Should Hilton Head gated communities ban street-legal golf carts? One partly did
Hilton Head Plantation issued a limited ban on low-speed vehicles this week, citing traffic and safety concerns, according to POA General Manager Peter Kristian.
He said that this is an “interim” step while the POA considers both more and less restrictive rules around the vehicles, which look like golf carts. However, unlike golf carts, they have safety features such as headlights, turn signals and seat belts that allow them on roadways with speed limits of up to 35 mph. In Hilton Head Plantation, the board banned them from Whooping Crane Way and portions of Seabrook Drive Wednesday.
Kristian estimates there are about five vehicles that will be legacied in, but “if you end up with hundreds of them. That could be a major issue.” He said the low-speed vehicles could potentially slow down traffic and cause concerns over occupant safety in case of an accident with a larger vehicle.
The golf-cart-like vehicles cost anywhere from around $10,000 to upwards of $16,000, and Kristian said they wanted to act before more residents started buying them.
In the Hilton Head area, it’s not uncommon to see families loaded up on golf carts to go to the beach, or zip to the nearest gas station for a snack. In communities like Sun City, residents might be more likely to see people driving in a golf cart or low-speed vehicle than a car. To drive a golf cart legally, drivers must follow narrowly defined South Carolina rules, including that the golf cart must remain within 4 miles of their home or business.
Regardless of South Carolina laws, gated communities can regulate whether golf carts are allowed on their roads, and in some such as Hilton Head Plantation, the answer is “absolutely not,” said Kristian. There is an exception for The Cypress, which is the retirement community in Hilton Head Plantation.
Decisions surrounding whether Hilton Head Plantation loosens, tightens or doesn’t change its low-speed vehicle regulations will be made this year, according to Kristian.
This story was originally published April 1, 2024 at 5:00 AM.
