Council debates golf‑cart rules: age, sidewalks, crossings and fees remain unresolved

City law staff and councilmembers spent significant time Feb. 25 discussing a proposed ordinance that would allow operation of golf carts on designated streets in Wichita, outline safety equipment requirements and set registration and enforcement rules. The session was a direction‑seeking workshop; no ordinance was adopted.

Sharon DeGroff, City Law Department, told the council that Kansas statutes restrict golf‑cart operation on highways and on roads posted over 30 mph unless vehicles display a slow‑moving vehicle emblem and motorcycle‑style lights, and that any city ordinance could not be less restrictive than state law. “Currently, the city does not have an ordinance allowing golf cart operation. So the operation of golf carts within the city on any city street is illegal,” DeGroff said. She outlined a draft that would allow carts on streets 30 mph or less, require registration, proof of liability insurance, a slow‑moving emblem, and prohibit sidewalk use and operation after dark unless the cart has the required lights.

Members of district advisory boards (DABs) offered mixed feedback in earlier meetings summarized to council: some DABs supported lowering the operation age to 16 and allowing nighttime use with lights; others opposed regulation citing enforcement concerns. The draft ordinance had recommended a $75 annual city registration fee and required proof of liability insurance; staff said registration fees among nearby suburbs vary from a one‑time $25 up to $100 per year.

Vice Mayor J.V. Johnston proposed a substantially different set of provisions during the workshop: allow golf carts on streets posted 30 mph or less, permit night operation with state‑required emblem and lights, permit crossing of arterial streets only at controlled intersections, allow sidewalk operation in the downtown core but require carts to yield to pedestrians, reduce or eliminate the city registration fee and not require seat belts. “They would be allowed to drive on side streets which 30 miles per hour or less. It would require a valid driver's license. So basically 16 and over,” Johnston said.

Other councilmembers raised safety and enforcement concerns. Several pointed to downtown accessibility for wheelchair users and the narrowness of older sidewalks (often 4–5 feet) and asked how carts and mobility‑device users would share space. DeGroff and staff said most multi‑use paths in newer areas are 10 feet wide but older sidewalks in the core are narrower; they recommended caution before permitting sidewalk operation where sidewalk widths vary.

Police enforcement capacity also drove concern. Staff noted the Wichita Police Department had reported issues with teens operating unregistered carts and that registration tools help police trace owners of impounded carts. DeGroff said registration would assist enforcement and that some neighboring cities require registration.

Council discussion produced no final vote; members asked staff to return with revised ordinance language reflecting council direction where possible. Staff said they could provide a revised draft before the March 18 meeting but cautioned DAB schedules and the council’s travel calendar could limit additional DAB presentations before that date. The council asked staff to consider options that include: lowering minimum age to 16, clarifying crossing rules at controlled intersections, examining sidewalk allowances in the downtown core, assessing seat‑belt requirements for older carts, and reexamining registration fee structure and enforcement logistics.

This workshop produced policy direction and a request for staff to redraft the ordinance text for further council review and additional DAB input as feasible.