CHAPTER 6. Golf Cart Transportation Plan [1950 - 1961]
( Heading of Chapter 6 amended by Stats. 1995, Ch. 334, Sec. 2. )
It is the intent of the Legislature, in enacting this chapter, to authorize any city or county to establish a golf cart transportation plan for a plan area in the city or county. It is the further intent of the Legislature that this transportation plan be designed and developed to best serve the functional travel needs of the plan area, to have the physical safety of the golf cart driver’s person and property as a major planning component, and to have the capacity to accommodate golf cart drivers of every legal age and range of skills.
(Amended by Stats. 1995, Ch. 334, Sec. 3. Effective January 1, 1996.)
The following definitions apply to this chapter:
(a) “Plan area” means that territory under the jurisdiction of a city or county designated by the city or county for a golf cart transportation plan, including the privately owned land of any owner that consents to its inclusion in the plan.
(b) “Golf cart” means a motor vehicle having not less than three wheels in contact with the ground and unladen weight less than 1,300 pounds which is designed to be and is operated at not more than 25 miles per hour and is designated to carry golf equipment and not more than two persons, including the driver.
(c) “Golf cart lanes” means all publicly owned facilities that provide for golf cart travel including roadways designated by signs or permanent markings which are shared with pedestrians, bicyclists, and other motorists in the plan area.
(Amended by Stats. 1995, Ch. 334, Sec. 4. Effective January 1, 1996.)
(a) A city or county may, by ordinance or resolution, adopt a golf cart transportation plan.
(b) The transportation plan shall have received a prior review and the comments of the appropriate transportation planning agency designated under subdivision (a) or (b) of Section 29532 of the Government Code and any agency having traffic law enforcement responsibilities in that city or county.
(c) The transportation plan shall not include the use of any state highway, or any portion thereof, except that a crossing of, or a golf cart lane along, a state highway may be included in the plan, if authorized by the department and the law enforcement agency having primary traffic enforcement responsibility of that highway or portion thereof.
(Amended by Stats. 2004, Ch. 615, Sec. 16. Effective January 1, 2005.)
The transportation plan shall include, but is not limited to, all of the following elements:
(a) Route selection, which includes a finding that the route will accommodate golf carts without an adverse impact upon traffic safety, and will consider, among other things, the travel needs of commuters and other users.
(b) Transportation interfacing, which shall include, but not be limited to, coordination with other modes of transportation so that a golf cart driver may employ multiple modes of transportation in reaching a destination in the plan area.
(c) Citizens and community involvement in planning.
(d) Flexibility and coordination with long-range transportation planning.
(e) Provision for golf cart related facilities including, but not limited to, special access points and golf cart crossings.
(f) Provisions for parking facilities, including, but not limited to, community commercial centers, golf courses, public areas, parks, and other destination locations.
(g) Provisions for special paving, road markings, signage and striping for golf cart travel lanes, road crossings, parking, and circulation.
(h) No adopted transportation plan shall include the establishment of a golf cart lane along, or that cross, a state highway unless authorized by the department.
(Added by Stats. 1994, Ch. 598, Sec. 1. Effective January 1, 1995.)
(a) If a city or county adopts a golf cart transportation plan, it shall do both of the following:
(1) Establish minimum general design criteria for the development, planning, and construction of separated golf cart lanes, including, but not limited to, the design speed of the facility, the space requirements of the golf cart, and roadway design criteria.
(2) In cooperation with the department, establish uniform specifications and symbols for signs, markers, and traffic control devices to control golf cart traffic; to warn of dangerous conditions, obstacles, or hazards; to designate the right-of-way as between golf carts, other vehicles, and bicycles; to state
the nature and destination of the golf cart lane; and to warn pedestrians, bicyclists, and motorists of the presence of golf cart traffic.
(b) The construction of separated golf cart lanes, as required under paragraph (1) of subdivision (a), does not apply in any of the following locations:
(1) A residence district, as defined in Section 515 of the Vehicle Code, located within any city containing a population of less than 50,000 residents with a geographical area of more than 20 square miles in which city there are at least 20 golf courses, if the speed limit in that district is 25 miles per hour or less.
(2) (A) The City of La Verne, on those street and highway segments for which the city council makes a finding that the street or highway segment is suitable to safely permit the use of regular
vehicular traffic and also the driving of golf carts, and makes a separate finding that the construction of separated golf cart lanes is infeasible given the physical space limitations of the street or highway segment. In addition, these street or highway segments shall meet all of the following requirements:
(i) Have speed limits of 25 miles per hour or less, as established by an engineering and traffic survey.
(ii) Be immediately adjacent to or surrounded by the campus of a university or a retirement community.
(iii) Provide a route between unconnected portions of the campus of a university or the real property of a retirement community, or provide direct access to an otherwise inaccessible portion of the campus of a university or the real property of a retirement community.
(iv) Be approved for purposes of this paragraph by the law enforcement agency with primary traffic jurisdiction over the street or highway segments.
(v) Accommodate golf carts without adversely impacting traffic safety or the travel needs of commuters and other users, according to a safety determination made by a traffic engineer.
(vi) Be limited to golf carts owned by the university or retirement community and equipped with a windshield, headlights, brake lights, and seatbelts.
(vii) Limit the use of golf carts to employees of the university or retirement community acting within the scope and course of employment for the maintenance or security of the university or the retirement community.
(B) Notwithstanding Section 1951 of this code and Section 345 of the Vehicle Code, for purposes of this paragraph, “golf cart” includes, but is not limited to, a utility style golf cart, used for transporting maintenance equipment, and a shuttle style golf cart.
(Amended by Stats. 2016, Ch. 101, Sec. 1. (AB 2073) Effective January 1, 2017.)
A city or county that adopts a golf cart transportation plan may do the following:
(a) Acquire, by dedication, purchase, or condemnation, real property, including easements or rights-of-way, to establish golf cart lanes.
(b) Establish a golf cart transportation plan as authorized by this chapter.
(Amended by Stats. 1995, Ch. 334, Sec. 7. Effective January 1, 1996.)
A city or county that adopts a golf cart transportation plan shall adopt all of the following as part of the plan:
(a) Minimum design criteria for golf carts, that may include, but not be limited to, headlights, turn signals, safety devices, mirrors, brake lights, windshields, and other devices. The criteria may include requirements for seatbelts and a covered passenger compartment.
(b) A permit process for golf carts that requires permitted golf carts to meet minimum design criteria adopted pursuant to subdivision (a). The permit process may include, but not be limited to, permit posting, permit renewal, operator education, and other related matters.
(c) Minimum safety criteria for golf cart operators, including, but not limited to, requirements relating to golf cart maintenance and golf cart safety. Operators shall be required to possess a valid California driver’s license and to comply with the financial responsibility requirements established pursuant to Chapter 1 (commencing with Section 16000) of Division 7.
(d) (1) Restrictions limiting the operation of golf carts to separated golf cart lanes on those roadways identified in the transportation plan, and allowing only those golf carts that have been retrofitted with the safety equipment specified in the plan to be operated on separated golf cart lanes of approved roadways in the plan area.
(2) Any person operating a golf cart in the plan area in violation of this subdivision is guilty of an infraction punishable by a fine not exceeding one hundred dollars ($100).
(Amended by Stats. 1997, Ch. 536, Sec. 1.5. Effective January 1, 1998.)