Nov. 18—ELLINWOOD — It was a brief discussion among the most pressing items on Tuesday’s agenda, but based on recent complaints received at the Ellinwood town office regarding their use, l Ellinwood Town Administrator Chris Komarek had reason to put golf carts back on the council’s radar. .
“The biggest problem is how golf carts are used,” Komarek said. “This is not because of one or two complaints, but dozens of complaints. It is our responsibility to fix this before anyone gets hurt.
Reported abuses range from underage drivers and more people riding in a cart than are allowed on a cart, to driving the cart in the street after sunset and parents holding young children on their laps without safety devices, Komarek noted. “We’re not opposed to them being on the street. I’m not trying to pick on the golf carts, but it’s gotten out of hand,” he said. “There are a few people who overuse it from what it’s supposed to be and then you have a problem.”
Komarek noted that recently it has become fashionable to rent golf carts during the After Harvest festival to take quick hops between events. “They suddenly look like mosquitoes,” he says. “But if they’re going to do this, per our ordinance, it better have a nice little sticker on it.” Abuse was also reported during the recent Halloween holiday.
A city ordinance passed in 2009 and amended in 2011 contains restrictions on the use of micro-utility trucks, ATVs and golf carts in addition to the standard state traffic ordinance adopted each August. Although ATVs are not permitted on public streets, streets, roads and alleys within the city limits, golf carts are permitted, with restrictions. They cannot travel on highways, but may be allowed to cross them. Golf carts are limited to four people, including the driver; cannot be used before sunrise or after sunset and must have a slow moving vehicle emblem. Drivers must be of legal age, have a valid driving license and have proof of civil liability insurance.
Komarek noted that under the original 2009 ordinance, carts must be registered with the city annually at a cost of $5; a 2011 amendment removed the annual license requirement.
He explained that a recent records check showed 381 licenses registered since 2009. “I don’t know if two-thirds of them are still active. If we reinstated the annual license requirement, we could be dealing with about 200-250 licenses every year I think if you have to do it on January 1st every year and you have until March 1st to renew it, you’re going to get that colorful sticker that the police department has. go get it.
“While maintaining this is a heavy workload here at the office, I suggest we revisit it so people can prove they have liability insurance,” he said.
“It’s not so much a question of if it will happen, but rather a question of when it will happen when a vehicle and a golf cart get tangled at some point. You know the golf cart is going to lose. I wouldn’t want to be in a vehicle in an accident where it’s the golf cart’s fault, but they don’t have insurance.”
Komarek said his plan is to research and draft an updated ordinance that could be discussed sometime after the holidays and then approved next spring. “We have a lot of research to do, but I’ve been approached about this several times, so I wanted to bring it up to council and let the public know that we will be talking about it. Hopefully when spring comes we will have something in place.
