To all Pine Islanders:

The Greater Pine Island Civic Association held the first of several meetings on the issue of golf cart use on Pine Island roads and paths on Tuesday night (7 February). The meeting was limited to gathering of information and ideas—future meetings will address and vote on specific proposals for changes in the laws. A motion was made, seconded, and passed at the Tuesday meeting designating the March 6 GPICA membership meeting as to be devoted solely to golf cart issues.

Sheriff’s Capt Richard Dobson (Commander of our District) gave the crowded gathering at the Elks Lodge an excellent overview of the laws regarding golf carts on Pine Island Roads and bike paths (it’s illegal, but see below on how it can be made legal). He said the recent rash of warnings issued to golf carts users on road shoulders and the bike path were necessary because they had received two complaints from Pine Island citizens insisting that they enforce the law.

Florida law (see Statutes 316.212 et sec) gives Lee County Commissioners the authority to designate areas in Lee County where golf cart use on the roads would be permissible provided they “first determine that golf carts may safely travel on or cross the public road or street, considering factors including the speed, volume, and character of motor vehicle traffic using the road or street” and “post appropriate signs to indicate that such operation is allowed.”

The Tuesday meeting was well attended and the discussion was lively. My perception is that most if not all attendees favored designating some Pine Island streets as safe for golf carts. The villages of St James City south of St Jude Blvd and the village of Bokeelia north of Barrancas Rd met with, best I could tell, unanimous approval for such designation. Ditto as regards the Alden Pines Golf Course Community, portions of Pineland, and many other residential communities, as well as rural side roads. No one that I heard favored golf carts on Pine Island or Stringfellow Roads. One suggestion, by Smokey Smeja, was that the entire island with exceptions, be so designated.

It was noted that it is not illegal to operate golf carts on private property, which includes RV Parks, private streets, etc. State law also allows golf cart use in retirement communities.

The most contentious issue was the bike path, with many people quite adamant that numerous golf carts would not be safe there. It was however noted that State law allows motorized wheel chairs on bike paths and Pine Island has a few handicapped persons with golf carts that rely on the bike path to get to Winn-Dixie and medical offices, etc. Obviously, a difficult (and delicate) issue.

Much discussion was devoted to the many specific requirements of Florida law pertaining to golf carts, such as particular equipment, as well as the statutory limitations on what the County can adopt.

With all of these things in mind, I have drawn a first draft of the minimal legal requirements for an ordinance that could be adopted by the County Commissioners. See attached, and note that it follows Smokey’s suggestion (I tried but it is impracticable to individually list all of the areas affected). The paragraphs marked with highlighter are the portions of the document that we will need to deal with at the next meeting. The paragraphs not marked with highlighter are Florida state law requirements that cannot be changed or ignored.

Please bear in mind that the highlighted provisions are proffered only by me, are only a first draft, and have not been approved by anyone, including the GPICA BoD, membership, or anyone in Lee County. There are other ways to do things and the nothing is off the table until the membership votes.

I would very much appreciate your comments on any of this either by email or at the meeting on March 6, which will be at 7 p.m. at the Elks Lodge. I think it would also be wise for all of the Island civic associations, homeowner associations, and other interested groups to discuss this issue at their next meeting and send a representative to the March 6 meeting

Phil Buchanan

A meeting is planned for February 7th at 7:00 PM at the Greater Pine Island Elks Lodge #2781 building, located at Pine Island Center. 5630 Pine Island Road, Bokeelia, Florida. The meeting will be an open discussion about allowing golf cart on the bike path. So if you are for or againest this is the time to be heard.