A proposal to ban all gas golf carts in Peachtree City after 10 years is not dead.
At last week’s City Council meeting, Councilman Eric Imker said several residents have asked
if the issue has been dropped. But that is not true, he added.
The matter has been preliminarily scheduled for the Dec. 2 council meeting, Imker said.
The proposal was tabled at council’s Aug. 4 meeting specifically so the city could explore potential conflicts with several businesses which rent gas-powered carts because of their extended range compared to electric carts.
It also has been said that renting electric golf carts to out-of-town residents is difficult because of the lack of a place to charge them.
It also was noted at the Aug. 4 meeting that many senior citizens have chosen to use gas golf carts because it is their sole means of transportation.
There is support among a majority of council to enact the ban, as Imker, Councilman Doug Sturbaum and Mayor Don Haddix have said they favor the ban.
Imker has said he feels golf cart technology will be dramatically improved in 10 years in terms of having better batteries for example that would provide a longer range of travel on a single charge.
Councilwoman Kim Learnard has challenged that suggestion, saying if such technology was under development for golf carts, she wanted to hear about it before the ordinance would be adopted.
Learnard said she was extremely concerned the ban would have a negative impact on the city’s tourism and local businesses.
Councilwoman Vanessa Fleisch, who also opposed the gas golf cart ban, said it would devalue gas golf carts currently owned by residents.
