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Commissioners exempt agricultural users from proposed golf cart and ORV permit requirement
Summary
Pulaski County commissioners voted to exempt agricultural users from a draft golf cart and off-road vehicle ordinance, amid debate over whether the exemption should extend to industrial users.
Pulaski County commissioners voted to exempt agricultural users from a proposed ordinance that would require permits for golf carts and off-road vehicles (ORVs) used on county roadways. The move was presented as a temporary exemption while the board considers broader policy questions about other users.
The ordinance discussion focused on which vehicle uses should require permits. Commissioner Don (Commissioner) introduced the topic as an effort to allow residents to use golf carts and ORVs for local travel. Several commissioners said agricultural uses have long relied on such vehicles for daily farm work and should not be burdened by a permit requirement for agricultural activity.
Mike (Commissioner) raised concerns about parity: if agriculture is exempted, should similarly situated industrial or manufacturing employers located outside a town’s corporate limits also be exempt? He noted that Industrial Parkway and other county roads serve major employers who use low-speed vehicles for work and said singling out agriculture could create an inconsistent regulatory distinction.
Commissioner Jenny (Commissioner) and others said they favored an agricultural exemption for now and suggested revisiting the question of industrial users in future meetings. The board discussed an option to require that agriculture users at least register with the sheriff’s office, but several commissioners said many farmers would prefer not to register and that state registration already exists for some vehicles.
A motion to exempt agricultural uses from the permit requirement was made and seconded; the board voted in favor and the exemption was adopted for the present draft ordinance. Commissioners directed staff to continue discussion and to revisit industrial or employer-based exemptions as a future topic.
The ordinance discussion will continue at a later meeting; commissioners said staff should prepare language and options to address fairness, enforcement, and any required coordination with the sheriff’s office.
