Palm Beach County backs pilot for golf carts on Acme Dairy Road, asks staff for wider study on designated routes and ATV incidents

Palm Beach County commissioners directed staff to draft an ordinance authorizing golf carts on a defined stretch of Acme Dairy Road and to return with additional research on other candidate routes and on incidents involving all‑terrain vehicles (ATVs) on county‑maintained unpaved roads.

County engineering staff recommended Acme Dairy Road for a pilot because an existing eight‑foot multiuse pathway runs along the west side of the road and connects residential subdivisions, the Canyons Library branch and two schools (West Point Middle School and Sunset Ponds Elementary). Commissioners praised the connectivity benefits for neighborhoods where residents commonly use golf carts for short trips, school drop‑offs and library access, but repeatedly stressed safety requirements including driver licensing, lighting, signage and possible insurance or registration conditions.

David Riggs, director of engineering and public works, summarized statutory limits that govern golf cart operation and said state law exempts golf carts that meet a statutory definition from vehicle…