CITY OF TALLAHASSEE
CITY COMMISSION AGENDA ITEM
ACTION REQUESTED ON: June 10, 2009
SUBJECT/TITLE: Introduction of Ordinance No. 09-O-28, Amending the Golf Cart Ordinance
TARGET ISSUE: Financial Viability of Government
STATEMENT OF ISSUE
On June 27, 2007, the City Commission adopted Ordinance No. 07-O-29AA, which amended Chapter 20, Article VI authorizing the use of golf carts on designated streets in Southwood. The Commission asked that this item be brought back for review after the program could be evaluated. The program appears to have met the needs of the Southwood residents but failed to generate funds necessary to support the annual registration process. Since the inception of the ordinance in September 2007, a total of only 11 registrations have taken place. With an average of 4 registrations annually, the registration process cannot fiscally support the City’s acquisition of decals and staff time expended for renewal notifications and tracking registrants.
Therefore, due to the insignificant number of registrations and lack of revenue from this program, the Treasurer-Clerk’s Office is recommending revising the ordinance to eliminate the registration and inspection requirements. All other aspects of the ordinance are to remain intact; thus, safety and age requirements can be enforced at the discretion of the enforcement agencies.
RECOMMENDED ACTION
Option 1—Introduce Ordinance No. 09-O-28 and set 1st and only public hearing for June 24, 2009.
Fiscal Impact
An annual savings of $500.00 per year for supplies, in addition to several thousand dollars savings for database maintenance and staff time, would be realized by eliminating the registration process.
Mike Meeks, Revenue Collection Administrator
Gary Herndon, City Treasurer/Clerk
For Information, please contact: Mike Meeks, Revenue Officer, 891-6470.
SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIAL/ISSUE ANALYSIS
HISTORY/FACTS & ISSUES
In 2007, the Southwood community requested that the City take the necessary steps to convert the neighborhood into an approved “golf cart community.” Traffic-Engineering staff conducted the required Traffic\Speed studies and identified the streets and routes that could accommodate golf cart use on City maintained roads. An ordinance was proposed to allow golf cart use on these designated streets. Inserted into the ordinance was restrictive language governing the operator’s age and specific safety requirements. Additionally, language was also included that required a yearly inspection and an annual registration. Ordinance 07-O-29AA was approved after public hearing June 27, 2007, and became effective September 1, 2007.
Over the past three fiscal years, only 11 Southwood residents have registered their golf cart. This low number of registrations cannot support the registration process currently required by the ordinance. Therefore, the Treasurer-Clerk recommends that the ordinance be modified to leave the golf cart routes intact, as well as the age and safety requirements, but remove the verbiage requiring the golf cart owner to have an annual inspection and registration.
OPTIONS
Option 1—Introduce Ordinance No. 09-O-28 and set 1st and only public hearing for June 24, 2009.
Option 2—Provide direction to staff.
ATTACHMENTS