ROYALTON — The Selectboard will host a special meeting Tuesday night regarding a draft of an all-terrain vehicle ordinance that would permit the use of ATVs under certain restrictions in Royalton. As of now, ATV use is not allowed on Royalton town roads.
The ordinance — now available online at the “Documents and Reports” section of the Town of Royalton website — subjects ATVs to town speed limits as well as operational hours and seasons, permits only single-file travel, and prohibits racing. It also sets fines for breaking these restrictions.
The draft proposes 19 sections of Royalton highways, including class IV and town roads, as options for permitted ATV travel. A final ordinance could include any or none of the roadways proposed.
This is the Selectboard’s first meeting to discuss the details of the drafted ordinance. The ordinance was submitted at the end of June by the ATV Ordinance Committee, which was formed by the Selectboard to develop ATV regulations using a template provided by the Vermont League of Cities and Towns. A group of ATV riders, town officials and other residents who came together after a March Town Meeting vote supported the creation of an ordinance.
“I expect that after tomorrow’s Selectboard meeting we will have a better idea of what roads may be included or further considered,” Town Administrator Victoria Paquin said in a Monday email. “To the best of my knowledge the board does not plan on adopting an ordinance tomorrow.”
The first hour of the meeting is set aside for public comment. There will not be any public vote held at the meeting.
Written comments can be brought to the meeting or sent in advance to the town administrators’ email address: townadmin@royaltonvt.com. They will be presented to the board for their review, and a summary of received written comments will be published alongside the meeting minutes.
The special meeting will be held at 6:30 p.m. at the Royalton Academy, 4182 VT-14.
Frances Mize is a Report for America corps member. She can be reached at fmize@vnews.com or 603-727-3242.