City of Clemson Police Chief Jorge Campos proposed an ordinance during a city council meeting on April 7 regarding regulations that would support golf cart usage during the night.
This proposed ordinance comes after the city’s Police Advisory Board supported a bill in the South Carolina state legislature.
Currently, golf carts cannot be used during nighttime hours, but this may change if the bill passes. The proposed ordinance would need to be amended if the bill moves forward, or an additional ordinance would need to be created to allow golf cart users to drive at night.
Other provisions discussed within the current ordinance included the prohibition of golf carts from being driven on sidewalks, paths for bikes or any pathway that is not designed for golf cart usage, along with other parking regulations. This stands in accordance with the South Carolina State Law Reference: Section 56-2-105.
In addition to restrictions on driving locations, golf carts must park in legal parking spaces or locations designed for motor vehicle parking only. The carts may not park in motor vehicle or moped parking spaces and are subject to parking citations or potential impoundment.
Golf carts are able to park in metered parking if they comply with all fees and parking fines. Additionally, multiple golf carts can park in the same space if they do not hinder the ability of other vehicles’ accessibility in other parking spots and do not block one another when drivers are ready to leave.
Golf cart drivers must have a physical permit with them at all times in the golf cart in case the police pull them over for violating regulations.
“All Golf Carts must be permitted by the City of Clemson and the permit must be prominently displayed at all times,” the proposed ordinance states. “Golf Carts with windshields shall affix the permit to the outside of the front windshield, on the driver’s side, in the bottom part of the windshield. Golf carts without windshields shall affix the permit in the front next to the state decal.”
For more information and to stay up-to-date on the ordinance, visit https://www.clemsoncity.org/.
