Public notice: Village of Manchester

Village Hall, Village of Manchester

VILLAGE OF MANCHESTER
NOTICE OF ADOPTION
ORDINANCE No. 308

AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND THE CODE OF ORDINANCES, VILLAGE OF MANCHESTER, MICHIGAN BY ADDING A NEW CHAPTER 73 TO ARTICLE VII WHICH NEW SECTION SHALL BE DESIGNATED AS SECTION 73.01 AND SECTION 73.02 TO AUTHORIZE THE OPERATION OF GOLF CARTS ON VILLAGE STREETS PURSUANT TO MCL 257.657a; AND TO PROVIDE FOR VIOLATIONS HEREOF AND TO REPEAL ALL ORDINANCES IN CONFLICT HEREWITH.

THE VILLAGE OF MANCHESTER, WASHTENAW COUNTY, MICHIGAN, HEREBY ORDAINS:

That the Manchester Village Code, Title VII-Traffic Code, is hereby amended by adding sections, to be numbered 73.02 and 73.03, which shall read as follows:

Section 1. Amendment to Article VII by adding Chapter 73, Section 73.01 and Section 73.02.

Sec. 73.01. Operation of golf carts on village streets.
For the purpose of enforcing the provisions of this chapter, certain terms and words used herein are defined as follows:

Village means the Village of Manchester.

Driver license means an operator’s or chauffeur’s license or permit to an individual by the Secretary of State under Chapter III of the Michigan vehicle code, 1949 PA 300, MCL 257.301 to MCL 257.329, for that individual to operate a vehicle, whether or not conditions are attached to the license or permit.

Golf Cart means a vehicle designed for transportation while playing the game of golf. A golf cart is not required to meet the vehicle safety requirements of a low-speed vehicle for approval under this section.

Operate means to ride in or on, or be in actual physical control of the operation of the golf cart.

Operator means a person who operates or is in actual physical control of the operation of a golf cart.

Maintained portion means that portion of a road improved, designated or ordinarily used for vehicular traffic.

Road means a road or street which is in the Village of Manchester street system. Road does not include a private road. Street and road are intended to be interchangeable phrases.

Sunset and Sunrise mean that time determined by the National Weather Service.

Sec. 73.02. Operation of golf carts on village streets.
A person may operate a golf cart on village streets, subject to the following restrictions:

1. A person shall not operate a golf cart on any street unless he or she is at least 16 years old and is licensed to operate a motor vehicle.
2. The operator of a golf cart shall comply with the signal requirements of MCL 257.648 that apply to the operation of a vehicle. 
3. The operator of a golf cart shall obey by all sections pertaining to traffic in the Michigan Motor Vehicle.
4. A person operating a golf cart upon a roadway shall ride as near to the right side of the roadway as practicable, exercising due care when passing a standing vehicle or one proceeding in the same direction.
5. A person shall not operate a golf cart on a state trunk line highway (M-52). This subsection does not prohibit a person from crossing a state trunk line highway when operating a golf cart on a street of the village, using the most direct line of crossing.
6. Where a usable and designated path for golf carts is provided adjacent to a highway or street, a person operating a golf cart shall be required to use that path.
7. A person operating a golf cart shall not pass between lines of traffic, but may pass on the left of traffic moving in his or her direction in the case of a 2-way street or on the left or right of traffic in the case of a 1-way street, in an unoccupied lane.
8. A golf cart shall not be operated on a sidewalk constructed for the use of pedestrians.
9. A golf cart shall be operated at a speed not to exceed 15 miles per hour and shall not be operated on a highway or street with a speed limit of more than 30 miles per hour except to cross that highway or street. The village may, by resolution, designate roads or classifications of roads for use by golf carts under this subsection.
10. A golf cart shall not be operated on the streets of the village during the time period from 1/2 hour before sunset to 1/2 hour after sunrise.
11. A person operating a golf cart or who is a passenger in a golf cart is not required to wear a crash helmet.
12. A golf cart operated on a street of the village under this section is not required to be registered under this act for purposes of section 3101 of the insurance code of 1956, 1956 PA 218, MCL 500.3101.
13. This section does not apply to a police officer, village employees, and village volunteers in the performance of his or her official duties.
14. A golf cart shall not be operated during inclement weather or with snow and / or ice on the ground.
15. Off-road vehicles, such as Gators, all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), a multitrack or multi-wheel drive vehicle, dune buggies, or like-vehicles are not considered golf carts.
16. Violations of any provisions of this section shall be penalized as a civil infraction.

Section 2. Sunset Provision.
Unless reenacted by ordinance of Village Council, this ordinance shall be null, void and of no force and effect one (1) year after the date of enactment.

Section  3. Severability
If any section, paragraph, clause, or provision of this Ordinance shall be held invalid, the invalidity of such section, paragraph, clause, or provision shall not affect any of the other provisions of this Ordinance.

Section 4. Effective Date
The Village Clerk shall cause this Ordinance, or a synopsis of this Ordinance, to be published in the manner required by law within fifteen (15) days after it has been duly adopted by the Village Council.  The effective date shall be the 20^th day after the date of publication.

Adopted:  08/15/2022
Published:  08/24/2022
Effective:    09/13/2022

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by Sara Swanson

Sara Swanson is an editor, writer and founder of the Manchester Mirror.