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Staff says local code changes will mirror state law; council asks to split golf-cart and phone rules
Summary
City staff told the council it is revising seven local code provisions to align with recent state statutory changes affecting criminal-code charges and court jurisdiction; the council asked staff to separate the golf-cart sidewalk allowance and a mobile-phone-in-construction-area rule into distinct agenda items for independent votes.
The city manager told the council staff will update seven local code provisions to conform with changes the state legislature adopted this past session. Items flagged included new treatment of laser misuse as a criminal offense, adjustments to petty-theft thresholds, unlawful use of financial cards, changes to municipal-court jurisdiction for certain offenses, amended penalties for domestic battery and revisions related to aggressive conduct and trespass on floodway properties.
On a separate ordinance item, staff said state action now allows golf carts to be permissible on sidewalks within 1 mile of golf courses; a council member asked to split that item from a separate mobile-phone rule tied to road-construction zones so members could vote on them independently. The city manager agreed to separate the items for the next agenda posting and to provide follow-up information on how the trespass/floodway change might apply to specific local properties, including the Arkansas River corridor.
Staff also highlighted other agenda items coming on the 16th and 23rd: a lease for the South Lakes sports complex, several zoning matters, temporary easements, nuisance abatements and one eminent-domain item. Council members asked staff to confirm geographic applicability and ownership where the state statute change affects municipal enforcement.
