On your marks … Get set … Go 25 mph.
Holmes Beach city commissioners reached consensus at a Jan. 25 work session to move talks forward on a resolution that would establish a citywide speed limit of 25 mph in an attempt to improve traffic safety.
The current conversation began last August, when commissioners approved a six-month moratorium on new golf cart and low-speed vehicle rental businesses due to concerns about the safety of the vehicles in conventional traffic.
The moratorium was to expire Feb. 1, after The Islander went to press for the week.
After months of discussing how to best improve traffic safety, city engineer Sage Kamiya and Police Chief Bill Tokajer proposed a citywide reduction for the speed limit.
They have said reducing the speed limit would eliminate confusion for golf cart and LSV drivers since they could be driven almost anywhere, as well as improve traffic safety by setting a slower pace.
The change would impact three stretches of heavily trafficked roadways — Gulf, Marina and Palm drives — where the city-controlled speed limit is 35 mph.
Golf carts and LSVs would remain illegal to drive on Manatee Avenue and East Bay Drive, which are state roads regulated by the Florida Department of Transportation with 35-mph speed limits.
The DOT has stated in memos to the city that LSVs and carts are not permitted on the two state roads.
The proposed ordinance has some support from the public.
Of eight people who spoke during public comment, all voiced support for reducing the speed limit.
“It’s a great first action,” resident Jay Calhoun said. “I will say, when chief first proposed this idea a couple years ago, I was against it. … But now that I’ve lived here five years, I understand. You can just slow down and enjoy the paradise that we have.”
Several people encouraged the city to consider additional measures to ensure traffic safety.
Win Bishop of Key Royale supported the reduced speed limit but said more needed to be done to address the dangers caused by golf carts and LSVs. He encouraged commissioners to entirely prohibit golf carts from city roads since they don’t travel fast enough to keep up with conventional traffic.
“I agree with reducing the speed to 25 mph but it doesn’t address, at the end of the day, the inherent issues involved when you introduce golf carts and cars on a main thoroughfare,” resident John Mayers said.
Mayers said he has a background in manufacturing golf carts, stating that many “were never designed to be on the road,” and could not withstand collisions at 15 mph or even 10 mph. He asked commissioners to establish additional rules for the vehicles.
He added, “Is it going to take us having dead bodies on the street to say, ‘Hmmm. Maybe this isn’t the wisest thing to do?’”
Commissioner Jayne Christenson agreed that reducing the speed limit would not address the dangers caused by golf carts and low-speed vehicles and on main thoroughfares.
“By lowering the speed … you now are going to allow golf carts that are not licensed to be allowed on Gulf Drive and Marina and Palm,” Christenson said.
Commissioner Terry Schaefer said he wants to see the impact of the city’s new stickers on traffic safety before taking “more severe action” about the vehicles. The stickers advise vehicle users of the city’s rules for golf carts and LSVs and must be placed on all rental vehicles registered within the city.
Commission Chair Carol Soustek voiced appreciation for the public involvement and support for the resolution.
“I think by lowering it to 25 we will achieve a better control of things,” Soustek said. “You shouldn’t be speeding around anyways. You should be relaxing. So we’re going to force you to relax.”
A speed change from 35 mph to 25 mph on a single mile from the Manatee Avenue-Gulf Drive intersection to Holmes Beach City Hall occurred in August 2015.
However, the short-lived change, arrived at by Tokajer and then-Mayor Bob Johnson, occurred without public discussion and the city commission restored the speed limit to 35 mph, in spite of studies and state laws recommending the lower speed.
The commission will meet next at 5 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 8, at city hall, 5801 Marina Drive. The meeting will be open to the public, with masks required. Directions to attend via Zoom can be found online at https://www.holmesbeachfl.org.