City Council pursues changes in golf cart restrictions

If you live in Williamsburg and drive a golfcart around town, then there is some good news and some bad news for you.

The good news is that the city is removing a provision in its ordinance limiting golfcart usage to between sunrise and sunset. The bad news is that there are going to be a few more requirements you are going to have in order for your golfcart to be street ready.

During its monthly meeting Monday, the Williamsburg City Council held the first reading of a new golfcart ordinance.

The new ordinance will require headlamps, tail lamps, stop lamps, front and rear turn signals, one red reflex reflector on each side of the vehicle and the rear of it, mirrors, a parking brake, and a seatbelt assembly that conforms to federal safety regulations.

City Attorney Kim Frost explained that the seatbelt requirement was due to a change that the federal government made, which the state then added and now the city is adding to its ordinance.

The golf carts also must be inspected by police, and then get a $10 yearly permit from the city.

Mayor Roddy Harrison explained that the inspection costs $5 and is supposed to be performed by the sheriff’s department. If deputies don’t have time, then city police can conduct the inspection instead.

Officials admit that they aren’t sure how the seatbelts are supposed to be mounted in the golfcarts.

Harrison, who owns a golfcart himself, said that he has looked at a 2020 golfcart, but it didn’t have seatbelts either. He said city officials are going to doublecheck the seatbelt requirement before enforcement begins.

In response to a question by Councilwoman Patty Faulkner, Harrison said that visitors staying at the waterpark campground, who bring their own golfcarts, will not be required to get an inspection or city sticker before using them.

Also, during Monday’s meeting, Harrison announced that he will be running for re-election next year and would be filing his official paperwork soon.

He also encouraged the city council members to seek re-election next year.

Harrison said that one of the main reasons he decided to run for mayor again was that he still greatly enjoys the job most of the time.

In addition, there are several projects that he would like to see completed before he leaves office, including the waterpark expansion, the new historical wagering facility, the Firestone expansion, and continued improvements to downtown.

“I have four or five major projects that I want to see through. Then I have some ideas about some other little things that I would like to get done before I leave office. I will never say never and I don’t know if I will run again after this, but I know I have one more good term in me anyway.”