City considers carts and ORVs on streets

The question of allowing golf carts and off-road vehicles to move freely on Grand Coulee streets came up again at the city council meeting Feb. 21.

It was immediately given a cold shoulder by former mayor and present Councilmember Tammara Byers.

She stated that mixing golf carts and ORVs with heavy traffic is exceedingly dangerous and she was against it.

Councilmember Gary Carriere had a copy of Electric City’s ordinance allowing such vehicles on its streets on hand and appeared to be trying to move it along.

Electric City, by ordinance, has allowed golf carts and ORVs to move on city streets for a couple years, so far with no problems. Electric City’s ordinance requires such vehicles to have lights and turn signals and to be licensed by the state.

Sgt. Gary Moore, from Grand Coulee’s police department, asked how far a person would be able to drive a golf cart or ORV. He asked if he had a blade on one, could he drive it across town to help someone clear snow from a driveway?

Moore also noted that Grand Coulee has two highways running through it while Electric City has only one.

In spite of Electric City having an ordinance supporting golf carts, only a few people use them on city streets.

Grand Coulee pressed on with its council agenda, neither passing the idea nor condemning it.