The Board of Aldermen on Oct. 24 perfected an ordinance to legalize and regulate golf carts on many city streets, voting 8–5 in favor of perfection after extended floor debate over safety, park access and enforcement.

Sponsor Alderman from the fifth outlined two primary goals for board bill 62: "to legitimize to make legal the operation of golf carts on city streets" and to "put in place common sense regulations with respect to that operation," including equipment and operational requirements. The board adopted two amendments on the floor: amendment 1 (changing lane-width/lane-count language to allow carts to leave some neighborhoods) and amendment 2 (adding language that permits a front-facing "light bar" in addition to headlamps).

Why it matters: supporters said the ordinance would create a consistent, citywide regulatory framework, allowing streets to be used safely while requiring headlamps, mirrors, turn signals and other equipment. Opponents said the bill overreaches by broadly prohibiting golf-cart operation in most city parks, and worried that enforcement and equitable implementation would be uneven across wards.

What supporters said
Alderman from the fifth, sponsor: "These things are not we do not now not only are they not legal, but there is no right to drive a golf cart on a city street. It is a privilege which we are now legislating should this bill pass today." He cited injury concerns and hospital reports as part of the rationale for specifying equipment and operating limits.

What opponents said
Alderman from the twelfth, a frequent golf-cart user in her ward, said the park prohibition in the draft text had not accounted for local differences in park street layouts and abilities of residents who rely on carts: "If you didn't want to restrict further in your parks, but to tell the auto woman from the eleventh that she cannot drive her golf cart in O'Fallon or in Fairgrounds or if I wanna start driving one, that's overreaching." Several other aldermen from north-side wards raised similar concerns about local park configurations and about practical parking and access for seniors.

Key provisions and amendments
- Equipment requirements: headlamps, mirrors, turn signals, horns, windshield/goggles, and other safety items were discussed; amendment 2 explicitly adds "or a light bar" to front-lighting requirements.
- Parks: the draft prohibits golf-cart operation in all city parks except Forest Park and those designated by the parks director; sponsor said the director could designate exceptions. Several members argued that the prohibition is too broad for parks that include vehicle-capable streets.
- Lanes and speeds: the bill as amended restricts operation to roads under specified speed and lane conditions; amendment 1 raised the lane threshold in some areas to permit limited uses in neighborhoods like Dogtown.

Vote and next steps
The motion to perfect board bill 62 as amended passed on a roll call of 8 ayes and 5 nays. Passage of perfection advances the bill for further committee or calendar action; the transcript shows the board did not take final passage at this meeting.

Context and open questions
During floor debate members pressed for written amendments to be circulated and asked police and parks enforcement how the rules would be operationalized. Several speakers noted differences among wards in park design, parking scarcity and pedestrian infrastructure and urged additional implementation planning. The bill cites state enabling language (Missouri statute implementing municipal authority to allow golf carts), and supporters urged the board to keep equipment and operating rules in local code rather than relying on a resolution that could not require safety equipment.