Middletown Springs ATV Ordinance

Please vote YES for the Middletown Springs ATV Ordinance.

If you have questions about the proposed Middletown Springs Ordinance please find answers to many common questions below

Will there be hundreds of ATVs / How many ATVs will be riding our roads?

A typical outing is 2 or 3 ATVs and I wouldn't expect more than two groups of riders on the trail system at any given time. During one special event per season, we provide free lunch and ride as a group, I would expect no more than 8 machines. Please see the photograph below of how many ATVs participate in this event so you can see first hand. Also, please keep in mind that these are the "best" photographs to showcase to other ATV enthusiasts that we are active so we post photos of our most successful events that make us look the most active. Note this represents 8 ATVs total:

Do ATVs cause damage / Will Middletown Springs be a giant mud pit?

As you can see in the picture above of our trail head it isn't a giant mud pit and there isn't any damage. This is a spot where every ATV that uses our trails touches and is the most used. You have certainly seen or heard of how much damage ATVs cause, this is true of illegal ATV use, since these operators are riding out of season and in aggressive ways to avoid consequences. The ATV use we are proposing would be done in a responsible manner that is seasonally controlled and does not cause damage.

Will the ATV use be dangerous / How fast will ATVs be traveling our roads?

Currently the ATV use in Middletown Springs is people riding illegally. Because of that, they are riding at very inappropriate and dangerous speeds and not willing to yield in order to avoid getting caught. If the Middletown Springs ATV Ordinance passes these people would have to respect our posted speed limits (no more than 25MPH) and people would be able to yield since they are not doing anything wrong. Additionally if these sorts of behaviors continued (Either by club members or illegal riders) WRASC and VASA will immediately pay for law enforcement to patrol and curtail the obnoxious and illegal behavior. It is in WRASC and VASA's interest to get rid of this behavior to build a positive reputation for the legal, responsible ATV riders.

Are ATVs loud and stinky?

VASA and Vermont State Law require everyone to have a stock muffler that is not loud. In fact the noise is very comparable to a car; and many trucks are much louder. Regarding the smell and noise, you may be thinking of a 2-stroke dirt bike. 2-stroke dirt bikes burn gas and oil and do produce a very distinct smell that some may find obnoxious; very similar to a chainsaw. VASA does not allow dirt bikes at all and I cannot think of any other specific smell that an ATV would produce.

Does the Middletown Springs ATV Ordinance allow ATVs everywhere?

The ask in the ordinance is for a portion of North Rd, Spruce Knob Rd and Norton Rd and is a maximum request and is a bit of a chicken and egg scenario. In order to ask for permission to ride on private land we need a way to get to that land first. Once we have a way to the land we can begin our process of building our trail system up on private land and rely less on public roads. The proposed roads would not be automatically added to our trail system and we would only use that as a starting point. Our intent currently is to extend our trail system from the top of North Rd to Firehouse Ln so that members can park and walk across the road to patronize Grant's Village Store and Sissy's Kitchen. Any trail that we put on a map would be done with the approval and collaboration of the Select-board or an appointee.

Is this going to cost Middletown Springs residence money?

No! We will directly bring money into Middletown Springs. The exact way we would bring money to the town is through contributing to road maintenance for the roads that we use. WRASC and VASA would also pay for law enforcement to issue tickets to ATVs that operate illegally. Finally Grants Village Store would be the only store accessible to the WRASC ATV trail system for our members to patronize, admittedly this would be the smallest contribution since we really do not generate much traffic.

What is the ordinance?

A copy of the ordinance can be found on the Middletown Springs website: http://middletownsprings.vt.gov/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Proposed-ATV-Ordinance.pdf

Who can I contact?

Another benefit of the ATV ordinance is you have my direct email and cellphone number in case any ATV use is undesirable (club related or not) in which I will immediately do everything in my power to correct the situation to ensure I can build a positive reputation for ATV users with your town.

Thank you very much for your consideration and please do not hesitate to contact me with any questions or concerns:

Cell Phone: (802) 681-5785

Email: president@wrasc.org

Thank you,

David Noel

President, West Rutland ATV Sportsman's Club

PO Box 299

West Rutland, VT 05777