Revisions continue on ATV/cart ordinances
News | Published on October 17, 2022 at 11:46am CDT
By Tim Douglass
Glenwood City Commissioners did not approve the ordinances that will permit ATV and golf carts on city streets, but reviewed another draft, suggested changes and will look at the revised ordinances at the next regular meeting on Wednesday, October 26.
The draft ordinances were brought before the commission by Glenwood City Attorney Troy Nelson. The bulk of the revisions suggested by commissioners included language issues and a directive to make the language in both ordinances more uniform.
The city is doing separate ordinances, one permitting ATVs and one permitting golf carts. Commissioner Mavis Pattee said she would like to see the language in each ordinance more uniform. “We need one more draft,” she told Nelson.
“We’re getting very close,” responded Mayor Sherri Kazda.
“Yes, this is a big step,” Pattee said.
Commissioners had suggested a number of revisions to the ordinances at their first meeting in September, so the draft reviewed at last Tuesday’s meeting included the changes commissioners wanted. Commissioners had hoped to finalize the ordinances at last week’s meeting and then introduce the first reading of the new ordinances. Now that will likely take place on October 26. After publication of the new ordinances and upon their second reading, the ordinance will be in place, which means ATVs and golf carts won’t likely be permitted for use on city streets until late November or early December. City staff and commissioners have stated that they would like to get the ordinances in place before the ice-fishing season begins, allowing ATVs owners to drive through town to get to ice-fishing houses on Lake Minnewaska.
The ordinances do not set the fee for an annual permit to drive an ATV or golf cart on city streets. The commission will decide that in a separate action along with other city fees. There has been some talk about setting the annual permit fee at $100 to $150. City Administrator Dave Iverson said he has heard some comments from residents who think the fees should be closer to $25 to $50.
“I thought we said that the fees (cost) would reflect the administrative costs,” Commissioner Neil Haynes said. “If someone is going to spend $17,000 for a vehicle, they shouldn’t balk at spending $100 to $150 a year to operate it on city streets.
