Why are motorcycles, mopeds, and E-bikes with 750 watts or 1 horsepower not allowed inside the gates?

While our roadways behind the gates are regulated by the Uniform Act Regulating Traffic on Highways of South Carolina (Chapter V, Title 56 of the Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976), it is the Dunes West POA (Association) that maintains and insures these roadways. 

Statistically speaking, the risk for injury or fatality is significantly higher for a motorcycle. Motorcyclists are 26 times more likely to die in a traffic accident than someone in a car and motorcyclists are 5 times as likely to be hurt. Permitting motorcycles significantly increases the risk to the Association and the associated insurance costs. This is why most gated communities who own and insure their own roadways do not permit motorcycles, minibikes, E-bikes >750W, golf carts, etc. Dunes West is not unique in this regard. Many people assume it is sound and while that may have played a role, it is largely the risks and costs that result in their prohibition.

A change to allow motorcycles is not a minor rule change.  It is a Declaration of Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions change. The prohibition of motorcycles wasn’t a “decision” that any member of the Dunes West Board of Directors made at any point in time. This is codified in the founding documents, specifically Article 6.4.1(b) of the Declaration.

To change the Declaration, you need 66% of all homeowners to participate in the voting AND to vote in favor of the Amendment. As of this writing, we would need approximately 1,830 households to vote and vote in favor of the change out of the 2,700+ total households currently able to participate. Note that any proposed Amendment to the Declaration can be vetoed by the Golf Club. Furthermore, if any home in Dunes West has a mortgage or other financial instrument levied against it, those institutions may veto the Amendment if it is determined to have an adverse effect on their secured interests.  See Article 14.3 of the Declaration. 

Allowing motorcycles in Dunes West is a topic that comes up often and there have been many unofficial polls on social media attempting to garner support for this change. Those polls all resulted in ~98% of residents being opposed to permitting motorcycles behind the gates. Especially once residents realize that they will have to pay for the increased insurance costs even if they don’t own a motorcycle. These results are not surprising considering only eight percent of U.S. households own a motorcycle.