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Utility Vehicle on City Streets Receives First Round Approval

By John NIxon

06/17/2014

(KLZA)-- Falls City Council members spent nearly an hour discussing an ordinance to legalize utility and all-terrain vehicles for use on City streets Monday evening.

Terry Tisdel proposed the idea earlier this month and the City Attorney prepared an ordinance for the Council to discuss on first reading. Under the proposed ordinance it called for use only during daylight hours and they could not be used for pleasure. Also three-wheeled ATV’s are not included.

Other limitations proposed included a 30 mile per hour speed limit, headlights and taillights must be on and the vehicle must be equipped with a bicycle safety flag extending at least 5 feet above the ground. Operators and passengers must also wear a protective helmet and operators must be at least 19 years of age. Liability insurance will be required and the vehicle must be registered with the city at an annual fee of $60. The proposal also calls for the vehicles only to be allowed to cross Harlan Street which is Highway 73 at 14th, 16th and 21st Street where there are traffic signals. The vehicles may not be operated on Stone Street between 14th and 19th Street.

Tisdel had several pieces of the proposal he did not agree with including a helmet requirement for UTV operators, noting UTV’s include shoulder straps and roll cages as part of the cab.

City Clerk Gary Jorn said he would rather not have either type vehicle allowed on city streets, but said if the Council approves, go with the UTV. Police Chief Duane Armbruster says there are already problems with use of these types of vehicles in town. Armbruster also said trying to determine when they are being used for “pleasure” would create a headache for his department.

The Council approved amending the proposed ordinance. Approved on first reading was use of Utility vehicles, deleting the helmet requirement and the sunrise to sundown restriction. ATV’s were not approved for use on city streets. Tisdel did champion the cause of ATV’s for snow removal and the Council members consented allowing ATV’s to be used for snow removal at anytime.

The amended ordinance was passed on a 7-0 vote and will now go back to the City Attorney for updating. It must pass two more readings to become law.

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