Boone County has approved the expansion of golf cart usage in the Triple Crown subdivision.
In recent years, golf carts have emerged as a convenient way to travel short distances within residential neighborhoods. Master planned communities, like many modern subdivisions, are built with golf cart-friendly infrastructure like lower speed limits and dedicated paths.
In 2019, Boone County passed an ordinance that enables residents to request the use of electric golf carts on designated roads. According to Kentucky state law, KRS 189.286, local governments may authorize the use of golf carts on public streets. For communities to gain approval for golf cart usage, they must submit an application to the county and receive final authorization from the Boone County Fiscal Court.
“When we passed the original ordinance, it was kind of the original umbrella that permitted it within the county, but as we reported then and as we’ve updated it since, each community needs to come in and request specific streets to be applied to and meet the requirements,” Moore said.
During a fiscal court meeting on April 8, the Triple Crown Homeowners Association proposed adding the streets built after the original 2019 ordinance. Triple Crown stands as one of the largest subdivisions in Northern Kentucky.
The streets in question are:
- Affirmed Avenue
- Authentic Court
- Antley Court
- Baffert Court
- Blanton’s Way
- Cauthen Court
- Coaltown Court
- Coolmore Court
- Flightline Drive
- Gunther Court
- Hirsch Court
- Justify Drive
- Pratt Court
- Starlight Court
- Winstar Court
- Rumfield Court
- Extension of Triple Crown Boulevard
“A lot of streets have been built or extended,” Moore said. “This also gets golf carts to the Publix.”
Moore confirmed that Triple Crown residents will be allowed to drive their golf carts to the newly opened Publix grocery store on Richwood Road, which borders the subdivision. Golf carts are not permitted to drive to the Richwood Road roundabout.
After deliberations, the Boone County Fiscal Court conducted a first reading of an ordinance that would expand the use of golf carts on the aforementioned roadways. A second reading will take place during the next fiscal court meeting on April 22.
Commissioner Chet Hand asked county staff if it would be possible to add signage to certain areas of the subdivision that clearly mark where the golf carts are and aren’t allowed to travel. Hand’s concern was centered around people driving golf carts to commercial businesses near Triple Crown.
“My concern with bringing it up is that if it’s happening and we don’t enforce, then it’s irrelevant,” Hand said. “So we should be either enforcing or putting up some signage, because if they’re used to driving everywhere in Triple Crown with them, they may not even think about driving them to Richwood Commercial.”
Boone County Engineer Rob Franxman and Boone County Administrator Matthew Webster confirmed that the county can add signage. Furthermore, Webster said that if golf carts continue to travel outside the appropriate boundaries, the sheriff’s office can be alerted to impound them.
Triple Crown is not the only Northern Kentucky community that allows golf carts on city streets. Cities like Bellevue, Fort Thomas and Ludlow also allow golf carts. Currently, Covington is considering an ordinance that would allow “low-speed vehicles,” which include golf carts, in certain areas.
