New Captiva Golf Cart Ordinance Now In Effect.
The golf cart ordinance approved by Lee County commissioners in June has been processed by the state and is now in effect.
- As before, golf carts can be operated on county roadways in areas designated by the county Department of Transportation
- (DOT) ― which continues to be in the Village area from Wiles Drive north to the end of Captiva Drive.
- Golf cart operators must be licensed drivers, with a valid license from their home state or country.
- Carts cannot exceed a maximum of 20 mph.
Captiva Holiday Village, Captiva Holiday Golf Cart Parade, Courtesy Of Captiva Holiday Village.
In addition, it was decided that golf carts may be operated after sunset within the existing cart zone, a ruling that will be implemented once appropriate signs have been posted. This will have an additional effect on cart users:
- As mandated by the new ordinance any carts operated at night must be equipped with headlights, brake lights, turn signals and windshields.
- Licensed drivers of carts at nights under age 17 must be accompanied by a licensed driver over age 21 between the hours of 11 p.m. and 6 a.m., unless they are driving directly to or from work.
- Licensed drivers of carts at nights who are age 17 must be accompanied by a licensed driver over age 21 between the hours of 1 a.m. and 5 a.m., unless they are driving directly to or from work.
Any time of day or night, golf carts drivers are encouraged to do the following:
- Operate your cart in the traffic lane, not on the safety shoulder, unless you are pulling over to let traffic get by. The shoulders are for bike and pedestrian traffic ― not carts.
- Don’t overload your cart with passengers (such as don’t carry more people than you have seats for), and ensure that passengers ride safe and secure in your cart.
- Naturally, operate your cart wisely, obeying all the rules of the road and common courtesies.
The Lee County Sheriff’s Office will phase in enforcement of the new rules to allow cart users and renters time to get acquainted with the new requirements… but they will enforce the rules now that they are officially on the books. So get ahead of the curve and be sure your carts and operators are up to speed with these new regulations ― and let’s be careful out there!
Ordinance NO. 9-22 Based upon the request from the Captiva Community Panel, Lee County DOT has studied night-time operation of Golf Carts within the “Village” on Captiva Island and finds that night-time operation is safe and compatible with the slower traffic within the Captiva “Village” limits (Captiva Drive from Wiles to the northern end including the intersecting County roads).
