Frequently asked questions

Treat it as a commercial project. The city or county reviews the site plan or zoning, the building department permits it against the Florida Building Code, and the fire marshal checks it for the Florida Fire Prevention Code. Battery charging and any fuel or chemical storage draw particular attention, so describe them fully in the application.

Public owners usually hire design professionals under Florida's Consultants' Competitive Negotiation Act and put construction out to bid. A steel building contractor can still price a concept to help set a budget, but the purchasing office decides how the actual contract is awarded.

It can. Building close to a public-use airport can call for an FAA notice on Form 7460-1, depending on how tall the building is and how close it sits to the runways. Check the FAA's notice criteria or ask the airport before the design is final.

Count the fleet with room to grow, then lay out the rows. Carts park in lanes with an aisle to back out, so the building's width comes from how many rows fit across it and its length from carts per row. Doors at both ends let carts drive through and ease the morning rush.

Every cart needs a charger or charging outlet, and a full fleet charging overnight is a large electrical load. An electrical engineer or contractor sizes the service and circuits, and the building is laid out so outlets fall at each parking spot. Bring the cart maker's charger specifications to the first planning meeting.

Yes, especially for lead-acid batteries, which give off hydrogen while charging. Ventilation lets that gas out and also clears heat from the chargers and the building. Lithium battery fleets have different needs; follow the battery and charger manufacturers' instructions and the fire official's review.

A sloped concrete floor, a drain, water supply and lighting, plus a way to deal with grass clippings, sand and oil in the wash water. Local utilities or environmental rules may call for a separator, a clippings trap or a recycling system before water leaves the pad, so ask the local authority early.

Often. One steel building can hold cart storage at one end and the turf shop at the other, divided by a wall, which saves on slab and roof. Fire separation and the uses inside affect how that wall is built, so the designer and the fire official both have a say.