Cordele City Commission votes on first reading of motorized cart ordinance
Published 9:36 am Friday, February 13, 2026
The Cordele City Commission heard the first reading of the new motorized cart ordinance during their meeting on Feb. 3. Commissioner George Singletary pointed out errors in the ordinance. The ordinance before the Commission required everyone to wear a seat belt, but Singletary stated that he only remembered them discussing making seat belts a requirement for children.
The subject was first discussed during the Jan. 20 City Commission meeting, when Commissioner Singletary brought up proposed changes. Singletary addressed the current cart ordinance. “Mr. Mayor, our current cart ordinance prevents me from driving out of my driveway onto the street right in front of my house.” The current ordinance allows people to drive motorized carts, like golf carts, on roads with speed limits 25 m.p.h. or under. Riding golf carts on roads like the one that Singletary lives on, which limits vehicles to 30 m.p.h., is not allowed. “I think it should be 35 m.p.h.”
City attorney Tommy Coleman said that the issue of motorized carts had become an increasingly complicated issue as new vehicles were invented and marketed. “What’s the difference between [an] electric bicycle and a moped or a motorcycle?”
Singletary stated that he believed that motorized carts should be required to have liability insurance. Coleman stated that insurance was not required on the state level. “There’s no provision in the law and state law for insurance. So it’s a gray area.”
During the Feb 3 meeting, Coleman also talked about motorized cart law, saying that they would have to send the ordinance to the Georgia Department of Transportation to determine which portions of state highways the vehicles could legally cross. However, while there are legally designated crossings for motorized carts, driving down state highways is illegal.
Commissioner Joe Joe Wright sees changes to the ordinance as a positive for older residents who might otherwise be tempted to make the trip to a convenience store in wheelchairs. “We don’t want to make these people’s life difficult, okay, but we do want to make it safe.”
Mayor Wesley Rainey entertained a motion to approve the first reading with the discussed changes. Wright made a motion, which was seconded by Singletary. The motion was passed unanimously.