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Umatilla Voters To Decide Golf Cart Issue

    Voters inside the City of Umatilla will decide if golf carts will be allowed on city streets.  The Umatilla City Council has moved to place a referendum on this fall’s ballot that will ask voters to weigh in on their feelings regarding whether or not certain types of low speed vehicles should be allowed to be used as legal transportation around town.
    The move caps months of off and on discussion on the matter.  During a council meeting on March 17, Umatilla Police Chief David Seeley gave a second presentation on the issue, declining to take a stand for or against golf carts in town, but encouraging certain safety protocols be adopted should the practice become legal.
    Currently, golf carts are allowed to be driven on city streets in Mount Dora and Tavares, under varying restrictions and requirements.
    In Umatilla, golf carts would face certain mandatory regulations should voters approve of their use this fall.  They would only be allowed to cross SR 19 at the Cassady Street/Guerrant Street intersection, due to laws regarding required signalization and markings associated with golf cart use.  They would not be allowed on CR 450 West (Ocala Street) or CR 450 NE (East Collins Street), as they are county roads.  Golf carts would only be allowed to cross those streets.
    Rather than address the details right now, like exactly what types of vehicles would be considered legal - golf carts, side by sides, or? - the council rather decided to let the voters decide if they even wanted the practice to be legal first.  Should the measure pass, then a series of regulations would need to be drafted.