Volusia County may allow golf carts on roads

Neighborhoods could ask for permission

By Al Everson
BEACON STAFF WRITER

posted Dec 17, 2009 - 11:32:04am

Some residents of Volusia County may be allowed to put the cart before the course, under a proposal now in the formative stage.

Following the examples of South Daytona and Lake Helen, county leaders are thinking of encouraging people in some neighborhoods to use golf carts — rather than cars — for supershort trips.

State law allows local governments to regulate the operation of golf carts, and an ordinance permitting their use in certain subdivisions may be presented to the County Council in the coming weeks.

“We want them on local streets, not thoroughfare roads,” County Traffic Engineer Jon Cheney said.

The plan is for Cheney to consider requests for golf carts to be used in select neighborhoods; he would make recommendations to the County Council.

In his 11 years as the county’s traffic engineer, Cheney said, he has received only two requests from neighborhoods whose residents want to ride golf carts on their streets. One of the requests, he added, came from Stone Island, near Deltona and Enterprise. The other came from Indian Harbor Estates, near Oak Hill.

“We’re talking truly about residential streets,” Assistant County Attorney Jamie Seaman said.

Cheney noted, however, golf carts may be “allowed on county roads, and they’re allowed on state roads, based on certain criteria.” State law regulates the operation of golf carts on state roads.

Golf carts can be operated only on slow-speed roads, no matter whose roads they are.

“You cannot operate golf carts on a road with a speed greater than 35 miles per hour,” Seaman said.

The County Council last month reached a consensus in favor of permitting golf carts on neighborhood streets, if the vehicles are equipped with headlights, brake lights, and windshield wipers. The council also tentatively decided to set the minimum age for drivers at 16.

“The statute says we cannot require a driver’s license,” Seaman told the County Council.

The council did not decide whether to prohibit or restrict the use of golf carts at night.

“I don’t want to see it at night,” Council Member Pat Northey said.

There was no discussion about licensing golf carts to operate on public rights of way.

The speed capability of the golf carts may be in question. While some are designed to go as fast as 35 mph, most are slower.

“It typically doesn’t travel at more than 20 miles per hour,” Cheney said.

Before golf carts would be authorized for use on public streets inside a neighborhood, Seaman said, a majority of the neighborhood’s property owners would have to support the request.

“Fifty-one percent of people within that area must say they want golf carts,” she said.

Council Member Andy Kelly liked the idea, noting it would reduce the use of cars.

“I think it’s a good carbon-footprint statement,” he said.

— al@beacononlinenews.com

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