HOLMES BEACH – Commissioners are trying to figure out a way to regulate golf carts, but they’re split on how to enact regulations without penalizing residents.
At a March 8 work session, Holmes Beach commissioners continued a discussion on enacting a registration program for golf carts that would only allow homesteaded city residents to drive them within city limits and give the operation of the vehicles on city streets a sunset period.
A golf cart is defined as being capable of traveling up to 20 mph and is not required to be registered with the Florida Department of Motor Vehicles. In contrast, a low-speed vehicle (LSV) may look similar to a golf cart, but can travel at speeds up to 25 mph and must have a state-issued license plate and insurance. Golf carts, unlike LSVs, are only allowed to be driven in the city of Holmes Beach, not in Anna Maria or Bradenton Beach.
If the new regulations pass, golf carts in Holmes Beach will be required to have a registration issued by the city. They would need to have insurance in case of an accident and would be allowed to be operated only during daylight hours, a custom commonly practiced now. The registration would be a one-time issue for residents because the operation of golf carts in the city would have a sunset period of five years.
Though the sunset period was initially proposed by city staff at 10 years, commissioners agreed 3-2 to lower the sunset period to five years, after which the vehicles would not be allowed to be operated in the city. The exception would be for operation at the Key Royale Golf Course.
With an eye toward preventing golf carts – which don’t have the same safety features as an LSV – from being rented to visitors, Mayor Judy Titsworth said she’d like to make whatever regulations are adopted by the city as painless as possible for residents. She also said she’s unconcerned with having golf cart owners pay for the registration, especially since it’s a one-time expense, one that she said the city could potentially absorb.
If the regulations pass a vote during a regular commission meeting, City Attorney Erica Augello said that commissioners should set a deadline for golf cart registration, suggesting a three-month deadline from the time the regulations are passed. No golf carts would be allowed to be registered in the city after that date and no golf carts could be operated in Holmes Beach legally without the registration.
After the meeting concluded, Commissioner Pat Morton said he’s changed his stance on the potential for golf cart regulations. Rather than requiring current owners to have a host of new equipment placed on the carts for them to operate legally, Morton said he’d rather grandfather in current golf carts for homesteaded residents.
“I don’t want to penalize the residents,” Morton told The Sun.
Adding to what he’d like to see happen, Morton said he’d prefer to have golf carts registered to homesteaded residents for the lifetime of the golf cart. After the golf carts die, a new one couldn’t be purchased.
The regulations will go back before commissioners for further discussion at a future meeting.
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