Photo by Adobe Stock Images Golf carts are shown parked at a housing development.
Bartholomew County officials are in the early stages of drafting an ordinance that would allow certain utility terrain vehicles to operate on county roads, as well as permit golf carts on streets within residential subdivisions in the county.
Last week, Bartholomew County Sheriff Chris Lane met with the county commissioners to discuss details of the potential measure, though officials emphasized that they are still in the preliminary phases of the process.
A utility terrain vehicle, or UTV, is typically equipped with two side-by-side seats and enclosed in a roll cage. Depending on use and configuration, UTVs are also sometimes known as recreational off-highway vehicles.
“We met with the sheriff last week and discussed specifics about a potential ordinance that would allow UTVs of specific size with specific safety components to use county roads,” Bartholomew County Commissioner Larry Kleinhenz told The Republic. “We are also discussing allowing golf carts to be used inside of subdivisions utilizing subdivision streets, but not on county roads. Hopefully, sometime in the next three to six weeks we could see an ordinance in the commissioners’ meeting.”
Kleinhenz said he would expect the commissioners to have a public discussion on the issue a few weeks before any formal vote. Currently, county officials say they aiming to balance requests from constituents in favor of an ordinance with concerns about public safety, as well as the added responsibilities for law enforcement.
If the commissioners end up considering the ordinance at some point, it would only apply to county roads and subdivision streets in unincorporated areas of the county, not state highways in the county or city streets in Columbus, officials said. The measure also would require approval on two separate readings before becoming law.
“For many years, there have been multiple requests throughout the county to allow more free access to county roads for various types of UTVs,” Kleinhenz said.
Details not finalized
Currently, UTVs and golf carts are prohibited on public roads in Bartholomew County, according to law enforcement officials. Under Indiana law, those types of vehicles are not permitted on county and city roads unless a local community passes an ordinance that explicitly allows it.
Bartholomew County is one of eight Indiana counties that currently does not allow off-road vehicles on county roads, according to a map by the Indiana Department of Natural Resources that was current as of March 27.
While details of the proposed ordinance have yet to be finalized, Kleinhenz said the measure would likely allow for “larger UTVs with (a) certain wheel base, brake lights, insurance and a licensed driver.”
“We are trying to allow more options for residents while at the same time being careful with accidents and our youth,” Kleinhenz said. “…We are also concerned with extra work for deputies.”
Lane, for his part, said county officials are still “in the beginning stages of even trying to come up with a working draft” for the ordinance.
“It’s a work in progress,” Lane said. “…I don’t know where we’re going to land at right now. …There’s a lot of things that have got to be researched and looked into before anything will go into place.”
Other counties
Lane said he has researched ordinances related to UTVs and golf carts that have been enacted in about half-dozen other counties in Indiana, including neighboring Johnson County.
Most of the ordinances have similar requirements, including requiring UTV drivers to have a valid driver’s license; proof of liability insurance; brake lights, headlights and tail lights; and seat belts, Lane said.
In December, the Johnson County Commissioners passed an ordinance allowing golf carts on neighborhood roads, while allowing recreational off-highway vehicles for general transportation on county highways, The Daily Journal reported.
Under the Johnson County ordinance, golf carts can be operated on roads within residential neighborhoods in unincorporated areas of the county with a posted speed limit of no greater than 25 mph. Additionally, recreational off-highway vehicles are allowed on county highways within unincorporated Johnson County.
“Johnson County, they’ve got a pretty robust ordinance up there,” Lane said. “…They break it down to like where a golf cart is only allowed in a subdivision, like the interior streets of a subdivision. …Whereas your UTV side-by-side type utility vehicles, you can be on a county road with those because they’ve got roll cages, they’re … like a truck almost. …If it’s an unposted county road, the speed limit is 55 miles an hour. …So a golf cart — they run probably 20, 25 mph, maybe — probably wouldn’t be a good idea for them to be on a normal county road.”
Complaints
At the same time, Lane said his office has received complaints about people operating golf carts and UTVs irresponsibly. The most common complaint is related to young children driving the vehicles.
Even if some type of ordinance ends up being passed, children won’t be allowed to drive UTVs or golf carts, and the same rules on reckless driving and driving under the influence for automobiles would apply, Lane said.
“You’re going to have to be of age and be a valid (licensed) driver to drive these things. It’s a street. It’s a county road,” Lane said. “…You’re going to have to use responsibility and drive them appropriately. Don’t be reckless driving on them because you can be cited for that stuff. And if you’re driving under the influence of alcohol, it’s a motorized vehicle. You can go to jail and be arrested for operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated.”
“There’s no ordinance that’s going to protect people from those types of violations,” Lane added.
The Columbus Police Department has not received a lot of complaints related to the use of golf carts on city streets, said spokesman Lt. Skylar Berry.
When CPD does receive a complaint about golf carts, it is more likely related to the vehicles being driven on the People Trail rather than city streets, Berry said.
“There is not supposed to be any kind of motorized vehicle on the People Trail,” Berry said.
As county officials continue working on a potential ordinance, Lane said he has received a lot of phone calls and questions about UTVs and golf carts in recent weeks and has seen comments on social media, with “the vast majority” indicating support for some sort of ordinance.
“If there’s overwhelming support by the taxpayers, they pay for these roads and these streets and subdivisions,” Lane said. “…We should at least research this and look at all the pros and cons.”
“I was out at the fair this week. That was the No. 1 question that people came up to me about, believe it or not,” Lane added. “You look at everything else going on in the world, but everyone wants (to know) … ‘Am I going to be able to ride my golf cart in my neighborhood? Am I going to be able to ride my UTV down to see my neighbors?’’
