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Trustees decline to adopt golf-cart ordinance after safety concerns on hilly village roads
Summary
The Village of Four Seasons Board of Trustees did not approve Ordinance 26-01 (regulating golf carts and low-speed vehicles) after debate over safety on curvy, hilly roads and enforcement trade-offs; proponents said the ordinance would allow registration and enforcement but opponents argued it posed new hazards.
Trustees considered Ordinance 26-01, which would have added rules on the operation, equipment, registration and permitting of golf carts and low-speed vehicles on municipal streets, but the measure failed to pass after a sharply divided discussion.
Supporters of the ordinance argued it would supply tools for enforcement and safety standards — registration, inspections, equipment requirements and a 20-mph limit where permitted — that the sheriff’s office could use to cite unsafe operation. One trustee noted the ordinance “forces incident validation” and provides a path for enforcement where none exists today.
Opponents emphasized the village’s terrain: curvy, hilly roads and the presence of large commercial vehicles on some routes. “I just don’t see how 20 mph golf carts and 35 to 40 mph dump trucks and cement trucks on hilly curvy roads are a good idea,” Trustee Ron Weiss said during deliberations, urging caution. Trustees also voiced concern about slowed traffic and potential safety hazards where carts and heavier vehicles share narrow lanes.
After two title readings and further debate, the motion to adopt the ordinance did not carry. Trustees thanked the drafting group for extensive work on the draft but said more refinement may be needed to reconcile safety and access concerns before bringing the measure back.
Next steps: Trustees suggested potential future edits such as limiting cart access on specified higher-speed or curvy corridors, and acknowledged the effort could be revisited when consensus is stronger.
