The Clearwater City Council is a step away from implementing an ordinance that would allow residents to use golf carts on selected city streets.

 

Last November, residents from Clearwater Estates approached the council about using golf carts on city streets. State law prohibits the use of golf carts on city streets unless the city has its own ordinance allowing it.

 

Years ago, the city had an ordinance allowing people to drive their carts to Coborn’s when the store was on the other side of Hwy. 24. Residents were asking for the same privilege again.

 

At the last city council meeting, Administrator Kevin Kress introduced a new ordinance that allowed golf carts on some streets, but also required carts to have slow moving vehicle signs, rear view mirrors, and for drivers to carry insurance.

 

The ordinance also required a permit.

 

That was an issue of debate between council members. Mayor Pete Edmonson said he was in favor of the ordinance, but didn’t see the need to issue permits.

 

“Would there be a reason that we have to issue permits at all?” he asked.

 

Kress said it was to ensure that everybody was complying with the ordinance. 

 

“That would be the intention of the permitting process - to make sure the vehicles that are allowed on public streets are permitted,” he said.

 

Edmonson said there are already state statutes that govern the use of vehicles. he felt it was the card driver, not the city’s responsibility to be in compliance.

 

“If we set up an ordinance, wouldn’t that be enforced passively either through our patrol or city maintenance?” he asked. “If someone’s not following the ordinance, then that’s on them. We can still enforce if they’re in violation of it, but I don’t know why we have to go through the process to set up permits.”

 

Kress said it’s similar to a building permit.

 

“If you didn’t require a building permit, you’d never know what anybody has in their house,” he said.

 

Edmonson said he didn’t see the purpose of a permit.

 

“I don’t see the benefit of us as a city stepping in and creating a permit process. Couldn’t we just set up the ordinance and move on?” he asked.

 

Councilman Kris Crandall said there has to be some way to regulate the condition of the carts. 

 

“Aren’t we allowing them just to drive anything - whatever they got on the road?” he asked. “You get  a $100 rattletrap golf cart you allow on the road. We’re basically saying anything you buy, you can drive if we’re not checking it.”

 

Councilman Rollie Lange said there should be a way to protect the city by making sure residents are aware of the conditions in the ordinance. He said there could be a one-time flat fee.

 

“I think as a city, I would like to see some kind of a monitoring of the system,” he said. “Just a procedural thing. We have a form they sign and we have it on file. If they have an accident, we’re covered.”

 

Councilman Chris Ritzer said if the cart has a sticker, law enforcement will know they’re in compliance. 

 

“You have a police officer driving down the road, he can look and see a sticker and not have an issue, instead of pulling every golf cart over,” he said. “I don’t see what the problem is with a permit.”

 

“It’s similar to buying license plates,” said Kress. “If you don’t know they’ve met those requirement, how does the officer go around town and know which ones have insurance and all the other requirements?”

 

“Why do we care if they have insurance or not?” asked Edmonson. “As a city we create an ordinance. The ordinance says they have to have insurance. If they’re not following that, that’s on them.”

 

Rather than continue the debate, council tabled the issue until Kress could get more information about whether or not a permit is required if the city establishes an ordinance.

 

That information should be available for Monday’s council meeting.