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Commission debates cart replacement, electric conversion, GPS geofencing and private-cart policy
Summary
Staff reported a planned replacement of the golf cart fleet and discussed costs, electrical upgrades and GPS geofencing; commissioners also discussed private-cart rules, ADA flag use and possible grant funding for electric conversions.
City staff and golf-course leaders updated the commission on a planned fleet replacement and on operational steps to reduce damage and misuse of carts.
Sam (head golf professional) and golf maintenance staff described a tentative plan to replace the current fleet with 90 carts (the course currently has about 70), financed over five years with an annual budgeted payment around $80,000. Sam said the budget includes GPS units for the new carts and estimated an additional GPS cost of roughly $33 per cart per month. He also said lithium-electric carts would likely run about $41 more per cart per month than alternatives and that charger- and transformer-related electrical upgrades would be required if the city chose to convert to electric charging on-site.
The commission discussed operational concerns including heavy damage to the existing carts, turnaround/maintenance practices, and whether warranty coverage could be required for a new fleet. Sam told commissioners some local vendors limited test driving during visits and noted trade-in values and lease terms can change at replacement cycles; he recommended a total fleet procurement if funding allows.
Commissioners also discussed private-cart policy and ADA access: staff said the private-cart policy has been revised to allow privately owned carts that are not older than ten years (measured against the oldest cart in the fleet) and to grandfather existing carts where trail fees are current. Commissioners asked for the policy in writing and emphasized that ADA access flags should be managed cautiously to avoid abuse while ensuring access for legitimately disabled players. Sam described GPS-equipped carts’ geofencing capability: “If it goes into a designated area, it'll just completely shut down,” which commissioners said could help prevent cart misuse near greens and hazards.
Next steps: staff will proceed with the replacement process in coordination with the approved budget timetable, pursue warranty and procurement comparisons, and provide written policy guidance on private-cart eligibility and ADA flag procedures. Commissioners also urged staff to pursue grant opportunities raised by members for electric conversion funding.
