Electric vehicle ordinance approved in Denison

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Posted: 10:49 PM Oct 6, 2008
Last Updated: 9:47 AM Oct 7, 2008
Reporter: KXII Staff
Email Address: firstnews@kxii.com

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DENISON, Tex. -- Some hot topics were on the agenda Monday night for the Denison City Council, including the use of electric vehicles. We told you last week about one Denison man who wants to drive his golf cart around town. After Monday night's meeting, he may be able to do that legally.

The council approved an ordinance regulating electric vehicles. In order to be street legal, the vehicles will have to be insured, have brake lights and turn signals. Basically, it must meet the same street legal requirements as a normal car, but does not need windshield wipers.

The council will also decide which streets the electric vehicles can travel.

Another issue the council tackled Monday was water and sewer improvements. Denison mayor Robert Brady says even though the market is in bad shape, they managed to get bonds to pay for more than $5 million in upgrades.

"We'll accept bids now for the work that needs to be done and then we'll execute those contracts and start doing the work," Brady said.

Brady says crews are expected to begin work before the end of the year.

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Comments are posted from viewers like you and do not always reflect the views of this station.

Posted by: Anonymous on Oct 7, 2008 at 08:35 PM
Interesting......and rare- common sense from a government entity.

Posted by: Anonymous on Oct 7, 2008 at 05:02 PM
Who cares people, pay attention while you drive and you can avoid accidents. Worry about your own business!

Posted by: Anonymous on Oct 7, 2008 at 04:54 PM
this is a really dumb idea. stay out of my way hoy, cause i dont want to be hekd up in traffic because of you or any other goof ball that is on one of these, its bad enough wheel chairs are in the way.

Posted by: Brent Location: Denison on Oct 7, 2008 at 02:41 PM
Mike in Oklahoma is correct. I originally approached the Denison City Council with a request to allow low-speed, neighborhood electric vehicles on their roads with posted speeds of 35 mph or less. The reporting and interpretation have transformed the lsv/nev into a golf cart. I'm glad the Denison has approved the ordinance and is prepared to move forward.

Posted by: Mike Location: Oklahoma on Oct 7, 2008 at 12:04 PM
NEV is a Federally-approved street-legal vehicle classification which came into existence in 1998 under Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 500 (FMVSS 500). (The vehicle classification is referred to as "low-speed vehicle" within Federal regulations.) NEVs are defined as a four-wheeled motor vehicle that has a gross vehicle weight rating of less than 3,000 pounds and a top speed of between 20 to 25 mph. [3] Those states that authorize NEVs generally restrict their operation to streets with a maximum speed limit of 35 miles per hour (56 km/h) or 45 miles per hour (72 km/h). Because of the federal law, car dealers cannot legally sell the vehicles to go faster than 25 miles per hour (40 km/h), but the buyer can easily and inexpensively modify the car to go 35 miles per hour.

Posted by: okie Location: oklahoma on Oct 7, 2008 at 10:53 AM
Mike it may not be what you are thinking of. The electric veh in question is a golf cart, while great on the golf course, they were not ment to be on the road. I agree that gas is to high but you need to be carful what you let on your city roads. Golf carts are not designed to take the impact of a wreck, they do not have crumple zones to lessen the affects on the people in the cart, no seat belts regulations, no role bar and the list can go on and on. Just be careful what you ask for if one kid gets hurt or killed the whole town will have ege on its face.

Posted by: Lillian Location: Sherman on Oct 7, 2008 at 10:21 AM
It is NOT a stupid idea. People get hurt, killed and sued because of automobile accidents everyday. What kind of logic is that? We are in a crisis and at least Denison is TRYING to join the rest of the US in doing something about it..

Posted by: Anonymous on Oct 7, 2008 at 08:07 AM
well i hope the city counsil is the first to go to jail or get sued when some one in hurt or dies. this is a stupid ides.

Posted by: Anonymous on Oct 7, 2008 at 07:24 AM
Has anyone on the Denison City Council consulted TXDOT about regulations of registering a golf cart. I think not!

Posted by: Mike Location: Oklahoma on Oct 7, 2008 at 05:57 AM
Outstanding! Good going Denison, Texas! There's a growing group of Electric Vehicle Enthusiasts in North Texas & Southern Oklahoma. We meet every 2nd Saturday of the month in Dallas. Our website is: www.nteaa.org We help others, learn about EV's, explain how to convert a gas guzzler over to all electric propulsion, and have fun driving on aprox 2cents a mile. We'd love to see Denison, Texas become the hotspot for Electric Vehicles in Texoma. I'm currently looking for High Schools, who'd be interested in starting up an afterschool or even during school EV conversion program. If enough schools started building EV's, we could do endurance runs at "Texas Motor Speedway" For more information on what I'm trying to get started, watch the video at: http://tinyurl.com/3wephu Email me at: texomaev@yahoo.com If your school would like to become envolved.

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