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Resident proposes golf‑cart ordinance for designated low‑speed streets; council refers to Judiciary
Summary
Malany Watts asked the council to adopt an ordinance allowing golf carts on designated streets with speed limits of 25 mph or less, citing other Montana cities that have used similar ordinances; commissioners referred the request to the Judiciary Committee for drafting and safety details.
At the May 6 meeting Malany Watts requested the council adopt an ordinance under Montana law (MCA 61‑8‑391 was cited at the meeting as enabling action) to allow golf carts on designated streets with speed limits of 25 mph or less. Watts said several Montana municipalities — including Polson, Whitefish, Missoula and Bozeman — have enacted similar, limited ordinances and that those local laws require safety equipment and limit which streets are eligible.
Commissioner Trudy Healy invited Watts to explain the proposal, and the council voted unanimously to refer the communication to the Judiciary Committee for drafting, with attention to designated streets, required safety equipment, and compliance with state law. No ordinance language was adopted at the May 6 meeting.
What happens next: The Judiciary Committee will review the request and return proposed ordinance language, maps of eligible streets, and recommended safety requirements for subsequent hearings and possible council votes.
