Laserfiche WebLink
Memo to the Mayor and City Council <br /> AN and Snowmobile Regulations <br /> Page 2 <br /> under their jurisdiction and on streets and highways also within their jurisdiction(Section <br /> 84.87, Subd.3.). <br /> Statutory Regulations—All Terrain Vehicles(ATVs) <br /> Under State Statute,ATVs may be ridden in the ditch or outside slope of a trunk,county <br /> state aid,or county highway. They may be ridden within the public right of way of a trunk, <br /> county state aid,or county highway if they are registered for agricultural use,but not from <br /> April 1 to August 1 unless they are traveling to and from work on agricultural lands. As with <br /> snowmobiles,a city may prohibit the use of ATVs on its public streets,or on public lands, <br /> waters, or property within its jurisdiction provided the rules are consistent with State Statute <br /> (Section 84.928, Subd. 6.). <br /> Elk River Constraints <br /> The City is continuing to become more urban in nature;however,people are attracted to the <br /> City due to its close proximity to rural areas. Both snowmobile and ATV riders utilize two <br /> major corridors,Highway 169 and Highway 10. With two rivers and a lake,it is difficult to <br /> connect these two corridors. The barriers to City-wide ATV and snowmobile use and <br /> regulation are: <br /> a. densely populated urban core, <br /> b. highly trafficked corridors (Highways 10 and 169), <br /> c. the Elk and Mississippi Rivers, and Lake Orono, and <br /> d. multiple county roads that lead into the urban core <br /> e. railroad tracks <br /> There are however,properties within the urban core that are larger and may allow the use of <br /> ATVs or snowmobiles. Many properties are also adjacent to county roads that lead to high- <br /> use corridors. In addition, many ATV and snowmobile riders come from outside the <br /> corporate limits of the City. <br /> Regulation Options <br /> In order to regulate both ATV and snowmobile use, it is important to balance private <br /> property rights and impacts to adjacent residences. On a 20 or 40 acre parcel outside the <br /> urban core,the use of these vehicles is unlikely to have great impacts on adjacent properties <br /> versus on an urban size lot. <br /> There are three options to consider: <br /> 1. Implement an outright ban (simplest), <br /> 2. Provide no regulation, or <br /> 3. Allow limited use in specific areas (either south of 33 or limiting uses to the <br /> Urban Service District). <br /> This memo outlines potential regulations for areas to be determined by the City Council. <br />