Grassroots push for city golf-cart ordinance prompts council to seek public input and safety data

A group of residents has petitioned the Alpine City Council to adopt an ordinance permitting golf-cart use on certain city streets, and the council spent an extended portion of the meeting debating safety, enforcement and next steps.

Petitioner Mario Jimenez, who said he represents a grassroots group, reviewed peer-city ordinances (Highland, St. George, Pleasant View) and argued a clear municipal ordinance creates enforceable standards and can improve safety versus an entirely unregulated situation. "What we're recommending is every single action that is dictated, mandated, and enforced... having a licensed operator, having no more than the amount of people that are supposed to be in the golf cart," Jimenez said.

Councilmembers raised concerns about police enforcement capacity, juvenile misuse, insurance coverage and whether legalizing golf carts would increase usage problems. Councilmember Brent Rummler cited safety research and noted many jurisdictions had declined to adopt similar ordinances. Chief Williams of the Lone Peak Public Safety District told the council Highland's experience over the past year showed no meaningful reduction in misuse; he also said officers have not seen a spike in golf-cart crashes in Highland since that city enacted an ordinance.

The council did not place an ordinance on a vote. Instead, members directed staff (the planner and mayor's office) to draft a short (3'5-question) public survey that would ask residents structured, nonleading questions about where golf carts might be allowed, safety concerns, and preferences on age and insurer/registration requirements. Staff and the mayor agreed to finalize survey text promptly for distribution and to report back with Highland's enforcement experience and clearer safety and insurance metrics.