Commerce City council weighs private golf-cart access, safety pilot at Buffalo Run

Commerce City council members and staff spent more than an hour June discussing whether to allow privately owned golf carts and personalized motorized vehicles to operate on Buffalo Run Golf Course and on local streets, focusing on safety rules, inspections, fees and a possible pilot program.

Council members, Parks, Recreation and Golf (PRG) advisory committee members and staff said the primary questions are whether private carts may be allowed on the course, how the city would authorize them, and how users would legally get carts to Buffalo Run without creating traffic or safety problems on 40–45 mph arterials such as 120th Avenue and Chambers Road. Councilmember Kim urged addressing “pain points, meaning the safety issues” before permitting carts, and PRG co-chair Delilah and other PRG members recommended a small, neighborhood pilot rather than broad, immediate approval.

Why it matters: council members and staff said the issue affects a limited group of residents but has citywide safety and cost implications. Staff said allowing private carts on the course would require new written policy, inspections and an indemnity/waiver, plus operational changes for Public Works and Police, and could create recurring enforcement and maintenance costs.

What council and staff discussed most - Current code and limits: Staff noted the municipal traffic code already allows some golf-cart operation and contains restrictions tied to road speed. City staff cited a provision…