ELLERBE — The Ellerbe Town Council adopted a golf cart ordinance requiring residents who want to operate golf carts on town streets to register their carts annually and meet a series of safety requirements.
Under the ordinance, golf carts may only be operated on streets with posted speed limits of 35 mph or less and are prohibited from operating on Main Street, also known as Business U.S. 220. Golf carts may cross roads with higher speed limits but must do so using the most direct route.
“I have talked to Sheriff [Mark] Gulledge and he said, what we would do is pick out one day a month, or a couple of days a month to get started,” said Mayor Lee Berry. “He will send a deputy over to go over this [registration] list and inspect the golf carts. Then, you would purchase your stamp through the town of Ellerbe to put on there. So if you get stopped by a state trooper or a deputy, you are legal.”
Berry emphasized that golf cart drivers cannot operate their carts on Main Street because it is considered a highway.
Council member Heather Pack asked Berry whether the town of Ellerbe would have to pay the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office to conduct the inspections. Berry responded that it would not because the Sheriff’s Office is providing the inspections as a “complimentary service” to the town.
The ordinance requires operators to be at least 16 years old and possess a valid driver’s license. Drivers also must carry proof of liability insurance that meets North Carolina’s minimum requirements for motor vehicles.
Golf carts may only be operated from dawn to dusk unless they are equipped with headlights, taillights and reflectors that meet the ordinance’s visibility requirements. The ordinance also requires carts to have seat belts for each occupant, a rearview mirror, brakes in proper working order and a horn. Golf carts may not be modified to exceed 20 mph or in any way that creates a safety hazard.
Operators must obey all state traffic laws, drive on the right side of the roadway, yield to faster-moving vehicles, and are prohibited from driving on sidewalks or private property without the owner’s permission. The ordinance also prohibits operating a golf cart with an open container of alcohol.
According to the registration form, operators must have a valid driver’s license and proof of insurance. Golf carts also must meet the town’s equipment requirements, including a key-operated ignition, working brakes, a rearview mirror, a horn, reflective markings, headlights and taillights, and all basic equipment supplied by the manufacturer.
The ordinance requires golf carts to be inspected by the town or the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office before a permit sticker is issued. Owners must provide proof of ownership, proof of liability insurance, a completed registration form and a signed waiver of liability. The annual inspection fee is $25 and includes the permit sticker. Golf carts that fail the initial inspection may be reinspected for $10. Permits are valid annually from July 1 through June 30.
Under the ordinance, violations are subject to enforcement by law enforcement officers. Anyone convicted of violating the ordinance may be charged with a misdemeanor and fined up to $50.