News

May 16, 2023

Union considers rules for golf carts on streets

A dog gets a ride in a golf cart during the 2022 Pacific St. Patrick's Day Parade. Union is considering regulations for golf carts, as well as motorized wheelchairs, for use on city streets. Missouri

A dog gets a ride in a golf cart during the 2022 Pacific St. Patrick's Day Parade.

Union is considering regulations for golf carts, as well as motorized wheelchairs, for use on city streets.

Missouri statute 304.034 allows cities to regulate golf carts and motorized wheelchairs, City Administrator Jonathan Zimmermann told aldermen at their July 17 Parks, Buildings, Development and Public Service Committee meeting.

“So we thought it would be a good idea to bring that here and talk about, should we consider allowing golf carts and motorized wheelchairs on the city streets?” Zimmermann said. “It does say that we can require safety requirements.”

The state regulations on golf carts are slightly clearer than those the city recently discussed for utility vehicles (UTVs), because state law forbids golf carts from crossing state highways with speed limits higher than 45 mph, Zimmermann explained.

Aldermen said wheelchairs should be restricted to pedestrian areas. But they were less certain about golf carts.

City Attorney Matt Schroeder was asked if the city requires a license to drive a golf cart on the street.

“So, right now we don’t have any ordinance against or regulate it at all, so we’re going to turn to the state statutes for it,” Schroeder said. “You still have to follow the rules of the road and that sort of stuff.”

Mayor Bob Schmuke suggested golf carts be handled just like UTVs, suggesting the city require seatbelts for golf carts on city streets and mandate drivers be at least 16. “They need to come in and get a permit and stuff like that,” he said.

“I would think we would want the same kind of insurance requirements we have on UTVs,” Alderman Russell Rost said, adding that some golf carts are being built and marketed for roadway use. “Apparently the electric motors on the ones they’re selling for operating on the streets is a very powerful electric motor.”

The committee did not make a recommendation but Schroeder said he will get more information and bring it back to aldermen.

Rost suggested seeing what other cities have done with golf cart regulations. “They’re building these things to go as fast as vehicles, there’s no extra safety for the occupants, and you see little children riding around in them all the time,” he said. “You know if they hit a 5,000, 4,000 pound car, it’s not going to come out well.”

Alderman Tom Strubberg said he recently returned from Panama City Beach, Florida and does not want Union to be like that.

“There were golf carts everywhere, you can’t get anywhere,” he said. “I’m all for letting people do what they want to do, but my personal opinion is golf carts belong on the golf course and in the warehouse.”

Log In

Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd,racist or sexually-oriented language.PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.Don't Threaten. Threats of harming anotherperson will not be tolerated.Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyoneor anything.Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ismthat is degrading to another person.Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link oneach comment to let us know of abusive posts.Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitnessaccounts, the history behind an article.