Scott City Council votes to extend hours of use for utility task vehicles

Scott City Council voted to amend the city’s ordinance on utility task vehicles (UTV) Monday night.

The amendment would allow drivers of UTVs to drive the vehicles from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. as long as the UTVs have turn signals. The ordinance previously restricted drivers from using UTVs before sunrise and after sunset.

Council members voted 7-1 for the amendment, with councilman Victor Phillips as the lone “no” vote. They will vote on the change a second time at the council’s next meeting Aug. 16. If it passes again, the ordinance will take effect.

The call to change the ordinance came during the council’s public forum Monday night. Local contractor and business owner Carmon Jackson brought the issue before the council.

“There’s a lot of things we use these for at night time,” Jackson said. “We use them to hunt and take them to the ballpark.”

Jackson argued since most UTVs have seat belts, lights and blinker signals, owners should be able to drive them before sunrise and after sunset.

During the meeting, Scott City Mayor Norman Brant said police usually handle UTV traffic violations on a case-by-case basis.

“We understand if you’re at the ballpark and it gets dark, you’re just trying to get home,” Brant said.

Scott City’s traffic code defines UTVs — also known as “side-by-sides” — as any motorized vehicle manufactured and used exclusively for off-highway use. The vehicles measure more than 50 inches but no more than 67 inches in width with a weight of 2,000 pounds or less traveling on four or six wheels, according to the city’s code.

Scott City’s ordinance on UTVs requires the vehicles to be registered annually by the owner. City residents pay a $15 annual registration fee. They must display a registration sticker on the vehicle in plain sight. Separate registration stickers are required for Scott County.

The ordinance amendment will not affect regulations toward all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) or golf carts.