“I find it a frivolous ordinance. I think the majority of people in Franklin don’t have golf carts. I don’t have one. I don’t care to drive around in one. It’s going to look like Disneyland with people driving around golf carts in Franklin,” Dillon said. Dilllon said other residents who go out walking are going to feel the same safety concerns that she does. “I will say that the reason that this was brought is because the residents have reached out in favor of it,” Sahli said. Council President Bill Lamott said he is not comfortable with the idea. “The safety aspect really bothers me,” he said. Council member Pam Hansen said she wonders how close they are to being able to provide a safe route for golf carts to downtown, whether it’s through a golf course-dedicated lane, allowing them on sidewalks or another solution. “I think it’s a great idea, but I’m just not seeing how it would work,” Hansen said. Hansen ultimately voted no on the motion, alongside Lamott. Franklin resident Tracy Stein shared that they have a second home in South Haven, where golf carts are allowed — with strict rules in place. “It seems a little odd I think at first but once people get used to it, it’s not really all that different from a car driving down the street without a sidewalk. And if anything, you can stop a whole lot faster, and you’re typically not going as fast as a lot of cars drive around here, which is another issue as well,” Stein said. When it came time to vote, Council member Kathy Erlich said, “I want to say no. However, I see benefits to discussing it and going through it and evaluating it again.” The next step is for the Planning Commission to write up an ordinance, make a proposal for golf cart regulations in the village and then bring it forth to council after a public hearing.

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