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Council reviews proposal to require front and rear golf-cart decals for better visibility
Summary
Justin Strickland presented a Transportation Advisory Group recommendation to require registration decals on the front and rear of golf carts to improve visibility for enforcement and public safety; dealers and police provided input and council asked staff to draft an ordinance using simpler "front and rear, forward-facing/rear-facing" language.
Justin Strickland presented a proposed ordinance change to require golf-cart registration decals to be placed on both the front and rear of carts, replacing current side-placement language. The Transportation Advisory Group recommended the change to improve visibility for law enforcement and citizens seeking to report unsafe or reckless driving.
Strickland told council he consulted the city's three major cart dealers; dealers said they could help retrofit most carts and produce small mounting plates for rear decks when necessary. Dealers also noted windshields are sometimes replaced, which raises questions about whether a replacement would require issuing a new decal. Staff suggested reducing the decal height (removing an unused logo area) while keeping numbers large enough to remain readable, and proposed moving the renewal mailing and implementation date from January to March to allow outreach and a smoother transition.
Council discussed whether the ordinance should specify precise placement ("lower passenger windshield" and "rear deck") or instead require a general front-and-rear placement "affixed in such a manner as to be fully visible at all times." Several members suggested adding language requiring the front decal to be "forward-facing" and the rear decal to be "rear-facing" so someone cannot mount a plate flat on the deck facing upward and claim compliance.
Staff and council agreed the change has safety benefits, though some councilmembers cautioned that a minority of older or vintage carts may require minor modifications and that outreach and dealer cooperation are essential. No final ordinance vote was taken; council asked staff to return with a draft that uses clearer, simpler placement language and outlines implementation steps, timing and enforcement approach.
Technical details discussed in the meeting included keeping number height the same, reducing overall decal height, and an implementation window tied to the city's registration cycle (every three years). Staff estimated the change affects more than 11,000 registered carts in the city, and dealers said winter is the preferred time for retrofitting.
