PANAMA CITY — A pilot golf cart program in the city is a go.
City commissioners steered the golf cart test run in the Cove area to more align with state requirements before voting 4-1 in favor of the ordinance Tuesday. Though opinions on safety requirements varied, the commission’s final vote only bolstered Florida law by requiring operators to hold a valid drivers’ license.
Golf carts now will be permitted to roam the roadways between Watson and Massalina bayous south of Fourth Street. Commissioners elected not to require seat belts or insurance and anyone licensed to drive by the state can get behind a golf cart’s steering wheel.
The city’s attorney, Nevin Zimmerman, told commissioners before the vote that safety on the Cove’s roads was determined by speed, volume and character of traffic in the area.
“One characteristic of this neighborhood is you don’t go through the Cove to go somewhere else; you go through the Cove to go home,” he said.
Safety concerns aside, Commissioner Mike Nichols — who held the sole dissenting vote — questioned the fairness of allowing golf carts in the Cove while cracking down on use of the vehicles in other parts of the city.
“There are people riding golf carts all over Panama City,” he said. “Until this issue came up, those people rode golf carts and never had a problem. … Now we are going to pass a law saying you can only do it here and everybody else is going to get penalized.
“I’m concerned now the other 90 percent of our city is going to get a ticket,” Nichols added.
Nichols also disagreed with removal of safety restraint requirements but sided with the majority of board members against insurance requirements. Most other Florida municipalities that allow golf carts require insurance for the vehicles; Commissioner Billy Rader was the only commissioner to favor insurance requirements.
Though Rader was initially against seat belts, he later reversed his position.
“It would be awful if somebody put a baby in a child seat beside them without that seat belt,” Rader said. “We’re allowing that. This gives that freedom to some idiot, on crack or something.”
Commissioner John Kady argued the ordinance did not allow people to smoke crack or put their children in danger.
Commissioners also wanted language in place to ensure the city would not be held liable if accidents occur, though the measure was not a necessity, according to Zimmerman.
“By operating the golf cart you agree to hold the city harmless from any liability,” he said. “We believe the city doesn’t have any liability anyway because this is a planning-level decision, but it never hurts to include such language.”
Commissioners Tuesday also approved:
l A corrective deed giving the city ownership rights to both the St. Andrews and downtown marinas. Commissioners will hold a public workshop meeting to discuss development plans, but a time and date were not determined Tuesday morning.
l The first reading of an ordinance making way for 1,800 new homes in Panama City North.
l A bid of $185,149 for an urban search and rescue vehicle to Rosenbauer America Inc.
l The fiscal year 2014 street resurfacing list.
l A change order of $57,500 to Arcadis US Inc.’s contract for booster pump station design and limited construction administration on the elevated tank project.
l A bid of $24,695 to Dana Safety Supply for police vehicle equipment consisting of Sony Ex-View cameras.
l Waiving the Marina Civic Center rental fee to the Gulf Coast Children’s Advocacy Center for its annual Stars and Guitars benefit concert.