Lifetime Citizen Portal Access — AI Briefings, Alerts & Unlimited Follows
Council debates golf‑cart, UTV rules and sends ordinance back for rewrite
Loading...
Summary
LaSalle aldermen spent the bulk of the March 2 meeting debating a proposed ordinance to regulate golf carts, utility‑task vehicles and side‑bysides — covering fees, inspection standards, permitted roads and enforcement — and voted to have the city attorney draft a revised ordinance and return in two weeks.
Aldermen on the LaSalle City Council spent the largest portion of their March 2 meeting debating a proposed ordinance to regulate golf carts, utility task vehicles and side‑by‑sides, then voted to send the draft back to the city attorney with revisions and return in two weeks.
The ordinance under review would add licensing and inspection requirements for these vehicles. Council members discussed a permit structure that several aldermen said should include an initiation fee and an annual renewal. One alderman recommended “at least a $150 because you’re gonna have another outside business do it,” while others argued for a lower minimum or a $25 baseline during the ordinance’s first year of operation.
Council members repeatedly emphasized that inspections should be performed by qualified technicians. An alderman suggested allowing “any ASE‑certified mechanic shop” to perform the inspections; the council also backed the idea that inspection paperwork should be a numbered, three‑copy form so owners, the inspector and the city all retain identical records. Mayor Grove warned against cursory sign‑offs: “We don’t want these pencil whipped,” referencing concerns about weak or fraudulent inspections.
Enforcement and where the vehicles would be allowed on the street network received sustained attention. Council members cited state statutory limits for these vehicles, noting that state highways and roads with joint jurisdiction cannot be opened unless both jurisdictions agree. The statute was referenced in discussion as “section 14 26.1 d,” and members agreed carts should be barred from state highways and any road with a posted maximum speed above 35 mph. The draft as discussed would limit permitted routes to roadways fully within LaSalle jurisdiction and below the 35‑mph threshold.
Council also discussed decals and recordkeeping: officials described a reflective, numbered 4x6 decal the city would issue and a processing fee to cover sticker costs. Police staff told the council they would issue permits in their records system so staff can look up the permit number, owner, inspector and documentation. Several aldermen recommended a one‑year probationary review of the ordinance, to allow adjustments for enforcement or fee structure.
After questions and multiple requests for clarification from staff and the police chief, the council voted to have the city attorney prepare a second draft incorporating the changes and return in two weeks for further review. The motion passed on the roll call and the council agreed the revised draft would include the fee language, inspection requirements, decal design and explicit route restrictions for joint‑jurisdiction and state highway segments.
Next steps: the city attorney will draft the revised ordinance, and the council will revisit it at the meeting scheduled in two weeks. Council members indicated the city will prepare public informational materials and consider a formal review after a trial period if the ordinance is adopted.
