Elburn board passes on vote to allow golf carts on public streets

The effort to make Elburn a golf cart community will not move forward — at least for now.

After months of research and several drafts of an ordinance, village board members did not second a motion made by Trustee Chris Hansen to approve it.

The concept had plenty of interest when it was introduced, with 582 residents signing a petition for the board to consider it.

The campaign began with Melissa Bollivar, a relatively new resident to the community, and Beth Simmons, co-owner with her husband of Main Street Golf Cars in Elburn. They presented information about the concept at a November 2024 board meeting.

Bollivar said having that casual way of getting around encourages people to get outside to take kids around the neighborhood or just meet their neighbors.

Elburn Police Chief Nick Sikora and village attorney Bill Thomas brought information to the board, including state laws governing the vehicles, interviews conducted with police chiefs and sample ordinances from other municipalities around the state. Trustees obtained feedback from residents and did research of the pros and cons, the safety risks and the liabilities.

Trustees Pat Schuberg and Ken Anderson did not support the idea from the beginning. In December, Schuberg said despite being such a small village, Elburn had two major state highways, a large county road and a railroad crossing, which make the safe operation of golf carts throughout the village difficult to maintain.

Anderson cited Route 47 and neighborhoods with industrial parks where trucks are prevalent.

“I don’t think a semitruck running into a golf cart would be a good thing, let alone a car,” he said in February.

Because of safety concerns, trustees considered limiting the use of golf carts to only within one’s own subdivision or neighborhood.

A final proposed ordinance would have allowed residents to drive golf carts only on village roads with speed limits of 35 mph or less and residents would not be allowed to cross major thoroughfares such as Route 47, Route 38 and Keslinger and Hughes roads. The ordinance included a list of other restrictions with resulting fines if drivers were found not to be in compliance.

But when Hansen made a motion April 7 to approve the ordinance, no one seconded.

The new term will start at the May 5 Village Board meeting with the swearing in of newly elected trustees John Bolger and Megan Mussano, as well as an appointed trustee who will take over the remaining open position.