Despite opposition from the city’s administration, the Bellefontaine City Council Tuesday, Oct. 13, narrowly passed – by a one-vote majority on the first reading – Ordinance 26-50, a measure that will allow “low-speed, under-speed utility vehicles and mini-trucks” to operate on the city’s streets.

More commonly known as the “golf cart” ordinance, Ordinance 26-50 makes a significant change to a similar measure that was voted down by the council earlier this year.

Namely, the revised ordinance would allow these vehicles to operate on city streets with speed limits of 25 MPH or less. The initial proposal that was rejected by council this summer would have allowed the operation of such vehicles on streets with speed limits of 35 MPH or less.

The first reading of this updated ordinance passed by the narrowest of margins, 4-3, with Council Members Nick Davis, Jenna James, Devin Palmer and Kyle Springs all voting “yes,” while Wes Easton, Mick Lile and Jordan Reser each voted “no.”

Ordinance 26-50 also spells out in extensive detail how “low-speed, under-speed utility vehicles and mini-trucks” are defined and how they must be equipped, using over 2,000 words in the measure to outline the usage, restrictions and necessary instruments these vehicles must have for use on city streets….READ MORE….