By Terry Witt – Spotlight Senior Reporter
Acting on a request from community members, Chiefland City Commissioners Monday instructed their city attorney, Blake Fugate, to develop an ordinance allowing residents to drive golf carts on neighborhood streets designated by the board.
The city’s current golf cart ordinance permits the vehicles to be driven only on designated streets near Strawberry Fields RV Park and Southern Leisure RV Resort, but the new ordinance will expand golf cart use to designated neighborhoods in north and south Chiefland.
While the new ordinance hasn’t been developed, commissioners were in agreement golf carts couldn’t be driven on or across U.S. 19, U.S. 129, U.S. 27A, Manatee Springs Road, County Road 341, or County Road 345 in the city.
Commissioners requested a study by the Florida Department of Transportation at a previous meeting on whether golf carts could legally cross U.S. 19 at Wal-Mart or U.S. 129 near Chiefland Farm Supply, but FDOT said its rules prohibit golf carts from crossing either highway at those locations.
A few golf carts had been seen crossing both highways at those locations. City police stopped a couple of golf carts on U.S. 19 that were associated with an RV park. The drivers were told it wasn’t legal to drive their carts on the highway. The city hasn’t seen any further problems with RV-connected golf carts on the highway since police pulled over those carts.
City Manager Laura Cain said FDOT said the state’s traffic engineering manual standards forbid golf carts to cross state or federal highways. She said that’s why the study of the Wal-Mart/Winn Dixie crossing or the crossing near Chiefland Farm Supply wasn’t needed.
As part of the same discussion, residents of the black community expressed concern that golf carts in their neighborhood had been pulled over by city police in south Chiefland and given warnings. They were aware golf carts were allowed in some parts of north Chiefland and they wondered if those drivers had been singled out.
“There were complaints some cops were stopping the golf carts, giving them warnings, and telling them they can’t do it,” said Alice Monyei. “According to what she (Laura Cain) said, they are right.”
Monyei added that some of the golf cart drivers in south Chiefland had been stopped while driving on a sidewalk.
Fugate, replacing his father Norm Fugate, the regular city commission attorney who couldn’t attend the meeting, said golf carts are allowed only on 5-foot-wide sidewalks under state statute. He said state law is very specific on where golf carts can be driven and where they can’t be driven. The city has the power to allow golf carts on city streets but can’t permit golf carts to cross federal or state highways or drive on those highways.
Chiefland Mayor Chris Jones explained that the north Chiefland golf cart zones were established in the neighborhoods near the city’s new RV parks and the board hadn’t yet discussed the possibility of designating other neighborhoods on either end of town.
City Commissioner Lance Hayes said his question was whether people are allowed to use their golf carts in neighborhoods. He wondered why golf carts were being stopped in south Chiefland.
“I think the issue was they were getting stopped at the south end of Chiefland,” Hayes said.
South Chiefland is a predominantly black residential area.
“They are only supposed to be operated in the area we originally designated for golf carts, which was actually not on the south end of Chiefland. I think the officers have been leaning toward not doing anything about it. Is that correct?” Jones responded, looking at Police Chief Scott Anderson.
“As far as I know, there was only one person stopped and you are aware of that,” Anderson responded.
Anderson added later in the meeting that as far as he is concerned, golf carts should be allowed to be driven throughout the city.
“I’m for it. I’m for opening it up so everyone can use their golf carts,” Anderson said, except using them on federal and state highways or crossing those highways.
“I am too,” said Commissioner Norm Weaver.
Fugate said he doesn’t see any reason why the city should designate one area of the city and not others.
The only unresolved question was whether Park Avenue, a county road located within the city limits of Chiefland, should be opened to golf carts. Jones said he wasn’t opposed to golf carts crossing Park Avenue.
Commissioner Rollin Hudson said he was opposed to golf carts driving on the busy street.
“You’re going to get complaints there. If somebody’s going 10 miles per hour in a golf cart down that street – I’ll tell you that right now,” he said.
Hudson said he didn’t mind people driving on the little neighborhood streets, but not on Park Ave. He didn’t think the city should designate Park Avenue for golf cart driving.
“I’m not going to say much about that (the little streets), but you go down Park Avenue and they’re going to be really upset about that,” Hudson said.
Cain said she sees more and more people driving golf carts in the city and some are crossing U.S. 19.
“They’re not supposed to. We just saw a golf cart at the tag office today. I don’t know how it got there,” she said.
The Levy County Tax Collector’s Office is located on U.S. 19 in Chiefland Shopping Center in south Chiefland.
Jones said when the new golf cart ordinance is adopted, he said it might be wise for city police to give out a few tickets.
“From a law enforcement perspective, if we’re going to do this, you’re going to be in a position when it first starts to make an example. People need to understand – hand out a few tickets,” he said.
City police give out a relatively low number of traffic tickets. Anderson has mentioned this in at least one city commission meeting. It’s how he runs his department. Chiefland hasn’t been a speed trap on his watch.
—————————-
City of Chiefland Regular Meeting January 8, 2023; Posted January 10, 2023
