Local

Leesburg commissioner wants to allow golf carts downtown

LEESBURG, Fla. — Leesburg is not The Villages, but leaders there want to a take page out of its neighbors' book and allow golf carts in the downtown areas of the city.

Channel 9's Berndt Petersen learned the proposal is all about luring more people and businesses into downtown Leesburg.

The shops and restaurants there have gone through some ups and downs over the last several years, so some city leaders want to create more traffic.

Gladys Wynn has lived in Leesburg for more than a decade, but she's never done much of her shopping downtown.

But city leaders hope to change that, especially with residents like Wynn, who owns a golf cart.

Officials want to open much of Main Street and many of the roads around it to golf carts in an effort to generate more activity downtown.

"The more they come downtown, the more they'll frequent the businesses that are there," said city commissioner Jay Hurley.

Hurley thinks it's a way to get more people to special events downtown, which will help all the businesses along in the long run.  He said he does worry about accidents but hopes plenty of signs and a public awareness program will make it safe.

But residents like Wynn are skeptical.

"The only time they do a lot of business is when it's Bike Week," she said. "I don't know.  For myself, I don't think I'd drive my golf cart downtown."