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Wichita council adopts ordinance allowing golf carts on city streets with restrictions
Summary
After months of public comment and advisory board feedback, the Wichita City Council approved a revised ordinance that legalizes golf cart operation on city streets with a 30 mph limit and other limits; the measure passed 6–1.
The Wichita City Council on Tuesday approved a revised ordinance permitting golf cart operation on city streets with posted speeds of 30 miles per hour or less, while prohibiting use on sidewalks, walking trails and bike paths and requiring additional equipment for night operation.
Supporters said the change legalizes long‑standing local practice in some neighborhoods and will allow recreational and downtown uses. Opponents — including some council members and public commenters — warned the ordinance could create safety risks for pedestrians and children in neighborhoods and noted the state attorney general issued an opinion restricting vehicle use on sidewalks.
City Law Department attorney Sharon DeGroff told the council that state law currently makes unmodified golf cart operation illegal on city streets and that the proposed ordinance aligns local rules with state requirements while allowing limited use. The revised text reduces age and equipment restrictions discussed earlier in a February council workshop: it sets a minimum operator age of 16, allows night operation if carts have motorcycle‑style lights and the slow‑moving vehicle emblem, removes a proposed registration fee, and removes seat‑belt requirements that had drawn objection.
Council debate focused on pedestrian safety and how carts would cross higher‑speed streets. The ordinance allows golf carts to cross streets posted above 30 mph only at controlled intersections; council and staff said the wording reflected the attorney general’s opinion and police department safety recommendations. Several speakers from golf‑course communities and Delano urged broader sidewalk access to reach courses or local businesses; the council declined to authorize sidewalk operation.
Public comment included business and neighborhood voices. Steve Lackey of a golf cart advocacy group thanked the council for compromise work; Delano property owner Philip Slape said carts would help downtown businesses and visitors move between venues; residents from golf‑course neighborhoods warned the sidewalk prohibition could leave many owners unable to safely reach course entrances.
Vice Mayor Johnston moved approval of the second reading of the ordinance and authorized the clerk to publish it; the motion passed 6–1. The council directed staff to monitor outcomes and said they would revisit implementation questions, including crossings and enforcement, if problems arise.
The ordinance takes effect per the city charter after publication; the council and staff said they expect information and outreach materials to follow to clarify where and how carts may operate.
