Ordinance Allowing Golf Carts on Town Roads Dead

For those of you who may have been pondering it: you can put away those snow tires for your golf cart – for good.

On Monday, the town’s Ordinance Committee three-putted on a proposal to allow golf carts to travel on certain streets by voting it off the agenda. 

So it’s not going to happen any time soon.

The committee revisited the issue that they last debated in late January. At that time, Council member Jason Santi (D-4) opened the brief debate by noting the 2009 state law allowing golf carts to be operated on municipal roads. Given the law, Santi said then, he thought it might be something the town could review. 

The state statute provides towns with an option to pass regulations allowing such use with a few restrictions, including: 

• Operation during daylight hours only
• Golf carts need to be equipped with a horn
• Golf carts need to be equipped with a flag visible to motorists
• No operation on streets with posted speed limits above 25 mph
• The operator must have a valid driver’s license  

However, even in January several members of the public and committee member Thomas Malloy in particular scored the idea. 

Malloy took up the theme again this week. As town leaders charged with overseeing and administering local government, he said, “we should be reflective of our duties,” and in particular take great care in the “quality of work and the bills we put forth. 

“This is a potential ordinance that affects precious few people,” Malloy said, noting that it also conflicts with at least one other town ordinance, a law forbidding the operation of all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) on town roads.

“Why are we considering creating a preference class for golf cart operators versus ATVs?” he asked.

“We should dispense with this as quickly as possible.” And just to make sure his point was understood, Malloy quickly followed up that comment with, “It should be dumped immediately.” 

And the majority of committee members agreed, as Malloy’s motion to strike the golf cart ordinance from the agenda was quickly adopted.