Highland City Council’s verdict is in about golf carts, ATVs on city streets

Highland will not be going forward with a plan for allowing golf carts and ATVs on city streets at this time.

After extended discussion at the last two council meetings, the council has opted not to go forward with the traffic studies that would be necessary to establish an ordinance on when and where golf carts, ATVs and side-by-side recreational vehicles would be permitted on city streets.

Police Chief Chris Conrad had established a map of state routes and other areas where these non-highway vehicles could not drive, and asked the public for feedback on their thoughts.

Conrad reported there were about 29 responses from email, phone calls and Facebook, and they were evenly divided with 13 in favor and 13 against, and three more that wanted additional information. Some of those in favor only wanted golf carts permitted, and others only wanted side-by-sides as they felt golf carts would be too slow.

Councilwoman Peggy Bellm agreed.

“I’m not crazy about the golf carts, I think they go too slow and they’re dangerous,” she said. “I’m not so opposed to the side-by-sides that have all the things they’re supposed to have ... like a Jeep, but open.”

However, Bellm objected to the cost of the traffic studies, permits, signage and other expenses of establishing such a program.

“How much are we going to spend for this 1 percent of the population that wants it?” she asked. “It’s taxpayer dollars.”

She said she had heard directly from several constituents who were opposed, and from some people who wanted permission but only in their own neighborhoods.

“I don’t know if I want to pursue it any further at all because of the cost involved, and we can’t let people use it as they’d like to,” Bellm said. “Several people said when they saw the map, it made sense to them ... I don’t see spending a lot of time and money on it when I think it’s just not practical for Highland.”

Other councilmen agreed.

“There’s not enough interest to justify it,” said councilman John Hipskind.

After discussion, the council opted not to go further with the traffic studies, which would have required $3,000 to $7,000 per street.