Golf cart street use back on the agenda
An ordinance and resolution regarding the use of golf carts on city streets is scheduled to come before Cape Coral City Council on Wednesday.
The ordinance would repeal a section of the city code that establishes a procedure for designating certain city streets suitable for use by golf carts and establishing the terms and conditions of such golf cart operation.
Councilmember Jennifer Nelson said the city just wants to follow the guidelines the state has in place.
“Given the state already has recommendations and legislation, we are going to follow what they recommend,” Nelson said. “There are laws that say golf carts have to have windshields, blinkers, and go a certain speed. And we want to follow what the law currently states.”
According to a memo from interim Police Chief Anthony Sizemore and Public Works Director Paul Klinghan, the city currently allows the operation of golf carts on roadways designated as “golf cart allowable areas” only.
The companion resolution would repeal a 20-year-old resolution designating certain city streets in an area adjacent to Saratoga Lake as suitable for use by golf carts.
That area is the only area in the city with that designation.
The matter came up in December after resident Robert Denis 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.
Council came to a consensus in February at a workshop that they would just as soon ban golf carts altogether than designate certain areas for them. They also would not “grandfather” the one area that currently does allow it.
In other business:
* Council will consider an ordinance that would prohibit overnight parking of commercial vehicles and trailers on certain public streets posted with signs.
The city has experienced problems with commercial vehicles and trailers parking overnight on public streets for many years. A section of the Code of Ordinances was created to list streets that where this practice has been prohibited.
Public Works, the Department of Community Development, and the Police Department have collaborated to provide additional streets where parking has become a nuisance.
An additional 11 street locations have been identified and are being incorporated into the ordinance. Also, the hours prohibiting parking are being increased from 2 a.m. to 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. to 6 a.m.
* An ordinance is expected to be introduced that will again address the Judd Creek Sub-district.
Instead of repealing the Sub-district as previously proposed, the new proposal would be amended to permit multi-family residential uses to be constructed in the Pine Island Road District.
This area comprises the northeast part of the district and includes the existing RaceTrac gas station. The overall number of units and commercial square footage caps would not be affected, and would remain at 1,170 units and 250,000 square feet, respectively.
The public hearing on the Jud Creek ordinance will be Wednesday, May 5.
Wednesday’s meeting will begin at 4:30 p.m. at City Hall, 1015 Cultural Park Blvd.
The meeting is open to the public.
To reach CHUCK BALLARO, please email news@breezenewspapers.com