By Terry Witt – Spotlight Senior Reporter
Golf cart owners in Chiefland won’t have to worry about a city ordinance governing their right to drive on city streets.
Chiefland City Commissioners decided Monday against adopting an ordinance that would have outlined where golf carts could and couldn’t drive.
City Police Chief Scott Anderson influenced the board’s decision. He said there was no point in adopting an ordinance when the city couldn’t require golf cart owners to register their vehicles with the city.
City Attorney Norm Fugate said the Florida Attorney General has ruled that cities can’t go beyond the requirements of state law, and there is nothing in state statutes about registering golf carts.
Without a city requirement to register golf carts, the city couldn’t generate revenue from licensing and it would have little authority over cart owners other than to enforce state law, according to the chief.
Anderson said a golf cart ordinance wasn’t needed.
“We have better things to do with our time than golf cart patrol,” Anderson said.
Anderson said state law sets guidelines for golf cart owners who wish to drive on city streets. Among other things, a golf cart must be registered with the Florida Department of Motor Vehicles. Owners must obtain a slow-moving vehicle tag and their golf carts must be equipped with headlights and turn signals.
“They can drive on any street (with a speed limit) less than 30 miles per hour,” he said.
Anderson said golf carts can’t be driven on highways like U.S. 19. State law prohibits the carts on major state roads that have higher speed limits.
City Manager Mary Ellzey said state law prohibits golf carts from crossing major highways, but Anderson said he has seen golf carts crossing big state highways in Ocala.
Commissioners took the position that as long as there isn’t a problem they won’t have to address the issue of golf carts driving on city streets.
Two large RV resorts are being developed in Chiefland. RV resort lot owners are known to use golf carts. Commissioner Don Lawrence said many of these carts already have headlights and turn signals.
In other business:
Public Workshop Tuesday on Sunday Alcohol Sales
Commissioners will meet at 6 p.m. Tuesday in the commission meeting room at Chiefland City Hall to discuss the possibility of eliminating the city’s ban on Sunday alcohol sales.
Chiefland has barred Sunday alcohol sales for many years, but proponents of lifting the ban say the city has reached the point where additional revenue is needed to operate the city and Sunday alcohol sales would boost state sales tax revenue for the city.
Lifting the ban would allow convenience stores and liquor stores in Chiefland, as well as restaurants, the city’s only bar, and Wal-Mart, to sell alcohol on Sundays.
Opponents of lifting the ban argue that alcohol shouldn’t be sold on the Sabbath.
Ellzey said the city commission will meet in the boardroom regardless of crowd size. She said seats can be added and those people without seats can stand.
The commission will go row by row asking if people want to speak. The speakers will be asked to walk to the podium and state their first and last name. They will have three minutes to make their comments.
New Contract for M.T. Causley
The private company that handles city zoning issues and building inspections for a fee were given a new one-year contract that no longer requires the company to do the zoning work.
Ellzey said the city pays the North Central Florida Regional Planning Council $7,000 annually for planning and zoning services. Ellzey said she and employee Belinda Wilkerson will work with the council on local zoning issues.
Chiefland had been paying the company a percentage of the permit fees for construction inspection services, with 80 percent of the revenue going to the company. But that has also changed in the new contract.
Ellzey said the company indicated it wasn’t making any money from building inspections. The city’s fees are low and the cost for inspectors to make round-trip visits to Chiefland wasn’t covering their expenses.
Commissioners approved the company’s offer to conduct building permit inspections at a rate of $80 per hour in four- hour blocks. Ellzey said the city will consolidate building permit inspections for fewer visits by the company.
Ellzey said staff looked at the possibility of hiring someone part-time to do the services being performed by M.T. Causley but it wasn’t cost effective. Most small cities are using the company in lieu of having a full-time employee for building and zoning issues. She said Williston, Bronson, Chiefland, Cedar Key, and Inglis employ M.T. Causley.
Firefighters Grant
Commissioners voted to accept a Florida Firefighter Assistance Grant of $11,512.50 from the State Fire Marshal for the purchase of five sets of personal protective gear.
Garbage Rate Discussion
Ellzey said she is talking to Waste Pro about the possibility of garbage collection rates being lowered.
She didn’t say how much garbage rates might be lowered.
“I’m not sure, we’re still working on that,” she said.
City of Chiefland Regular Meeting Oct. 8, 2018
Posted Oct. 8, 2018
