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Officers remind drivers of LSV safety rules

Officers remind drivers of LSV safety rules

Written by Jason Schaffer on . Posted in Anna Maria Island, Community News.

ANNA MARIA ISLAND – As more visitors come to Anna Maria Island, many are realizing that renting a golf cart-style low-speed vehicle can be a fun and effective way to get around. For residents and visitors alike, it’s important to remember that the same rules apply whether driving a car or an LSV.

When operating an LSV, the driver is required to be licensed, just like in a car or truck, and all passengers must wear a seatbelt. Young children also are required to be secured in an appropriate child seat for their age and size.

“We are enforcing seatbelt laws, monitoring the usage of the golf carts to make sure the driver is authorized to drive and we’re monitoring capacity,” Holmes Beach Police Chief Bill Tokajer said. “Children are supposed to be in car seats and all passengers need to be seatbelted. The same rules apply that would apply in a car.”

One of the biggest frustrations for Tokajer and other law enforcement officials on the Island is that some users may not realize the danger of not taking the proper safety precautions when driving or riding in one of the smaller vehicles. An LSV weighs significantly less than a motor vehicle, is much smaller and does not have the same safety equipment, including air bags, doors and windows.

“We’ve really tried to educate rather than just write tickets,” Bradenton Beach Police Lt. Lenard Diaz said. “We try to tell people that if you look in the rearview mirror and see you’re backing up traffic, pull over to the side safely and let traffic pass. The issue we’re having, though, is that people are not pulling over and stopping, but rather pulling into the bike lane and waving people around them. This is not only illegal, it’s dangerous for anyone using the bike lane.”

Diaz says pulling over and letting traffic pass if you can’t go a reasonable speed is not only the courteous thing to do but it’s also the law.

LSV drivers can be cited for impeding the flow of traffic if their vehicle doesn’t go at least close to the posted speed limit. On Anna Maria Island, all of the city of Anna Maria has a 25-mph posted speed limit. In Holmes Beach, the speed limit is also 25 mph with the exceptions of Manatee Avenue and East Bay Drive where the speed limit is 35 mph. In Bradenton Beach, many city streets have a speed limit of 25 mph, though sections of Gulf Drive have a 35-mph speed limit.

Typically, low-speed vehicles travel at a top speed of 25 mph, though that speed can be affected by a number of circumstances including the size and type of the vehicle and the number of passengers. In Holmes Beach, golf carts – the unlicensed type that are built primarily for use on golf courses – are permitted to be driven on city streets by residents only. Any rental vehicle on the Island, despite looking like a golf cart, is required to be an LSV, which has a license plate and is registered with the Florida Department of Motor Vehicles.

LSVs are not permitted to be driven across the Anna Maria Island Bridge on Manatee Avenue and down through the Palma Sola Causeway Beach area to the mainland due to an increase in the speed limit to 45 mph. Whether or not the vehicles are legally permitted to cross the Cortez Bridge leading from Bradenton Beach to the village of Cortez is still up for debate.

Diaz said his department does not patrol the bridge, so Bradenton Beach police will not stop an LSV from crossing in either direction. A representative from the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office, which patrols unincorporated Manatee County where Cortez is located, was unable to cite a local ordinance or state statute specifically stating whether or not the vehicles are allowed to cross that bridge.

“It’s important to remember though, that many of these rental agencies that rent out the carts have their own rules about where they can go,” Diaz said. “I think some of them don’t permit the carts to leave the Island. While the rental companies should make sure every renter is well-versed on all of the rules regarding the carts, in the end, as far as our department is concerned, the driver is responsible for their decisions and their knowledge of the laws and rules. They’ll get the ticket, not the rental company.”

Almost all the rental vehicles on the Island have GPS transmitters on them, so anyone violating the rules could suffer consequences such as having their rental contract terminated. Also, both Diaz and Tokajer agree that driving an LSV across the Cortez Bridge is dangerous because there is no shoulder and a collision could be deadly.

There have been multiple accidents involving LSVs on the Island, ranging from a near-fatal accident last year in Holmes Beach to more than one collision in Bradenton Beach in the past six months.

 

“Remember, when you come here, just live on island time. Take it easy, enjoy your surroundings and don’t rush,” Diaz said. “Do that, and you’ll get where you’re going safely.”

City registration coming for golf cart owners

City registration coming for golf cart owners

Written by SUN contributor on . Posted in Community News, Holmes Beach.

HOLMES BEACH – As commissioners are considering instituting new safety measures for golf carts and low-speed vehicles in the city, a new requirement to register golf carts with the city is also being talked about.

Holmes Beach Police Chief Bill Tokajer brought up the subject during a speed limit discussion at a Feb. 8 commission meeting. Tokajer said that requiring golf carts to be registered through the city would ensure that the vehicles have the safety equipment required by the city and that they are being used solely by residents. A part of the proposed registration requirement would be that golf cart owners would have to be homesteaded residents of Holmes Beach, preventing the vehicles from being purchased by rental owners for the use of vacationers.

The difference between a golf cart and a low-speed vehicle, or LSV, is that a golf cart travels at a slower speed than an LSV and is not required to be registered with the Florida Department of Motor Vehicles. Holmes Beach is the only Anna Maria Island city where golf carts are allowed to be driven, which creates a legal issue if they were to be used by vacationers who likely would not know that the vehicles couldn’t be driven legally in Anna Maria or Bradenton Beach, or where the city boundaries are located.

Holmes Beach allows the use of golf carts in the city primarily due to the Key Royale Golf Club being located within the city.

While Tokajer acknowledged that golf carts are generally used primarily by residents of the Island city, he said that there are some golf cart rental companies that conduct business online that could try to rent them in Holmes Beach. He also said that the requirement for proof of a homesteaded property would prevent others from providing them for rentals in the city.

For the registration, Tokajer suggested that owners have to register the golf carts with the city once per year and receive a sticker to put on the carts which would alert police that the operator is a Holmes Beach resident. He said it would also give officers the opportunity to check and make sure that the golf carts are equipped with required safety equipment including a windscreen and seat belts for each passenger.

Anyone found operating a golf cart – not an LSV – in the city without the sticker would be subject to being stopped and potentially fined by police.

The conversation is expected to continue at an upcoming city commission meeting.

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LSV, golf cart talks take a turn

 

Island resident seriously injured in golf cart/auto crash

LSV, golf cart talks take a turn

Written by SUN contributor on . Posted in Community News, Holmes Beach.

HOLMES BEACH – A new idea is before Holmes Beach city commissioners to help make streets safer for golf carts, low-speed vehicles, motor vehicles, bicyclists and everyone else – lowering the speed limit citywide to 25 mph.

In previous years, lowering the speed limit anywhere in the city has been met with concern from commissioners and residents because of a potential increase in time that it would take to travel along Holmes Beach’s main thoroughfares. Now, with a moratorium in place to give commissioners time to work on regulations for LSV rental companies and a boom in the use of the vehicles by residents and visitors, setting a citywide speed limit is being strongly considered with the support of Chief Bill Tokajer and City Engineer Sage Kamiya.

For the safety of golf cart and LSV users, commissioners have been considering lowering the speed limit along one stretch of Gulf Drive in the A-1 district from 35 mph to 25 mph and pushing the limited speed vehicles into more residential neighborhoods and off Palm/Marina Drive. During a Dec. 14 work session, Kamiya proposed a different solution – lowering the speed limit citywide to 25 mph or less.

In a Dec. 20 talk with The Sun, Tokajer said that he supports lowering the speed limit citywide for several reasons. The first is that it would eliminate the need to have a golf cart/LSV trail through Holmes Beach that would push more of the vehicles into residential neighborhoods where the speed limit is already 25 mph.

He said that by setting a 25 mph citywide speed limit, the need to educate visitors on the city’s LSV speed regulations and what streets they can drive the vehicles on would be eliminated because they could be driven on any city street other than Manatee Avenue and East Bay Drive, where the speed limit will remain 35 mph for the foreseeable future. Those two streets are state roads and regulated by the Florida Department of Transportation, which has stated in memos to the city that golf carts and LSVs are not permitted to be operated on the two state roads.

In Holmes Beach there are only a few city-controlled areas where the speed limit is 35 mph – about three blocks in front of Anna Maria Elementary School on Gulf Drive, 10 blocks along Palm Drive and about eight blocks on Gulf Drive.

During his presentation to commissioners, Kamiya said that he drove three times through the city’s various 35 mph corridors to determine what the average time savings would be at 35 mph versus 25 mph. From White Avenue to 27th Street along Gulf/Marina Drive, he determined that the difference in travel time averaged 58 seconds. From White Avenue to Gulf Drive along Marina Drive, he determined that the average difference in travel time was only 28 seconds.

Tokajer said that the proposed citywide speed limit would be less confusing for motorists and golf cart/LSV users. He added that it would also reduce sign pollution in the city, eliminating the need for signs pointing to golf cart/LSV-friendly streets and allowing for many of the speed limit signs already in the city to be removed.

For Holmes Beach police officers, the change to a citywide speed limit would allow them to worry more about enforcing safety regulations such as the occupancy of LSVs and golf carts and the city’s seat belt regulations rather than being concerned about which speed zone the vehicles are being operated in.

The discussion will continue in January at an upcoming commission work session.

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Chappie and Galuszka discuss mayor’s race and city issues

Chappie and Galuszka discuss mayor’s race and city issues

Written by Joe Hendricks on . Posted in Bradenton Beach, Community News, Featured.

BRADENTON BEACH – Barring a tied vote or some other complication, the winner of the Bradenton Beach mayor’s race will be known Tuesday evening after in-person voting concludes at 7 p.m.

In-person Election Day voting will take place Tuesday, Nov. 2 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Bradenton Beach Fire Hall, 201 Second St. N.

Incumbent Mayor John Chappie seeks a third consecutive term as Bradenton Beach mayor. First-time challenger David Galuszka seeks a first term as the city’s mayor.

The Sun recently interviewed both candidates separately. In a previous story, the candidates discussed their desires to serve, parking issues, vacation rentals and the lack of affordable workplace housing. In this story, the candidates share their views on golf carts and low-speed vehicles, noise ordinance enforcement, quality of life issues for permanent residents and why they should get your vote in the city election.

What can the city do about golf carts, low-speed vehicles and other alternative modes of transportation that slow vehicular traffic and create public safety issues?

Chappie: “We recently renewed our temporary micro-mobility moratorium and the three Island cities are starting to come together and have discussions about low-speed vehicles and golf carts. Public safety has to be a top priority and that gets back to enforcement. If the police department sees kids driving these things they need to pull them over. Everybody needs to be strapped in their safety belts and child restraints and car seats need to be used. If they can’t go the minimum speed limit when they’re fully loaded, then they need to stay off Gulf Drive. These things all need to be part of the overall ordinance that we’re working on that will be similar to what the other two cities are doing so we have consistency from city to city.”

Galuszka: “The businesses that rent the golf carts need to educate the users about the rules and regulations. As far as going too slow, I call it ‘enforced courtesy.’ Maybe we put up signs that say if there are cars behind you and you’re creating a backup, you should pull over or yield. In Anna Maria, the rental businesses are putting informational stickers in those rented vehicles. We should do the same so people know what the laws are. We should also have increased enforcement. On Bridge Street, I’ve seen golf cart operators that should not have been driving because they were very intoxicated – and drivers need to be at least 16 years old and have a valid driver’s license.”

Is the city doing enough to enforce the city noise ordinance in the residential neighborhoods that are often impacted by vacation rental guests?

Chappie and Galuszka discuss mayor’s race and city issues
David Galuszka seeks his first term as mayor. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

Galuszka: “I support the noise ordinance. I don’t think it’s enforced as it could be. Residents shouldn’t be subjected to this non-stop noise coming from these party houses. I’ve experienced it myself. We need to enforce our noise ordinance. Some residents I spoke with tell me they’ve called and nothing happens. A couple people I talked to said they called code enforcement only to get a full voicemail box. I personally emailed code enforcement six or seven days ago and still haven’t got a response. I don’t think that’s acceptable. There isn’t enough being done.”

Chappie: “A lot of people do not call in their noise complaints. I tell people all the time that if you have a noise problem, call the police department. We have a new chief and he and the police department know noise issues are one of the commission’s top priorities. If there’s a problem, they need to take care of it by issuing a warning or taking other measures. It’s an enforcement issue and our police chief knows this.”

What else can be done to protect the quality of life for the city’s permanent residents or attract more permanent residents?

Chappie and Galuszka discuss mayor’s race and city issues
John Chappie seeks a third consecutive term as mayor. – John Chappie | Submitted

Chappie: “We have the situation with the trash pickup and the piling up of trash has gotten worse. The trash company seems to be having difficulty finding enough employees to do the side-yard pickup that’s required in our Transient Public Lodging Establishment (vacation rental) ordinance. The tourists often bring the trash cans out to the street on their own and they end up sitting by the road for several days and the residents have to look at them. We’re cracking down on that. Our code enforcement officer has sent out letters and he’s putting people on notice. We had a meeting with WastePro management and we’re still having issues.”

Galuszka: “When it comes to comes to affordable housing, I’d like to meet with the developers and see if they’d be willing to provide a single unit out of the four or six units they have and rent that out at the current market rate for an annual rental – especially for the service workers and others who work out here.”

Why should the people of Bradenton Beach vote for you?

Galuszka: “I’ve been a public servant most of my life. I’ve not held an elected office, but in my career with military and the federal government as an air traffic controller there were a lot of responsibilities I had as an air traffic manager that parallel what the city government does. I was involved in seeking requests for proposals and labor negotiations with the union. I developed memorandums of understanding and letters of agreement. I dealt with red tape and bureaucracy. I would foster good working relationships with county commissioners and state legislators and I’d spend time getting a better grasp on how those governments work. I want to keep Bradenton Beach great and I envision opportunities to make it even better. I would bring a fresh voice and some new perspective to the city commission. I’m open to cooperation and listening to the ideas of others. I thrive on challenges and I’m willing to do the work. I’m retired and I have the time, energy and capacity to put 100% effort into being the mayor.”

Chappie: “I hope people will consider voting for me. I have been here basically all of my adult life. I know the community. I’ve been continuously active in the community for the past 37-38 years. I’ve been on numerous boards, committees and agencies. I’ve been an elected official at the city level as a commissioner, mayor and as a CRA board member and chairman. One-third of our city is county-owned property, including the public beaches and boat ramps. I’ve been a county commissioner and that gives me an understanding of working with the county and the county staff. That benefits our community, our residents and the rest of the Island community. I’ve made a lot of government contacts which have been extremely beneficial in knowing who to call and who to talk to to get things done for Bradenton Beach.”

New moratorium in effect on vehicle rental businesses

New moratorium in effect on vehicle rental businesses

Written by SUN contributor on . Posted in Community News, Holmes Beach.

HOLMES BEACH – Concern about the number of low-speed vehicles in the city and the potential for incoming additional rental companies has prompted Holmes Beach commissioners to enact a six-month moratorium.

The moratorium, approved in a four-to-one vote during a July 27 meeting with Commissioner Jim Kihm dissenting, blocks the applications for new low-speed vehicle rental businesses coming into the Island city. It does not apply to current businesses or those with pending site plans, such as the pending application for The Toy Barn.

Kihm said he feels that some discussion on the number of low-speed vehicles in the city may merit some conversation but he felt that a moratorium would be premature at this point.

The issue was brought to the attention of commissioners by fellow Commissioner Jayne Christenson. She said she feels that the number of low-speed vehicles taking to city streets is dangerous, particularly with some people not wearing seat belts, piling more people in the vehicle than it safely seats and generally treating the vehicles as toys while on vacation. She suggested the moratorium as a way for city officials to research the problem and try to find a way to make city streets safer without allowing any new rental businesses to set up shop in Holmes Beach.

City Attorney Patricia Petruff warned commissioners they need to manage their expectations concerning the moratorium, noting that while it does prevent a business from opening a brick-and-mortar location in the city, it doesn’t stop one from bringing vehicles in on a trailer to deliver them.

When it was suggested the city require a business tax receipt for anyone doing a business delivery in the city, it was quickly shot down because of the potential logistical and legal issues it would cause. Petruff said it wasn’t realistic for commissioners to require a BTR for anyone delivering in the city because it wouldn’t just apply to low-speed vehicle renters but also food delivery and other services.

Kihm said he would like to spend some time looking at what the issues are concerning the golf cart-like vehicles and mini cars rented by vacationers. And while he’s concerned about traffic, Kihm said moving vehicles through the Island cities is a multi-faceted problem that’s going to need creative solutions.

Commissioner Carol Soustek said she’s unsure of what the city can do as the low-speed vehicles are considered legal vehicles and the city cannot regulate the number of vehicles on the road.

Christenson said she’s heard a low-speed vehicle rental business, one that’s already bringing vehicles into the city for rent without having a brick-and-mortar location, ZoomAround, is considering purchasing the former Wells Fargo location at the corner of Marina and Gulf Drives, just in front of the Shops at Waterline where The Toy Barn is planning to relocate if their site plan is approved by city leaders.

Though the former Wells Fargo property is currently listed as off the market, no sales have been recorded according to Manatee County property appraiser records.

For a vehicle rental business to open in the space, City Planner Bill Brisson said it would require a special exception for the change in use at the property from commissioners. The sale of the property also could negatively impact the Waterline Marina Resort and Beach Club which has a lease with Wells Fargo for the use of 20 parking spaces for the resort and adjacent marina.

Brisson said the parking spaces, which are part of the former bank property, are part of the required parking for the resort and marina.

Commissioners instructed staff to send a letter with approval from Mayor Judy Titsworth to management at the Waterline resort to see what their plans are for the required parking spaces for the resort and marina.

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Golf carts causing frustration, accidents

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cart accident

Golf carts causing frustration, accidents

Written by Jason Schaffer on . Posted in Community News, Transportation.

ANNA MARIA ISLAND – With parking at a premium on the Island, many visitors are turning to golf cart rentals for vacation transportation, and the increase is causing frustration for visitors and residents and an increase in accidents.

“I don’t understand how it’s legal to drive these things on the road,” said Linda Ruckman of Anna Maria. “If the speed limit is 35 and these carts only go 20 miles per hour, how is that legal? I work in Bradenton Beach and it takes forever to get there because I’m always stuck behind at least one cart going well below the speed limit.”

Unfortunately for Ruckman and others annoyed by the carts driving under the speed limit, there is little that can be done. Detective Sgt. Lenard Diaz of the Bradenton Beach Police Department and Chief William Tokajer of the Holmes Beach Police Department both state that it is legal for the carts to drive under the speed limit as long as they are properly registered and operated by a licensed driver.

“Legally, they are OK at any speed, so there isn’t much any of the police departments can do about that,” Tokajer said, noting that there have been more cart-related accidents this year than normal, including a hit and run that left a woman driving a golf cart in serious condition requiring surgery.

“Because of the uptick in accidents, our department is currently running enhanced enforcement,” he said. “We’re checking for seatbelts being buckled, child seat use and other violations. If you aren’t using the carts properly and safely, you will be ticketed.”

“We recently had a collision where the cart driver was ejected from the cart because he wasn’t wearing a seatbelt,” Diaz said. “We treat golf carts just like higher speed vehicles, they are subject to the same laws, so even though they may be going slower than people would like, if they merge into the bike lane to wave cars past, they are committing a traffic offense and will be pulled over.”

Tokajer echoed Diaz’ statement, saying his department will ticket carts driving in the bike lane.

Cart accident
A cart came to rest on a dune over 200 feet from the scene of a collision with a sedan at the intersection of Gulf Drive and Cortez Road in Bradenton Beach. – Jason Schaffer | Sun

The lack of golf cart rentals also is causing frustration for visitors. Jamie Carte, who is staying with his wife and two children in Bradenton Beach, decided to fly into Tampa and have a friend in the area drive them to the Island. The plan was to rent a golf cart since the family had no intentions of leaving the Island during their stay. Unfortunately, what should have been an easy fix turned into a big headache for the family. 

“It took a lot of searching to even find a cart on a week’s notice, but once we did it looked like it was going to be great. It was parked in front of our rental unit when we arrived and looked brand new,” said Carte, whose experience took an unfortunate turn for the worse.

Golf cart pic
Jamie Carte and family with their golf cart in Bradenton Beach. – Jason Schaffer | Sun

“The second time we jumped on the cart, it broke down a block from the condo,” he said. “The rental company came and picked it up then called the next day and said it couldn’t be easily fixed and no replacement was available.”

After being issued a full refund, it took the Carte family two days of searching to secure another golf cart, which left them to rely solely on public transportation for almost half of their stay on the Island.

Commissioners consider permit parking

Commissioners consider permit parking

Written by SUN contributor on . Posted in Community News, Holmes Beach.

HOLMES BEACH – Commissioners are considering a change to the current prohibition against street-side parking on the west side of the city. That change may come in the form of permit parking for residents.

City staff and the mayor’s office have resurrected an ordinance allowing for permit-only parking on certain streets near the beach, put together in 2016 after the Island Congestion Committee’s members met and conducted research for several months. When the ordinance was originally considered, it passed a three-to-two commission vote but was vetoed by then-Mayor Bob Johnson.

Now, staff is working on updates to the ordinance to help address the city’s current parking concerns, primarily introducing permit-only parking and golf cart parking on some streets that are currently closed to all street side and right-of-way parking.

Out of the 1,100 spaces removed on city streets for parking by the city’s last decision, the plan would return 619 spaces for permit parking.

During the June 23 commission work session, a map was presented to commissioners marking some streets on the west side of the city as possible sites for permit-only and golf cart parking.

If the permit system is introduced, Police Chief Bill Tokajer said that the permits would be given to city residents, one for each vehicle registered to a Holmes Beach address within the permit parking area. For residents who live outside of the permit area, such as Key Royale, there would be a maximum of two permits for each property for use by the owners.

He noted that if residents have children whose vehicles are not registered to the address, those cars would not be eligible for the permit. Holmes Beach property owners who live elsewhere could be eligible for up to two permits that would be reserved for the owners’ vehicles only, not to be shared with renters.

Under the parking permit plan presented, a full-time resident would be defined as any property owner in Holmes Beach who does not rent out their property. Low-speed vehicles, including golf carts that are required to have license plates and be registered with the Florida Department of Motor Vehicles, would be required to have a permit to be parked on the street in the permit parking area. Golf carts that are not street legal (with no license plate or registration) will be allowed to park in the permit area without a permit.

Tokajer said the plan currently is to charge a nominal fee for the permits to cover the cost of printing and paperwork, with permits to be renewed annually. To prevent old permits from being used, Tokajer said he plans to change the color of the permits each year so that it’s easier for officers to know which ones are valid.

Permits also would not be transferrable between vehicles. When applying for a permit, the property owner will be required to show that the vehicle is registered to a Holmes Beach address and provide the license plate number and description of the vehicle, which will be attached to the permit for identification and enforcement purposes.

Any resident with a permit would be able to park in the permit-only area, giving residents on the east side of the city easy access to the beach, allowing residents to use street-side parking and not confining residents to parking in front of their properties.

The proposed permit parking area would encompass a large part of the area where parking is not allowed on the west side of the city. The area would stretch from the city’s southern border with Bradenton Beach to its northern border with Anna Maria with the bulk of the permit parking located north of Manatee Avenue and west of Gulf and Marina drives. The plan also leaves some street-side parking open on a first-come, first-served basis.

Mayor Judy Titsworth said that what commissioners have is a good starting point and that more discussion and tweaking to the plan will need to happen before anything is finalized. She expressed concern about allowing open parking in the area around St. Bernard Catholic Church, which could cause issues with beachgoers crossing busy Gulf Drive and churchgoers left with few parking options during Christmas and Easter seasons and during the winter when the city’s part-time residents return.

The discussion on permit parking is planned to continue at a future commission meeting.

Grace period given for golf cart seatbelts

Grace period given for golf cart seatbelts

Written by SUN contributor on . Posted in Community News, Holmes Beach.

HOLMES BEACH – If you live in Holmes Beach and drive a regular golf cart around town, you now need seatbelts for yourself and every passenger.

Commissioners voted to approve a final reading of an ordinance requiring all golf carts to have seatbelts for drivers and passengers. The ordinance also requires that all children riding in the golf cart be strapped into a child restraint seat appropriate to their size, just like they are in a car.

To help residents understand the new requirements and implement the necessary changes to their golf carts, Holmes Beach Police Chief Bill Tokajer said that no tickets will be given to golf cart drivers whose vehicles are not equipped with seatbelts for a five-month period. The grace period is to allow owners time to get seatbelts installed and educate the public on just what the new ordinance means for them. The grace period began March 26.

Tokajer noted that residents can get a kit typically for less than $100 to install the seatbelts themselves or take the golf cart to a repair shop where they can be professionally installed.

The ordinance also clarifies language about where golf carts can be driven in the city. Golf carts are only allowed on streets with a speed limit of 25 miles per hour or lower. The regulations for low speed vehicles – those that are registered with the state, have a license plate and insurance – remain unchanged. Low speed vehicles can be driven through the city on streets with a speed limit of 35 miles per hour or lower. A driver’s license is required to operate all golf carts and low speed vehicles in Holmes Beach.

For the purposes of the ordinance, a golf cart is considered a golf cart only if it does not have a license plate and insurance. If a golf cart is registered, it’s considered a low speed vehicle. Holmes Beach is the only Island city that allows unregistered golf carts to be driven on the road.

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Holmes Beach considers golf cart regulations

Holmes Beach golf cart low speed vehicle map

Holmes Beach considers golf cart regulations

Written by SUN contributor on . Posted in Community News, Holmes Beach.

HOLMES BEACH – If you drive a golf cart in Holmes Beach, new regulations may be on the way that affect where you can go.

During the Oct. 23 work session, commissioners considered a draft ordinance brought forth by Holmes Beach Police Chief Bill Tokajer concerning the use of golf carts and low-speed vehicles in the city. Tokajer said that Holmes Beach is the only one of the three Island cities currently allowing golf carts that are not street legal to be driven on all city streets by a licensed driver. With the new ordinance, he hopes to make the city’s streets safer for golf cart users and motorists by taking the slowest of the vehicles off main thoroughfares.

Tokajer suggested either requiring golf carts to be retrofitted to be street legal and registered with the Florida Department of Motor Vehicles or confining their use to Key Royale where a golf course is located. He estimates it would cost $1,300-2,000 to make a standard golf cart street legal with the biggest costs being the registration and installation of a windshield.

Commissioners recognized the need for increased safety on golf carts operated within the city but balked at the idea of restricting their use to the Key Royale neighborhood.

Commissioner Judy Titsworth said she agrees that seeing golf carts carrying children with no safety belts scares her, but she doesn’t want to take rights away from responsible residents who depend on their golf carts for local transportation and might not have funds to make an investment in making the golf carts street legal.

Commissioner Carol Soutek, a golf cart owner, said she also was concerned with the idea of taking away a mode of transportation that many Holmes Beach seniors depend on.

“The residents are pretty responsible with their golf carts because they appreciate having it,” she said. “I would like to leave the residents’ golf carts alone.”

In lieu of banning golf carts all together, Tokajer suggested commissioners consider requiring them to be retrofitted with seat belts, and any children of an appropriate age or size are required to ride in a car seat, just as they would be in a vehicle. He also presented a color-coded map with a suggested golf cart route through town focusing on back streets rather than main thoroughfares where traffic is more intense. He suggested disallowing low-speed vehicles and golf carts on city streets with a speed limit of 35 miles per hour.

Commissioners agreed to consider the implementation of seat belts and restricting the use of the vehicles in higher speed limit areas. They asked Tokajer to come back with ideas for a city golf cart registration program.