Americans are cutting back on lots of things, but golf cart safety definitely should not be one of them. Taking the time to observe a few simple rules of the road, coupled with a heaping serving of common courtesy, could mean the difference between a pleasant trip and a horrible tragedy.

Golf cart safety is a high priority, whether you are rolling along a course or cruising around the neighborhood. Cart safety at The Landings is serious business for Security Director Tim Cook.

“Courtesy is a must for everyone to enjoy safely the common trails in the community,” he said. “I don’t think anyone wants to be responsible for someone getting seriously injured. The only way to prevent this from happening is to use common sense and always be prepared to make way for others using the trails.”

Most areas where golf carts are allowed have their own set of driving rules, and The Landings Association is no exception. (See page 39-40 of the 2022 Landings Residential Directory.)

Below are some dos and don’ts for operating golf cart.

Do

• Register Your Golf Cart with The Landings Association – All golf carts in the community must be registered with The Landings Association. The registration process is simple and free. Please read more here. 
• Observe Driving Speed – When operating a golf cart, be sure to mind your driving speed. Like regular vehicles, golf carts have a maximum speed, but it is not expected that you always drive at the maximum speed. You should reduce your speed when it is raining, when making sharp turns, or anytime your line-of-sight is reduced.
• Keep to designated paths and roadways – In most areas where golf carts are allowed, there are designated paths and marked lanes for them to travel. Most trails in the community are common trails, meaning they are designated for use by pedestrians, bikes, and golf carts. There also are several “cart free zones” where you are not allowed to operate a golf cart. (See page 40 of the 2022 Landings Residential Directory.)
• Yield to Pedestrians and Cyclists – Pedestrians and cyclists always have the right-of-way on common trails, so when you are driving your golf cart, maintain a safe speed with the anticipation that you may need to stop.
• Keep hands, feet, and other body parts inside the vehicle – This may sound like a precursor to a wicked roller coaster ride, but keeping your limbs inside the cart while it’s moving is common sense, and should be practiced…especially if driving with young children. Also, please do not drive with young children on your lap.
• Look, Listen, and Drive – Look around and be aware of driving signs and warnings, even if they are meant for regular vehicles. These signs are designed to make your drive easier, regardless of what type of vehicle you are operating. Being aware of speed limits, dips and speed bumps, and other driving warnings will keep you safe. It also will help you avoid undue wear on your golf cart.

Don’t

• Carry more passengers than there are seats – If there are only x number of seats, then only x number of passengers can safely board. Exceeding your passenger capacity will put unnecessary weight on your cart and can damage your shocks and prematurely wear down your tires. It also is unsafe, and many golf cart accidents have been caused by excess passengers on board.
• Drive recklessly or while intoxicated – It is important to remember to observe the same rules when operating a golf cart that you would when operating any other motor vehicle. If you have had too much to drink, do not get behind the wheel of a golf cart.  
• Allow underage individuals to operate a cart – Under State and Chatham County law, to operate a golf cart, just like any other motorized vehicle, the driver must have a valid operator’s license. A Learners Permit does not qualify as a valid operator’s license. Under OCGA 40-6-3, Chatham County Police Department can enforce traffic laws in our community, including those regarding golf carts. 

  Unlicensed cart operation is one of the most misunderstood issues in our community and one of the most violated. Our Rule mirrors State and Chatham County laws regarding motor vehicles and is very clear. “F. Vehicles, 3. All licensed and unlicensed vehicles must obey all traffic regulations” and “4. Operators of motorized vehicles, including scooters, mopeds, and golf carts, must have a valid operator’s license, in compliance with Georgia law.”

• Allow anyone to stand in the cart or on the platform located in the back – This is a recipe for disaster. Before pulling off, make sure everyone is seated. Be sure not to drive fast downhill, speed around corners, or attempt sharp turns at high speeds. 

The Landings Association collaborated with The Landings Club to create this golf cart safety video in 2013. The Landings Security uniforms featured in this video may be outdated but the information is still very much relevant. 

Before you head out to The Landings Club’s Independence Day Celebration, be sure to grab some July 4 merchandise at Landings Harbor Marina’s Store. We have a huge selection of shirts, hats, and more to get you ready for the celebration. 

Dear Landings Association Members,

As The Landings celebrates our 50th Anniversary, I’m excited to share some of our technologies have now entered the 21st century! As noted in this month’s Budget Box, we now have a new online payment portal. If you have a non-Assessment charge, such as boat storage, marina Ship Store purchase, or the like, you will receive immediate email confirmation. If you have a balance, you then can go online and pay via credit card at your convenience, or you can wait until you receive your monthly statement. Either way, you’ll have easy access to a running total of your monthly charges. This service is provided through a company called Payfabric, so the emails will come from payfabric.com. Since we launched this service in June, more than 500 residents have created accounts.

Another exciting update is a new Landings Association smartphone app now under development. After much research, we selected a company called Alosant that is helping design the app, which will be much more robust than our current one. This is a part of our updated Strategic Plan to help enhance communications and services for our residents, as we know so much of our time is spent on phones instead of on websites in front of computers. A team of staff from all departments is now holding weekly meetings with Alosant as we determine how best to incorporate various services and information. Stay tuned for more details to come.

Thank you to all who attended our annual Hurricane Town Hall Meeting. For those of us who have been here since at least 2016 and lived through multiple evacuations, this may seem like old hat. But the vast majority of attendees have recently moved here from other parts of the country and are new to Hurricane Season, so this was a good introduction. Regardless of whether you are a newer resident or a seasoned vet, you can view details here.

The July Landings Journal includes our 2022 Landings Residential Directory Addendum. The Addendum includes changes and modifications made to listings between September 24, 2021 and June 14, 2022. Please check to ensure your listings are correct. If corrections need to be made, please email us (webmaster@landings.org) so we can get your listing updated for the 2023 Directory.

Plans are shaping up now for a Grand Finale 50th Anniversary celebration this fall. Mark your calendars now for September 10 at Landings Harbor Marina from 3 to 7 p.m. It will be similar to previous LandingsFests, with food vendors, live music, kids’ entertainment, and more. The Landings Company is sponsoring the Yacht Club Band for this evening. A horse-drawn carriage, sponsored by Nicole Casino, will be used to shuttle people from their cars along Priest Landing Drive to Landings Harbor Marina for the celebration. We’ll have more details in the coming months on this exciting evening.

Finally, please plan to attend the Fourth of July celebration open to all residents at The Landings Club’s Deer Creek course. The Association helps pay for the fabulous fireworks display as well as assists in traffic control. Head down to Landings Harbor Marina and purchase some of the new Independence Day-inspired gear that just arrived and would be perfect for this evening, or take advantage of our half off 50th Anniversary clothing and represent our milestone anniversary while you relax and celebrate the holiday. #CheersTo50Years!

As always, your feedback is important to me and to the entire TLA team. If you have comments or suggestions you want to share, drop me a line (karls@landings.org).

Enjoy the summer!

Recently, The Landings Association (TLA) held a Hurricane Preparedness Meeting during which Chatham Emergency Management Agency (CEMA) presented how to prepare for Hurricane Season.  More information is available on The Landings Association’s website (www.landings.org) and online at CEMA’s website (chathamemergency.org). This preparation should be conducted each year by everyone living in our area. CEMA emphasizes the importance of completing seven steps of hurricane preparations that include determining your risk, developing an evacuation plan, assembling disaster supplies, getting an insurance checkup, strengthening your home, helping neighbors, and completing a written hurricane plan. This information is useful because it causes all of us to look at our personal facilities which includes the operational systems, safety, and maintenance of our homes and landscape. Whether or not our area is impacted by a hurricane this year, these practices are simply good facility management for everyone. Hurricane Preparedness should be part of our personal facilities management.

As hurricane preparedness should be part of the facilities plan for each of us individually, it is part of the facilities management plan for The Landings Association. Public Works manages the facilities of The Landings Association, including our gates, public areas, and association structures. TLA’s Facilities Management Team consists of two staff members and a manager. The Association’s Facilities Manager Ingrid Poppell has been working for TLA since 2013. She oversees janitorial and maintenance staff who ensure all TLA buildings and structures are well maintained and ready for use by residents and their guests. Ingrid also oversees service contracts for TLA and serves as the primary contact for residents and community groups who rent TLA facilities for gatherings and meetings.

The responsibility of ensuring that TLA buildings are clean, safe, and ready for staff and residents requires diligent efforts. TLA is fortunate to have April McDowell handling this portion of facilities management. She handles this while most of us are still asleep, beginning her workday at 4 a.m. April has been working for TLA since 1995. The most recent member of this amazing Facilities Team is Madison Venable, who just joined the team in May 2022. Madison had been working in security, but her excitement in her new role has helped her learn the requirements of maintaining facilities for TLA.

We are fortunate to have these employees who are ensuring the operational systems, safety, and maintenance of our gates, public areas, and Association structures meet the high standards of Public Works, TLA, and you. Just as you and I manage the facilities of our homes, these employees work daily to ensure our community is ready for the daily demands as well as being prepared for hurricanes and other situations that may occur. I ask you to join me in expressing gratitude for the diligent efforts of our Facilities Management Team.

Recently, The Landings Association (TLA) held a Hurricane Preparedness Meeting during which Chatham Emergency Management Agency (CEMA) presented how to prepare for Hurricane Season.  More information is available on The Landings Association’s website (www.landings.org) and online at CEMA’s website (chathamemergency.org). This preparation should be conducted each year by everyone living in our area. CEMA emphasizes the importance of completing seven steps of hurricane preparations that include determining your risk, developing an evacuation plan, assembling disaster supplies, getting an insurance checkup, strengthening your home, helping neighbors, and completing a written hurricane plan. This information is useful because it causes all of us to look at our personal facilities which includes the operational systems, safety, and maintenance of our homes and landscape. Whether or not our area is impacted by a hurricane this year, these practices are simply good facility management for everyone. Hurricane Preparedness should be part of our personal facilities management.

As hurricane preparedness should be part of the facilities plan for each of us individually, it is part of the facilities management plan for The Landings Association. Public Works manages the facilities of The Landings Association, including our gates, public areas, and association structures. TLA’s Facilities Management Team consists of two staff members and a manager. The Association’s Facilities Manager Ingrid Poppell has been working for TLA since 2013. She oversees janitorial and maintenance staff who ensure all TLA buildings and structures are well maintained and ready for use by residents and their guests. Ingrid also oversees service contracts for TLA and serves as the primary contact for residents and community groups who rent TLA facilities for gatherings and meetings.

The responsibility of ensuring that TLA buildings are clean, safe, and ready for staff and residents requires diligent efforts. TLA is fortunate to have April McDowell handling this portion of facilities management. She handles this while most of us are still asleep, beginning her workday at 4 a.m. April has been working for TLA since 1995. The most recent member of this amazing Facilities Team is Madison Venable, who just joined the team in May 2022. Madison had been working in security, but her excitement in her new role has helped her learn the requirements of maintaining facilities for TLA.

We are fortunate to have these employees who are ensuring the operational systems, safety, and maintenance of our gates, public areas, and Association structures meet the high standards of Public Works, TLA, and you. Just as you and I manage the facilities of our homes, these employees work daily to ensure our community is ready for the daily demands as well as being prepared for hurricanes and other situations that may occur. I ask you to join me in expressing gratitude for the diligent efforts of our Facilities Management Team.