Golf carts in Trenton?

By Cindy Jo Ayers

The Trenton City Commissioners were told at their May 24 meeting that an individual has contacted City Manager Taylor Brown requesting that driving golf carts within the city limits of Trenton be made legal.
City Attorney David M. Lang told the commissioners that the town of Bell has made it legal to drive golf carts within the city limits.
Lang went on to say that a study would have to be done by the Florida Department of Transportation in regards to the traffic flow and the number of cars using the streets and where crossings on US 129 and State Road 26 would be allowed by the state.
The city attorney also told commissioners that the city streets belong to the city and the commissioners have to decide if they will allow the use of golf carts on city streets.
The State of Florida does not allow the use of golf carts on their roads which include US 129, and State Road 26. But both roads can be crossed at state designated cart crossings after the proper surveys and paper work is complete and approval is given by DOT.
State law requires that golf carts not be operated on public roads or streets by any person under the age of 14.
Commissioners were concerned about policing the use of carts and safety concerns with the amount of traffic in Trenton.
Mayor Glen Thigpen and Commissioners Randy Rutter and Tim Kinsey were the only city commissioners at the meeting. All three said they wanted more information on the matter before they would proceed any further.
Taylor Brown said that he would inform the citizen who requested permission to drive their golf cart on city streets that they should attend a public meeting of the Trenton City Commission and make the request known to the commissioners.
Other news from the city included an application for a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) which hopefully will include a new sewer lift station near Trenton Apartments and Ayers Health & Rehabilitation Center.
According to the city manager, the lift station that serves that area of town needs to be replaced. Over the past few years, Brown said the city has spent a lot of money repairing that lift station. If awarded, the other part of the CDBG grant could go toward paving NE 5th Terrace to connect Pines Estate to Lancaster Street. This is the area around the old Gro-More, which is currently a dirt street.
According to Fred Fox of Fred Fox Enterprises, Trenton is eligible to apply for $650,000 in CDBG grant funds and the application cycle opens on July 1, 2011.
The application is due by August 15, 2011. The first public hearing was held on May 24, just before the regular monthly meeting began.