(a) No person shall operate a “golf cart” vehicle on the streets within the City of Martins Ferry 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. For purposes of this section, “golf cart” means a motor vehicle that has not less than three wheels in contact with the ground, that has a unladen weight of less than one thousand eight hundred pounds, and that is designed to carry not more than six persons including the driver.
(b) If the Chief of Police, or his designee, or another agent designated and approved by the State of Ohio, determines that the golf cart 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 on the streets within the City of Martins Ferry. The owner or operator shall also show the Chief of Police or designee proof of liability insurance for the golf cart before a certificate of compliance is issued. The owner or operator of any golf cart shall be required to pay a fee in the amount of $35.00 to the City of Martins Ferry through the City Police Department before the golf cart may be operated on the streets of the City. 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 any golf cart shall keep a copy of any certificate issued pursuant to this section inside the golf cart to which it pertains. The Chief of Police shall issue a sticker or other similar device to the owner of each golf cart 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 shall display the sticker in a conspicuous place on the rear of the golf cart.
(c) The owner of a golf cart, at any time prior to having a golf cart inspected, may make application to the Chief of Police of the City of Martins Ferry 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 to be inspected.
(d) The owner of a golf cart shall also comply with all requirements of Ohio law regarding proper title, registration and license plates prior to operating a golf cart on any street within the City of Martins Ferry. 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. 2016-12. Passed 12-27-16.)