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Council updates golf‑cart rules, increases inspection fee and grandfathering protects older vehicles
Summary
Council replaced Chapter 75 to require police inspections, raised the annual permit fee to $50 (partly to compensate police time), clarified dimensions and grandfathered older carts from some retrofit requirements after amending the ordinance to drop turn signals and horn requirements.
On second reading the council adopted ordinance 2025‑44 updating the city’s golf‑cart code. The ordinance replaces Chapter 75 with new definitions, approved dimensions, an annual registration and an inspection requirement performed by the city police. The fee for inspection/registration will increase from $30 to $50 to cover police time; staff said part of the fee will reimburse police for inspection services.
Councilmembers and members of the public questioned why carts must be equipped with street‑legal lighting if slow‑moving vehicles are prohibited from operating at night. Staff said the lighting requirement improves visibility for safety and that special event permits could allow after‑hours operation for specific events (for example, Fourth of July fireworks). Police will perform inspections and affix permits to carts.
Members debated whether older carts that lack turn signals and horns should be forced to retrofit. The council amended the ordinance to strike turn signals and horn from the mandatory equipment list; older carts will be grandfathered so owners need not retrofit those features. After technical scrivener corrections to exhibits, the council voted to approve the ordinance as amended.
Council also tabled two additional small‑vehicle items (items D and E, including an e‑bike ordinance) for further cleanup and to return at a later meeting.
