Brookhaven City Councilman Bates Mattison said he would like to encourage discussion about golf carts as alternative transportation within the city.
Mattison said that during his campaign for city council, a lot of Brookhaven residents told him they’d like to see the city become a more walkable and sustainable community.
“I think that anything that connects our community is going to be a beneficial thing for the city of Brookhaven. If we can get people out of their cars walking around it creates much more of a community feeling. I also think it’s good for businesses,” Mattison said.
“I think at the end of the day, the idea of the first in-town Atlanta golf cart community, it has a lot of appeal.”
Mattison said he’d like golf carts included in the city’s comprehensive planning process, set to begin this fall.
“Part of the discussion should be framed around not just golf carts, but how do we have effective bike lanes, sidewalks, and all that,” Mattison said.
He said golf carts may be a more realistic way for people to get around the city without cars.
“Even when you talk about walkability, you have to take into account you have parts of Brookhaven that are a little too far to walk,” Mattison said.
As an example, he pointed to the distance between the Town Brookhaven development on Peachtree Road to the shops and restaurants along Dresden Drive.
“We’ve got to look at ways we connect those commercial corridors,” Mattison said.