Council paves way for ATVs, UTVs to ride in city

The Shawano Common Council passed an ordinance allowing all-terrain vehicles and utility terrain vehicles on most city streets, but only after making some tweaks.

The ordinance will allow ATVs and UTVs to use most city streets for travel, with the exception of East Green Bay Street and Main Street from Third Street to the southern city limits. The vehicles also cannot be on public properties, cemeteries, city parks and property owned by the Shawano School District. They can only go on paved surfaces, ride single file and not operate within the city between midnight and 6 a.m., unless for snow removal.

The council members were fine with those caveats, but three provisions were amended from what was recommended by the field committee. The amended portions include:

• Setting the maximum speed limit on non-preferred roads — roads not marked by the city as ATV/UTV routes — at 20 miles per hour. The committee had recommended a limit of 10 mph.

• Allowing children ages 12-15 to operate ATVs within the city limits with a parent or guardian present or someone over the age of 18. The committee had originally required operators to have a driver’s license. UTV operators would still need to be at least 16, per state statute.

• Eliminating a requirement for insurance for the vehicles, in concert with allowing younger operators.

Brian Lowry, a resident of the Town of Richmond, expressed support for the ordinance, noting that his family enjoys using their recreational vehicles on the roads, and he has two children, ages 13 and 15, who enjoy riding. Lowry recommended that the city consider lowering the age requirement to allow young teens to operate with family members present.

Alderwoman Lisa Hoffman also urged the change in the age requirement, suggesting that government should not be parents in this situation.

“I feel that’s the parents’ responsibility and the parents’ decision to make for their children,” Hoffman said. “That’s not our decision to make for them.”

Hoffman sees the allowance of ATVs and UTVs as an opportunity to bring more people into the community during the tourist season.

“People like coming to the community with their families. That’s a big deal for families, and if we can encourage family time, and they can include their children, that would be a good thing to me,” Hoffman said.

The idea of bringing more visitors to the city, as well as Shawano County as a whole, also resonated well with Peter Thillman, economic development officer with Shawano County Economic Progress Inc. In a letter to city and county officials dated Jan. 29, Thillman said allowing ATVs and UTVs in the community could bolster local spending, thus increasing sales tax revenues.

“By designating routes throughout our county, we can encourage ATV/UTV users to spend more time and, more importantly, more money in Shawano County,” Thillman wrote. “Therefore, as an organization, SCEPI supports the development of ATV/UTV routes throughout the entire county and encourages the respective jurisdictions to adopt the required ordinances to allow for this development.”

The Shawano County Board of Supervisors expanded the routes that could be used around the county in March.

Hoffman also recommended that 10 mph not be the speed limit, wondering if it would become a safety issue.

Alderwoman Sandy Steinke agreed that the speed limit should be higher. She noted she has a brother who rides such vehicles.

“He says 10 is impossible, but to keep it at least 25 or under,” Steinke said. “I figure that 20 is feasible.”

Steinke added that, at 20 mph, riders can still be aware of vehicles pulling out of driveways or children who might run out into the street and stop their vehicles in time to avoid striking someone or something.

Acting Mayor Rhonda Strebel disagreed that 10 mph would necessarily be a burden, even though she voted for the ordinance with the amendments. She noted that ATVs and UTVs are more commonly used in rural areas, like farms, so allowing faster speeds in a city, where everything is closer together, was a concern to her.

“I drive a UTV and up north, as you know, many communities have it posted as 10 mph. It’s pretty standard,” Strebel said. “Is it easy? Absolutely not. It is not easy to ride at 10 mph. You have to brake a lot, but it’s out of respect to that community and all of the people who live in the community that all of us really watch our speed limit when we go through there.”

Speed limits on preferred roads will be 35 mph maximum, unless the road has a lower limit for motor vehicles.

Hoffman also questioned the need for insuring ATVs and UTVs by city ordinance when state law excludes them from the requirements of carrying insurance.

“I don’t think that should be the city’s decision to tell them,” Hoffman said. “If they want to take the risk and ride without insurance, I don’t see the reasoning for why I’d decide that for them.”

lpulaski@newmedia-wi.com