ORANGE PARK – Town council members discussed action on a golf cart policy, ultimately asking town staff to review the matter.

Toward the end of Tuesday night’s meeting, Town Council Member Doug Benefield outlined the item.

With golf carts, Benefield said, the town is full of families and using the vehicles without excessive regulation is preferred, though golf cart drivers should operate safely. Benefield added the town doesn’t have substantive golf cart regulations.

“Currently the town’s ordinances defer to the state involving golf carts,” he said. “They are not specially authorized, there’s a process to get them approved. My motion to direct staff is to draft and present to council a regulation related to the operation of golf carts in the town.”

In the agenda packet, the city of Green Cove Springs’ two-page ordinance was published as an example. The ordinance defines what a golf cart is, where it can be operated and the safety equipment the golf cart must have. The city must seek approval for golf cart use on state and federal highways, which would extend to U.S. Highway 17.

Orange Park Police Chief Gary Goble said there’s a safety hazard and used St. Johns County as an example. Golf cart regulations are difficult to enforce, he said.

“You can really see the younger people don’t care as much,” Goble said. “We can make it happen, there needs to be a solid ordinance in place.”

Mayor Randy Anderson said residents would have to be informed about a possible change. He asked about golf cart-related signs and the cost.

“How are we going to get the word out?” Anderson asked.

Vice Mayor Alan Watt wanted to see a driver’s age established in an ordinance, especially if they operate a vehicle on one of the town’s major arterial roads. He said the issue has been shot down in committees before.

“This has been kicked up and down the road for years,” Watt said. “ … To me, these are neighborhood vehicles. They shouldn’t be out on state highways, they shouldn’t be out across town. They should be a way to get around your neighborhood.”

Resident Angela Wester said committees have asked the town council to do nothing on the item during a previous vote. She recalled that Moosehaven had a pleasant golf cart community, though she did have safety concerns and asked for the item to go before committees.

“This is definitely a first-world problem,” Wester said.

After several meetings and hearings, the town council also passed its $30 million budget on final reading early in the meeting. An amendment to remove a code enforcement officer position slated for $66,000 failed with a 3-2 vote.

The meeting was extended by 15 minutes, then another extension was rejected 3-2 because it needed a super majority.