Resident says police stopped her from driving a street-legal golf cart; city attorney points to traffic code

Pat Francisco, a Gahanna resident, told the Charter Review Commission on March 26 that she has driven a street-legal golf cart on city streets for several years but was pulled over by police last summer and told she could no longer drive it there.

"This cart is legal, it's street legal," Francisco said, noting it has rearview mirrors, turn signals, brake lights and a license plate. She said she had been told when she bought the cart there was no ordinance prohibiting such use, and asked where to start if she wanted the rule clarified.

A city attorney responding to Francisco said this is generally governed by the traffic code and not the charter. The attorney offered to provide contact information and review the traffic code during the city's annual code review, saying she was available to discuss what the code currently permits and what could be changed.

The commission did not take formal action on the comment at the meeting; the attorney offered to follow up with Francisco by phone or email to clarify the city's code and any options for ordinance changes.