Franklin County considers allowing golf carts at Alligator Point

 Franklin County Commissioners have agreed to do a study at Alligator Point to see if they can allow people to legally use golf carts there.

Golf carts are already widely used at Alligator Point, but they aren't supposed to be.

Many Alligator Point residents feel the county should create a golf cart ordinance for the Point similar to ones in place for Eastpoint and St. George Island.

There is petition with over 120 signatures asking for the ordinance.

County staff, however, are opposed to the move.

Alan Pierce said there is a big difference between Alligator Point and most other areas of the county in that in Eastpoint and St. George Island golf carts can still get around without going on to major roads like Highway 98 or Gulf Beach Drive.

At Alligator Point there is only one road through the Point with dead-end roads branching off of it so golf carts would have to share the road with cars and that is a liability waiting to happen.

The county said the only way they could allow golf carts is by lowering the current 35 mile an hour speed limit on Alligator Drive to 15 or 20 miles an hour, and while many golf cart owners would support that move, its not sure that all homeowners or visitors would want to drive that slowly.

The county said it would investigate the issue further and have staff and an engineer look at the impacts of lowering the speed limit on Alligator Drive.

They will consider the issue further after the study is complete.

Commissioner Cheryl Sanders said the county's decision will ultimately be whatever is safest for the people.

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