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 that bars operating a golf cart on roadways with posted speed limits above 35 mph; staff also explained that some bike lanes or paved shoulders are already designated for permitted use under the code. City Attorney Zarzecke pointed to the existing language and said the same age and licensing requirements PRG uses at Buffalo Run (drivers 18+ with a driver’s license) could be applied to private carts brought by residents to the course.

- Safety and enforcement: Councilmember Ford and others emphasized enforcement and driver behavior as the biggest risk, citing frequent neighborhood misuse of small motorized vehicles. City Manager Rob Rogers said the decision is a threshold policy choice — “Are roads there to provide movement of vehicles, movement of pedestrians in a safe and in a protected fashion?” — and advised using forthcoming data from the city’s Safety Action Plan and Transportation Master Plan to guide any final decision. PRG and staff recommended limiting any pilot to neighborhoods that do not have to cross high-speed arterials and adding physical safety measures at crossings.

- Fees, inspections and program mechanics: Paul (golf-course staff) reported that a private-cart fee could match current rental economics and estimated a $13 offset per cart to cover operating costs; he said the current rental rate is “$17. Plus tax…It comes to $18.50 with tax.” PRG suggested an optional $20 annual safety-inspection/registration sticker and discussed a $4,300 signage estimate and modest administrative costs. Staff also described a potential plan for storage/seasonal parking at the course for private carts but said construction or expansion of a secure cart barn would carry uncertain upfront costs and usage demand.

- Technical controls and vehicle limits: Staff said the course fleet does not currently use geofencing and that geofencing systems for a fleet typically lease for roughly $17,000–$30,000 per year depending on sophistication; that technology could prevent nonauthorized or out‑of‑bounds driving but would add recurring costs. Staff also proposed requiring electric-only powertrains, turf‑friendly tires, windshield/headlight/taillight equipment and a speed cap while on course (staff cited 12–15 mph operating speeds on course and noted some private carts have street-legal switches that allow higher speeds on public roads).

Council direction and next steps Council members did not take a formal vote. Multiple council members and PRG members expressed support for a limited pilot or phased approach that would: allow private carts on the Buffalo Run course with an inspection/registration and waiver; limit road access across high‑speed arterials until safety improvements are implemented; and return to council with a staff‑prepared pilot proposal, draft waiver/indemnity language and cost estimates. City Attorney Zarzecke recommended a written release and indemnity form and suggested framing the pilot by schedule (for example, limited days or hours) rather than by resident geography, to avoid excluding residents based on address.

Quotes “Those pain points, meaning the safety issues, should be addressed first before anything is allowed,” Councilmember Kim said. City Manager Rob Rogers urged the council to consider broader policy priorities: “Are roads there to provide movement of vehicles, movement of pedestrians in a safe and in a protected fashion?” Paul (golf-course staff) described the current rental pricing: “It’s $17. Plus tax. It comes to $18.50 with tax.” City Attorney Zarzecke said the city’s current regulations already require a driver’s license to operate a golf cart and restrict operation on certain roads and sidewalks.

Details and constraints Staff emphasized that some roads by the course have posted limits above the municipal code threshold (e.g., Chambers Road at 45 mph) and that the current code already restricts golf carts on higher‑speed streets. PRG said the committee’s prior vote on the matter recommended not approving private carts in the plan as presented, and several council members said they want a rewritten or phased plan that limits operations while staff develops safety, parking and enforcement measures.

Ending note Staff will draft a pilot program and related policy language that includes safety inspections, waiver/indemnity forms and a cost estimate, then return to council. No formal ordinance or final policy change was adopted at the meeting.