The Wichita City Council held a workshop on Tuesday, February 25, 2025, at 9:00 AM in the First Floor Board Room, 455 N. Main Street, Wichita, KS. No formal votes were taken; the session provided staff direction on four agenda items: a proposed golf cart ordinance, completed 2024–25 budget project summaries, 2026–27 budget projections, and an ARPA update.
Strict advisory board meetings and then seek direction on what you would like to see brought forward on March 18th for your consideration. Good morning, Sharon Dickroft City Law Department. I'm here today to talk about uh the operation of golf carts. Uh for background, uh Kansas statutes preclude the operation of golf carts on interstate highways, on roadways with a posted speed limit greater than 30 miles per hour between sunrise and sundown, unless they have a slow moving vehicle emblem and motorcycle lights. Um cities are not golf carts are not allowed in cities unless they have passed the appropriate legislation. Currently, the city does not have an ordinance allowing golf cart operation, so the operation of golf carts within this city on any city street is illegal. Any ordinance passed by the city could not be less restrictive than state law. We can always be more restrictive, but we can't be less restrictive. So any ordinance that would be passed could not allow operation on highways or roads over 30 miles per hour, could not allow operation during the evening unless they have the slow moving emblem and motorcycle lights. Penalties also cannot be less restrictive for most violations under the state statute. It's a fine of $75 in court costs. Background, several neighboring smaller suburbs have passed legislation allowing golf carts. Larger cities have either specifically precluded the operation or have not passed an ordinance allowing such operation. Those are Ovaland Park, Kansas City, Kansas, Topeka and Manhattan. The current proposed ordinance would allow operation of golf carts on certain streets. It would prohibit golf carts on highways, arterial streets, streets with a speed limit more than 30 miles per hour, and in the core area, the core area is essentially defined from the river to hydraulic on the east, US 54 on the south, and Seneca, and then it winds kind of along the river. Golf carts under the current version may not cross highways or arterial streets. Currently, the provisions that were recommended were that all golf carts have the slow-moving vehicle emblem and a city registration. The registration fee proposed was $75 per year. Proof of liability insurance is required, and golf cart operation is prohibited on sidewalks, walking trails, or paths. Operation is prohibited between the hours of 30 minutes after sunrise, 30 minutes before sunset, prohibits the operation of golf carts on public streets unless the driver's 18, requires that the golf cart require comply with general traffic laws, including maintaining liability insurance. A spreadsheet has been provided to you as part of the packet that outlines the provisions from other neighboring cities. Most of the suburbs around Wichita do allow golf cart operation at 16. Hayes has a limit of 18. Most of the suburban cities allow golf carts to cross streets with uh speeds in excess of 30 miles per hour or arterial streets. Most prohibit the crossing of major highways, those would be K-15 and Derby, US-54 and Goddard. All cities require driver's license and insurance. No cities allow the operation of golf carts on sidewalks or bike paths. They do allow them to cross those types of areas, but require the driver to uh essentially yield to pedestrian traffic. Derby and Olatha do allow for operation during the evenings with the slow-moving emblem and motorcycle lights, which would be required by state law. The registration fees range greatly from a one-time fee of $25 to $100 per year. Little history, uh the proposed ordinance was passed on first reading on January 14th. January 21st, when the ordinance came back, it was pulled from the consent agenda for second reading and referred to dabs. DAB presentations have been made to five of the six DABs. The presentation for DAB one is scheduled in March, and the DAB comments were varied. You should also have in your packet a detailed summary of those DAB comments. The next couple slides have general comments from the DABs. Spoke with council member Johnson. The one comment that he has heard is that the excluding operation in the downtown core isn't fair to core residents. DAB two comments felt that the ordinance was not needed. Police didn't have time to enforce. DAB three was concerned that it may not be good for all neighborhoods, seems supportive to operate allowing folks to operate at 16. Concerned as to how this would affect other types of vehicles, the micro vehicles, the smaller motorcycles. Ask if it could be limited to certain geographic areas, was generally not opposed, but wanted some fewer restrictions, and appeared maybe some additional restrictions on minors and seat belts and trying to keep folks safe. DAB 4 comments felt that the ordinance was needed. Golf carts should be able to cross streets, age should be reduced to 16. Golf carts should be allowed in downtown, and that the annual registration fee seemed excessive, and that golf carts should be allowed on wider paths and sidewalks. And I want to address that issue. I spoke with Paul Gunzelman on the width of sidewalks. The width of sidewalks in older neighborhoods is four feet, some may be five feet.