Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Golf Cart Ordinance topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
St. Mary’s County holds hearing on countywide golf-cart ordinance; residents back adding Old Horse Landing Road
Summary
County attorney outlined a proposal to repeal and replace a 2017 ordinance to allow counties to designate roads for golf cart use; proposal would reinstate prior Golden Beach roads and add Old Horse Landing Road after a petition and a DPW speed study; several residents spoke in favor.
The Board of County Commissioners opened a public hearing on a proposed repeal and replacement of Ordinance 2017-30 to designate which county roads may legally be driven by golf carts. County Attorney Miss Giddens said state law changes in 2024 removed the prior road-by-road designation approach and gave counties authority to specify authorized roads; the proposed 2025 ordinance would reenact previously authorized roads in Golden Beach and add Old Horse Landing Road.
"In this 2024 legislative session the General Assembly said we're not gonna do this road by road thing anymore," Giddens said, explaining how the state changes required the county to reissue a local list of approved roads. The proposal would restore the Golden Beach list and add Old Horse Landing Road after a petition from area residents.
Giddens said the Department of Public Works and Transportation performed a speed study on Old Horse Landing Road and reported one vehicle traveling 69 miles per hour during the study, a detail that DPW said raised safety concerns. She described the statutory and equipment requirements that apply to golf carts under state law: operation only from dawn to dusk, drivers must hold a valid driver's license, and carts must have specified reflectors and lamps. She also noted that vehicles such as ATVs or low-speed vehicles that exceed the golf cart definition are not authorized unless they meet the statutory definition.
Several residents from Old Horse Landing Road and Mount Zion Church Road spoke in favor of adding the road. Jeff Buckler, who lives at 40789 Old Horse Landing Road, described the road's agricultural history and called it a "dead end road" used by neighbors; he said golf carts would be convenient for residents to access gardens and properties. "It would be a great convenient for her to be able to go to her garden that's further down the road," said Karen Buckler, a resident and petitioner. Other speakers, including Tony Evans and Bert Gagnon, said the road is safe and that golf carts are important for older residents who rely on them for short trips.
Commissioners asked procedural questions about implementation. Giddens and staff said the county intends to work with DPW to develop an application process for adding new roads and that the commissioners would retain final approval of any additions. The sheriff's office was described as responsible for enforcement discretion in cases such as unlicensed operators. The public comment period on the ordinance will remain open until close of business on May 6, 2025; members of the public may send comments by email to csmc@stmaryscountymd.gov or by mail to PO Box 651, Leonardtown, Maryland 20650.
