Legalizing Golf Carts in Oswego is Something Village Could “Revisit”

A couple weeks ago Oswego resident Melissa Hartman put together a petition to ask for the legalization of golf carts in Oswego.

She said that golf carts are, “Economically friendly and less dangerous than driving a vehicle around the neighborhood.”

In her subdivision of Hunt Club she said the golf carts are extremely useful in traveling to the community center or parks.

She appeared before the Village Board last week to talk about the legalization of golf carts for subdivisions in Oswego.

“I believe the requirements I have been petitioning for are conservative enough to allow carts to be driven in Oswego,” said Hartmann.

Several of the requirements Hartmann has stipulated include: all drivers must have a valid driver's license, the cart cannot be driven on any street that is more than 25 mph and can only be driven in subdivisions with an active HOA, and cannot exceed a maximum speed of 15 mph.

Hartmann explained the rule with the area having a valid HOA is to prevent the golf carts from being driven around downtown Oswego or other high-trafficked areas.

The Village of Oswego does not have a policy in place against golf carts, but the lack of ordinance allows state law to supersede.

Village president Brian LeClercq said golf carts were brought up a few years prior but “did not get any traction.”

“We changed our speed limit rules [since then],” said LeClercq, as all subdivisions have a 25 mph speed limit instead of varying limits up to 30 mph. “This is definitely something we can revisit.”

Village trustee Scott Volpe said he has heard a lot of people ask about the allowance of golf carts. “I don’t know why it didn’t get any traction,” he said. “If the staff could put something together…”

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