(a) No person shall operate a golf cart or side by side on the streets within the City of Gallipolis unless it has been inspected and approved by the Chief of Police, or his designee, for compliance with the applicable safety/equipment requirements of the State of Ohio relative to motor vehicles.
(b) If the Chief of Police, or his designee, or another agent designated and approved by the State of Ohio, determines that the vehicle complies with the State of Ohio’s statutory requirements that are applicable to motor vehicles, the Chief of Police shall issue the owner or operator a certificate of compliance entitling the owner or operator to operate the golf cart or side by side on the streets within the City of Gallipolis. The owner or operator shall also show the Chief of P olice or designee proof of liability insurance for the vehicle before a certificate of compliance is issued. The owner or operator shall be required to pay a fee in the amount of twenty dollars ($20.00) to the City of Gallipolis through the City Police Department before the golf cart or side by side may be operated on the streets of the City of Gallipolis. Any certificate issued pursuant to this section by the Chief of Police expires after 365 days and the Chief of Police will designate the issuing date and expiration date on each certificate. The Chief of Police shall keep a copy of each certificate issued pursuant to this section. The owner or operator of the vehicle shall keep a copy of any certificate issued pursuant to this section inside the golf cart or side by side to which it pertains. The Chief of Police shall issue a sticker or other similar device to the owner of each golf cart or side by side once it is inspected. The sticker shall signify compliance with this section and the expiration of the current inspection period. The owner of each golf cart or side by side shall display the sticker in a conspicuous place on the rear of the approved vehicle.
(c) A golf cart or side by side must have all of the following requirements in order to operate on the streets in the City of Gallipolis and pass the inspection:
(1) Brake lights (two (2) lights);
(2) Head Lights (two (2) lights);
(3) Tail lights (two (2) lights);
(4) Turn signs (two (2) front, one (1) rear);
(5) A horn;
(6) A rearview mirror;
(7) A windshield;
(8) Brakes and a brake system;
(9) A steering wheel;
(10) Appropriate tires that are free from any unsafe conditions;
(11) Seat belts sufficient for maximum occupancy of the vehicle;
(12) License plate light;
(13) A minimum of three (3) wheels and maximum of four (4) wheels;
(14) A minimum height of sixty-seven (67) inches, width of forty-four (44) inches and length of ninety-one (91) inches;
(15) A maximum height of seventy-seven (77) inches, width of fifty-four (54) inches and length of 108 inches;
(16) Adequate muffler without cut out, bypass or other modifications; and
(17) Manufactured with a roof or roll cage.
(d) The owner of a golf cart or side by side, at any time prior to having the golf cart or side by side inspected, may make application to the Chief of Police of the City of Gallipolis for a variance of any of the applicable safety/equipment requirements of the State of Ohio relative to motor vehicles. The Chief of Police shall approve the variance if, in his sole discretion, said variance does not affect the safety or efficacy of the equipment on the golf cart or side by side to be inspected.
(e) The owner of a golf cart or side by side shall also comply with all requirements of Ohio law regarding proper title, registration and license plates prior to operating a golf cart or side by side on any street within the City of Gallipolis. Compliance with this section shall be in addition to, rather than in lieu of, any applicable provisions of State law relative to the operation of motor vehicles. (Ord. 2020-17. Passed 5-19-20.)