November 2016 Update

Update On Longville ATV Ordinance

The Longville city clerk contacted the club for information on their ATV Ordinance, which

we assisted the city with creating a few years ago. Here is our club’s letter to the

Longville City Council, including an inquiry to find out if Class 1 ATV riders are still being

ticketed for riding on Longville city streets, or if Class 1 are now legal, like Class 2 ATVs

are currently. We’ll let you know what we find out.

 

To: Longville City Council

November 8, 2016

I want to thank Christina, your city clerk, for asking me about the Longville ATV

Ordinance, how it came about and how it is connected to our club’s proposal to create a

Grant-In-Aid ATV Trail from Longville to Hackensack and further west to the Foot Hills

State Forest. I also want to apologize for not updating you earlier about our OHV Trail

proposal, which has stalled out. The ordinance and trail project got their start at the

same time. Here is an update:

 

Project to create a GIA ATV Trail

The Woodtick Wheelers held meetings in 2011 and 2012 with the Longville City Council

to get approval and support to create a Grant-In-Aid ATV trail connecting Longville to

Hackensack.

 

As required by Cass County (the funding sponsor) and the MN DNR, the club received

resolutions in favor of this project from Longville, Hackensack, 5 townships and 2

snowmobile clubs. An ordinance allowing ATVs on the Longville city streets was also

required. The team that worked on this ordinance included myself, Scott Carpenter and

Kam Kammueller, along with the city attorney.

 

As reported by the Pilot newspaper, Longville adopted an ordinance regulating the use

of ATVs and golf carts within the city limits on November 16, 2011.

In addition, the Cass County Commissioners on January 17, 2012, approved a request

by the City of Longville to allow ATVs to run on segments of CSHA 5 and 7 within

Longville city limits, as part of the GIA Trail proposal.

 

The Trail project also required a permit from MNDOT to allow ATVs coming into

Longville from the south on Cty 5, to cross State 84, but not ride on it. MNDOT said that

permit would not be available until the new bridge was installed.

 

In the meantime, as we moved through the MN DNR's 7-step process to create a GIA

Trail, we ran into some issues with Phase 1, from Longville to Whipholt. At the outset,

Pine Lake Township had voted to support the trail project (in a vote of 2 in favor, 1

against). Later, following elections at the township level, however, the person who

earlier voted against the trail, was elected township supervisor.

 

When the club got to the DNR’s Step 4, public comments were received on the project.

Over 200 were in favor. However, the few negative comments took precedence by the

County, which has a “neighborhood must approve projects” policy. The township

supervisor and residents along the proposed route, decided they didn’t want the trail on

the roads in Whipholt, crossing State 200, or using the roadside rest at the Whipholt

Beach for parking. The DNR requires that a GIA ATV Trail must have parking at both

ends. The club proposed alternate parking areas away from Whipholt, along the ‘C’ trail

to the County. Unfortunately, they were not acceptable to the County.

 

Losing Pine Lake Township support and not being able to get an approved parking area,

basically killed Phase 1 of the club’s proposed ATV Trail. At this time, there are no plans

to restart this ATV Trail proposal, which is unfortunate, because it would have provided

a safe, signed riding opportunity for families with ATVs and off-highway motorcycles.

I hope this helps the city council in addressing its ATV and golf car ordinance, and how

to move forward with it. Our club would like to know if the City of Longville allows

both Class 1 and Class 2 (side-by-sides) on city streets. Some of our members

have been ticketed by the DNR Conservation Officer for riding Class 1 ATVs into

Longville. Please let me know what is allowed, so I can pass the details on to our

club members.

 

Let me know if you have any questions about this subject.

Regards,

Dave Halsey, president

Woodtick Wheelers ATV/OHM Club

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