Chief Roth’s proposed amendment to the city’s ordinance.

“I’ve had concerns about what we had on the books, and most of that had to do with safety,” Callanan said.  “I know not everyone will be thrilled with the change, but I stand by the safety features of it.”

Hugi added that he supports the updates “100 percent.”

The first reading of the amendment to the ordinance was approved unanimously by the city council, 5-0.  The second and third readings will take place at December Council meetings and if passed, the changes would go into effect Jan. 1, 2022.

Golf cart permits are issued on an annual basis, Jan. 1 to Dec. 31.

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