Petitioners ask Cape to allow golf carts on roadways
Cape Coral City Council is expected to consider on Monday a resident-submitted petition to allow golf carts to operate on public roadways in the city.
Robert Denis has requested golf cart use on roads bound by Southeast 10th Street, Southeast 11th Terrace, Southeast 17th Terrace and Southeast 20th Avenue, east of Del Prado Boulevard.
According to a memo from interim Police Chief Anthony Sizemore and Public Works Director Paul Klinghan, the city allows the operation of golf carts on roadways designated as “golf cart allowable areas.”
Residents may petition council by resolution for a determination that golf carts may safely travel considering the speed, traffic volume, and the character of traffic and the surrounding neighborhoods. Specific elements must be met, such as the Public Works Dept deeming the road as safe for carts, the cart having reliable parts, and signage saying that arts are sharing the roadway, which the council can require payment by neighborhood residents.
Currently, there is one area in the city with that designation, located east of Santa Barbara near Saratoga Park, which was approved in 2001.
The Cape Coral Police Department and Public Works found no issues with the scope of the request, but neither recommends golf cart use on any public roadway, the memo states.
Mayor Joe Coviello said he doesn’t believe golf carts belong on city streets.
“Unless you’re inside a gated community like Sandoval that can police that, I don’t think I would favor carts on residential streets,” Coviello said. “It’s an accident waiting to happen.”
The gold cart issue will be one of two petitions to be considered. Another seeks to have a code lien refunded.
In other business, the city will also consider authorizing the issuance of a not-to-exceed $10,600,000 in principal amount Water and Sewer Revenue Bond of the city for the design and planning of the North 1 Utility Expansion Project through an ordinance and a matching resolution naming PNC as the lender. The city issued a Request For Proposals in October for a $10.6 million bank loan to fund design and engineering, which went to PNC. The loan would be secured by water and sewer revenues, since assessments are not expected to be levied until November 2022.
“We need to continue the expansion of city services to the North 1 area. As far as financing, it’s better to get it while the rates are low,” Coviello said. “We also need to look at expansion in the commercial properties that don’t have it for commercial development.”
Construction is expected to begin in 2022.
The meeting will begin at 4:30 p.m. City Hall is at 1015 Cultural Park Blvd.
To reach CHUCK BALLARO, please email news@breezenewspapers.com