The Kenner City Council passed an ordinance Thursday to allow golf carts on city streets posted at 35 mph or less despite pushback regarding potential safety concerns.
The measure, authored by Councilman Joey LaHatte, passed by a 5-2 vote. Council members Tom Willmott and Brian Brennan opposed the ordinance.
LaHatte, who owns two golf carts, said he authored the ordinance as a means of creating safety regulations for those already driving golf carts in Kenner and to make it easier for drivers to ride from their neighborhoods to Laketown’s attractions, like the Treasure Chest Casino or Coconut Beach Volleyball Complex.
“It’s not the most important thing in the world, but it’s a pet project of mine,” LaHatte told the chamber. “I like golf carts, I think it’s a good community thing.”
Under the new law, golf carts will be able to ride down any Kenner city street with a speed limit of 35 mph or less, including Veterans Boulevard, West Esplanade Avenue, Vintage Drive and Joe Yenni Boulevard. The law does not include state or federal roadways like Williams Boulevard, Jefferson Highway or Interstate 10.
Golf carts typically cannot exceed 25 mph, the ordinance states.
Kenner will also post signage throughout the city indicating where golf carts are authorized, per the ordinance.
Drivers will be required to register and inspect their carts annually for $75 and display a decal on their cart. Golf carts will have to be equipped with proper safety features like a rearview mirror, headlights and reflective triangles, as well as liability insurance.
Drivers cannot ride their golf carts without a valid driver’s license. Violators can be fined $125 for driving without a decal and are subject to traffic citations.
Though the safety regulations did not convince every council member. Willmott called the legislation “problematic in itself” by letting golf carts ride down major roadways with cars and lamented over the possibility of an influx of golf carts on Kenner roads.
“I’ve been on this council now for seven years. I haven’t had one person tell me, ‘I want to ride a golf cart on the city of Kenner roadways,’” Willmot said.
Kenner Police Chief Keith Conley told the council he would support the ordinance and participate in the creation of a registration process for golf carts. He added that bicycles are already allowed on major roadways, and that having carts on the roads will force cars to slow down behind them.
“Golf carts are slugs by nature, with all the safety features of a car,” Conley said after the meeting.
The ordinance will go into effect later this month.
Golf carts are prohibited on public roads under state law unless a parish or municipality votes to create exceptions to the rule.
Harahan adopted an ordinance allowing for golf carts on the street in 2020, and Slidell voted to approve the open-air vehicles last year. Both municipalities allow golf carts on roads posted at 25 mph or less.