WESTMORELAND COUNTY, Virginia (STPNS) -- Horner's Beach may be next in line to get golf carts. Westmoreland Supervisors have now agreed to go to public hearing with the Horner?s Beach petition to be designated as a golf cart community.

The action followed a favorable transportation study from the county government?s Resource International, Ltd. engineers.

?We find that the streets in Horner?s Beach are satisfactory to allow golf carts on the public roadways in accordance with the Code of Virginia,? engineer Charlie Riedlinger advised.



?The recommendations of this report describe the addition of three golf cart warning signs, three speed limit signs, one stop sign and one reduced speed ahead sign.?

The engineers? review confirmed that 25 mile per hour speed limit postings already are in place throughout the community, traffic volumes are low and pavement and street shoulder widths are adequate.

?The community is entirely residential,? the engineers? report observed. ?The community beach and boat ramp at the western end of Popes Creek Avenue is the probable attraction for residents to access via golf cart.?

If the Supervisors opt to convey the designation, the engineers recommend that the requirements associated with gold cart operation in the Virginia Code be included as a condition for operating golf carts on the subdivision?s public streets.

The golf carts would be allowed on every subdivision road except the portion of Horner Road south of Riverview Road and the portion of Gordon way that has a 45 miles per hour speed limit in place.

Warning signs designating golf cart use would be posted at specified locations at the subdivision residents? expense and residents would be expected to pay the cost associated with other necessary signage.

District 3 Supervisor Lynn Brownley spoke with enthusiasm about the prospect of adding Horner?s Beach to the short list of golf cart communities that includes the Potomac and Westmoreland Shores residential neighborhoods.

?It?s a good area for golf carts,? Brownley commented. ?I?m glad to see the engineers? report affirms that. I would like us to move forward and advertise the hearing.?

?They always have had golf carts down there in the Fourth of July parade,? District 4 Supervisor Woody Hynson related. ?My son lives there and I certainly want to go along with their wish to designate Horner?s Beach as a golf cart community.?

District 2 Supervisor-elect Russ Culver interjected a suggestion that the Board restrict Horner?s Beach golf cart operations to the hours between sunrise and sunset.

?That?s already part of the state law that we have to include when we designate a golf cart community,? County Administrator Norm Risavi told the newest member of the Board.

?We have a process for designating golf communities that is already in place,? Board Chairman Darryl Fisher stated for additional clarification.

?We will advertise this for public hearing,? said Brownley when he offered the motion to proceed. ?The action will be consistent with state law.?