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A pair of golf carts parked outside the Rockford Village Hall Tuesday night. Rockford Police Chief Bryan Stetler estimated as many as 15 golf carts are active in the area.
ROCKFORD - Despite the village not having an ordinance requiring golf carts to be plated, mayor Ron Searight directed the Rockford Village Council to have a committee meeting to discuss whether or not the council should put legislation in place.
Searight asked councilors to discuss the action during Tuesday's regular council meeting.
"I've heard that we're going to require license plates for golf carts," Searight wrote in his original mayor's report that he emailed to The Daily Standard. "This is not the case, as I would like for the police department to be able to inspect if someone would like (to) have a license plate on their cart as I have done. Right now, Ohio Revised Code has a requirement for golf cart license plate(s), but we have made it clear that we're not going to enforce this within the village. But outside the village you are on your own, as it's up to the officer if caught. Please make sure that all golf carts are being driven by a license(d) driver for everyone's safety. We've had some accidents with golf carts, and they were with license(d) drivers."
When Searight read his report at the meeting, he omitted the section and instead briefly directed council to look into it.
Although Ohio Revised Code stipulates golf carts be plated, the village has not routinely enforced the policy, but may soon. Despite the village not having legislation, the Rockford Police Department has been enforcing the violations under certain circumstances, such as when a cart is involved in an accident, because license plates are required on golf carts per state law, Police Chief Bryan Stetler said.
Stetler said he is in favor of the village adopting an ordinance requiring plates because "I want to follow the rules of the law. Most towns will pass an ordinance. The state law requires you to be plated."
When asked after the meeting why the village hasn't adopted any language yet, Searight said he wasn't sure. As of now, if someone is driving a golf cart in town, they don't need a license plate.
"Right now, we have not enforced this, but we're going to look at all angles. We're violating Ohio Revised Code."
Searight said some drivers may not have a license plate because there's a cost.
"When we start implementing this, if we do this, there's going to be a charge," he said. "Because what you got to do is you got to make sure you get (the vehicle) titled. You got to come up with the title and then you (have) to get it inspected to get the license plate. So, there are fees all the way across there."
Stetler urged council to implement legislation because it's law.
"There (are) no ordinances for UTVs (or) golf carts (in Rockford)," he said. "I want to be legal. I want to do it the right way, and the right way is to follow the Ohio Revised Code and have the (vehicles) inspected and plated. There's a whole process in what they can do."
Stetler said if council passes an ordinance about the action, the police department could do inspections for the public.
"We don't have an ordinance set up to do that," he said. "We just want to be legal like every other city. I think they should jump on board."
"Villages in Ohio have the authority to create their own rules and ordinance regarding the operation of golf carts within their jurisdiction," he continued, explaining the rules could stipulate that golf carts shouldn't be in the park or parked on grass. "This is where this ordinance would come into place. However (with) state law compliance, while villages can create their own rules, they must also ensure that golf carts operating on public streets meet state requirements, such as having necessary safety features and being registered and titled."
To title a vehicle, Stetler said a driver must receive an approved inspection form from the police department. The form ensures the vehicle has brakes, brake lights, headlights, tail lights, warning devices or reflectors, a steering mechanism, a windshield, a rearview mirror and tires. There is also a small inspection fee.
"They have to have all this stuff. If any of this is missing, I can't fill this form out," he said.
Once inspection is approved, the driver would take the form and bill of sale to the title division to receive the title. Then, drivers pay $25 to put plates on their car, registering it.
"Yeah, there's going to be fees involved in it, but there are fees when I get a new car and get plates on it," Stetler said.
He stressed that the department is not seeking out golf carts that are not plated, because it has "other things going on." However, if the department sees an infraction or if a golf cart gets into an accident and is not plated, the department will enforce the law.
In other business, councilors heard first reading of an amended ordinance to control parking of vehicles in prohibited areas, establishing penalties, repealing inconsistent legislation and declaring an effective date.
If approved, the amended version of the ordinance, which has been in place since 2022, will include penalties:
Violators would be charged with a minor misdemeanor unless if, within one year of the offense, the offender previously has been convicted of or pleaded guilty on one violation, the charge would be a fourth-degree misdemeanor. If, within one year of the offense, the offender previously has been convicted of or pleaded guilty on two violations, the charge would be a third-degree misdemeanor.
Councilors also:
• heard first reading an ordinance to to assess unpaid property maintenance fees and delinquent utility bills to the person's property taxes.
• approved a resolution opposing House Bill 335 and urging the Ohio General Assembly to reject legislation that eliminates inside millage and transfers local budgetary authority to county budget commissions.
The comprehensive property tax reform package that seeks to provide immediate relief to Ohio property taxpayers would also eliminate the ability of all taxing authorities other than townships to collect inside millage beginning Jan. 1, according to The StateHouse Report, a publication of the County Commissioners Association of Ohio.
• heard Searight reiterate that the village has no ties to Rockford Community Days except to approve a rental agreement for the park.
The next village council meeting is at 7:30 p.m. July 15 in the village hall.
