A. It shall be unlawful for any person to operate any motor vehicle, motorcycle, motor driven cycle, or snowmobile upon or in any public park, nature reserve, or reservoir area owned or operated by the city, excepting on the driveways, parking lots or appurtenances constructed by the city for motor vehicle use. (Ord. 77-O-22, 6-14-1977; amd. Ord. 08-O-3, 2-5-2008)
B. Eastern Illinois University employees and authorized contractors will be allowed to operate neighborhood vehicles in areas which shall be defined as "university districts" and under the following provisions as follows:
1. Definitions:
NEIGHBORHOOD VEHICLE: A self-propelled, electronic or gas powered four (4) wheeled vehicle which is capable of attaining in one mile a speed of more than twenty (20) miles per hour, but not more than twenty five (25) miles per hour, and which conforms to federal regulations under title 49 CFR part 571.500.
UNIVERSITY DISTRICTS: The areas enclosed by the following boundaries: district 1: University Avenue, Grant Avenue, 4th Street, and the southwest university property line extending between Heather Drive and University Avenue plus all of University Court; district 2: 4th Street, Lincoln Avenue, 9th Street and Roosevelt Avenue; district 3: McKinley Avenue, 18th Street, Edgar Drive and 9th Street. See the map attached to the ordinance codified herein for a graphical representation of the university districts.
2. General Prohibition: Except as expressly authorized in this section, it shall be unlawful for any person to operate a neighborhood vehicle on any street in the city. Only Eastern Illinois University employees and university contractors authorized by the university shall operate neighborhood vehicles within said boundaries.
3. Authorized Vehicle Use In University Districts: A person may operate a neighborhood vehicle only on those streets located as part of the boundaries or within the university districts. Further:
a. No person shall operate a neighborhood vehicle on any street having a posted speed limit exceeding thirty five (35) miles per hour, provided, that nothing herein shall prohibit a person from driving a neighborhood vehicle across a street with a posted speed limit exceeding thirty five (35) miles per hour.
b. All persons operating neighborhood vehicles shall comply with all applicable requirements of section 11-1426.1 of the Illinois vehicle code, 625 Illinois Compiled Statutes 5/1-100 et seq., hereinafter referred to as the "Illinois vehicle code".
c. No neighborhood vehicle may be operated on a street unless, at a minimum, it has the following: brakes, a steering apparatus, tires, a rearview mirror, red reflectorized warning devices in the front and rear, a slow moving emblem (as required of other vehicles in section 12-709 of the Illinois vehicle code) on the rear of the neighborhood vehicle, a headlight that emits a white light visible from a distance of five hundred feet (500') to the front, a taillight that emits a red light visible from at least one hundred feet (100') from the rear, brake lights, turn signals and a decal identifying it as a university vehicle or university contractor vehicle. When operating on a roadway, a neighborhood vehicle shall have its headlight and taillamps lighted as required by section 12-201 of the Illinois vehicle code. (Ord. 08-O-3, 2-5-2008)
C. 1. "Low speed vehicles" shall have the same meaning as set forth in 625 Illinois Compiled Statutes 5/1-140.7 of the state of Illinois motor vehicle code and each such vehicle shall have all of the equipment required therein, including, but not limited to, a vehicle identification number that conforms to federal requirements; moreover, a "low speed vehicle" must also display current registration plates issued by the Illinois secretary of state under 625 Illinois Compiled Statutes 5/3-412.
2. Low speed vehicles may lawfully be used within the corporate limits of the city of Charleston upon streets where the posted speed limit is thirty (30) miles per hour or less. (Ord. 12-O-35, 10-16-2012)