Riverside has become the next Platte County municipality to legalize the use of golf carts on its city streets.
City administrator Brian Koral presented the ordinance at the Tuesday, Aug. 21 board of aldermen meeting, stating golf carts would only be allowed to operate on residential streets with posted speed limits of 25 miles per hour or less. A suggestion to allow golf carts on city-owned trails has been tabled for now, pending further discussion and consultation with adjacent municipalities.
The new ordinance passed unanimously, and became effective immediately.
Golf carts will only be allowed on residential streets during daylight hours, unless the cart has operational headlights, brake lights and tail lights. While Parkville also permits carts on city streets, it implemented an inspection and permitting process. Riverside has opted out of this, for now.
“We’ve chosen the least invasive legislative avenue to go with on this one,” Koral said. “There is not a permit or annual inspection on behalf of the city. Now in the future we may see that becomes a need, but we wanted to take a first step that seemed the easiest for citizens.”
In 2009, Missouri allowed municipalities to establish local ordinance regulating golf carts within city limits. Parkville legalized golf carts in 2012 and earlier this summer Riverside community development director Mike Duffy brought the matter before the Riverside board of aldermen due to requests from the public.
According to the new ordinance, golf cart drivers must possess at least a Missouri Instruction Permit — which teens are allowed to apply for at 15 — to keep younger teens from operating the vehicles. The carts may go no faster than 20 mph on residential streets and may not cross a state highway.
The cart can carry no more people than it is designed to carry and no one on the cart may stand while it is operational.
City administration plans to distribute information on the new ordinance via the city newsletter and social media.
In other recent board actions, the board authorized the hire of three part-time firefighters on Aug. 21 and another at the Tuesday, Sept. 4 regular meeting. Daniel Myer, Kolin Burgess and Karson Roy were hired.
The board of aldermen has rescheduled its second meeting of September due to scheduling conflicts. The next meeting will be held at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 25 at city hall.