The City of Canyon Lake is hosting a Town Hall on Friday, July 19, from 6 to 8 p.m. in the Council Chamber at City Hall. The primary topic of discussion will be the legality of golf carts crossing Railroad Canyon Road. The Town Hall forum will allow for questions from residents.
Since 1995, residents of Canyon Lake have regularly crossed Railroad Canyon Road in their golf carts at Canyon Lake Drive South to travel to and from the Towne Center. This practice has been permitted under the city’s municipal code, which designates a golf cart crossing at this intersection.
Currently, the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office (RSO) and the city have different interpretations of the California Vehicle Code, creating uncertainty about the legality of golf carts crossing at this location.
According to RSO, it is illegal for golf carts to cross Railroad Canyon Road with existing vehicle traffic.
“As most of the residents have heard, this is an extremely complex policy decision,” Councilman Jeremy Smith said. “Currently, the city has a different interpretation of the vehicle code than RSO. This difference of opinion has led to the council having several meetings and discussions with RSO and County Council regarding golf carts being able to legally cross Railroad Canyon Road.”
During an enforcement operation on December 8, 2023, deputies provided information about golf cart crossing to golf cart drivers who were stopped. No citations were issued to golf cart drivers at that time.
During a subsequent enforcement operation on July 5, 2024, several golf carts were stopped and cited for crossing at the intersection. This led to the city receiving numerous complaints from residents. In response, the city is holding a Town Hall.
For months, the city has been working on a solution that will allow golf carts to legally cross at the intersection. This includes conducting a traffic study to see if the city could establish a new, enforceable speed limit.
“It is important to the entire council to fight for our quality of life in Canyon Lake,” Smith said. “We are doing all we can to ensure that Canyon Lakers can continue to drive their golf carts to and from the Towne Center.”
