It works in the Village of Chase.
Now, some Armstrong residents living near the Royal York Golf Course hope to have golf carts permitted on roadways instead of just the golf course.
Close to 20 residents crammed into Armstrong council chambers to make the pitch for a golf cart-friendly licensing zone for seniors in the residential area around the course.
“We believe that this is a positive move for the residents of Armstrong, and therefore respectfully request that Armstrong city council approve our request for a neighbourhood golf cart bylaw for licensed golf cart use in our proposed zone,” said Don Cominetti.
The proposed zone is north and south on Okanagan Street between Van Kleeck Road and Harding Road. It includes Henderson Drive, to the west, and all roads between Van Kleeck and Harding.
Cominetti said there are many golf course communities throughout North American adjacent to golf courses, and also roadways in communities (including strata) that are subject to Motor Vehicle Act regulations where licensed golf carts are used.
Residents thought, he said that as long as they travelled in golf carts to the golf course on sidewalks and off the travelled portion of the road, they were doing so legally.
They were not.
“Beginning this year, many of us have been stopped and warned by the police to licence and insure our carts or face a hefty fine,” said Cominetti. “We are not sure whether or not the golf cart RCMP enforcement results from complaints or routine checks?”
Owners of the course, added Cominetti, support the delegation’s request. Wright said the RCMP seem supportive of a golf cart friendly licensing zone for seniors.
Chase, in the Shuswap, has the golf cart-friendly bylaw in place and, in fact, the carts are permitted on all village roadways. It’s population of residents 65 and over is 25.2 per cent, slightly less than Armstrong’s 25.8 per cent.
RELATED: Golf carts taking to Chase’s street
The delegation cited a two-year pilot project to support neighbourhood golf cart usage in B.C. resulted in legislation supporting neighbourhood golf cart regulations for the province.
“We’ve asked staff to prepare a report to bring back to council to see what we have to do,” said Mayor Chris Pieper. “It’s not as easy as just hopping on a golf cart. There’s about 15 things that you have to make your golf cart road-worthy. You have to get insurance, have to get a licence, and you have to have a driver’s licence. There’s a lot of criteria to be met to allow a golf cart on the road.
“We’re going to work on it and see what happens between now and spring. Council was very receptive of it. We have to check with a bunch of authorities but we’ll see where it goes.”
roger@vernonmorningstar.com
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