ATVers in Oklahoma ask for your support

[James921]

Hi guys,
My name is James Hale and I'm a City Councilman in Seminole, Ok (about 60 miles east of OKC) and our ATVers need your support.

There has been alot of interest from our local ATV riders to put trails out at our city owned lake - Sportsman Lake.
I agree that we need more activities in our community "and" our state for the ATV enthusiasts so I've taken this project under my wing.
Unfortunately, we have been met with some opposition from the equestrian riders that are blocking our future trails.
There are currently 18 miles of equestrian trails on the north side of the lake that cover about 850 acres. They have been in operation now for 20 years.
The ATV riders are asking for about 450 acres on the south side of the lake that DO NOT connect or integrate with the equestrian trails at all. Even so, the equestrian riders are "adamant" to not allow the ATV trails to proceed - and that's where you come in.

If ATV riders in our community and around the state are to win this..........."disagreement"...., we must have the support of fellow ATVers like you.
Currently, we are circulating a petition, asking for every ATVer to sign it, voicing their support for the trails. If you would like a copy of this petition to circulate at your local ATV club, retailer or parts center, email me and I'll send you one. It's a MSWord document.

Once a full page of the petition is completely filled out, we ask that you fax that page back to my office (405-382-3202) and you keep the original (Be sure to keep an original for additional copies).
Once we have enough names, we're going to take this before the City Council for approval. When that happens, we're asking that everyone who signed the petition try to attend the meeting if you are within driving distance.

If you would like to make a direct comment to our Mayor and City Council, you can email it to me and I'll most certainly pass it on for you. If you would like to write an email to our Mayor, address it to:

Mayor Billy Choate
Seminole, Oklahoma

Please feel free to contact me at any time via email or by calling my cell phone at (405) 245-3553.

Thanks for any support you can provide. With your letters of support I have no doubt that we will soon have a new trail system to ride. Support your right to ride.
Sincerely,
James Hale

 

[mx547]

will your proposed trails be open to off-road motorcycles as well? if so, you should put that in your post, this is a dirtbike site.

 

[mtk]

Very true. Because here in PA, there are 11 state-run ATV riding areas on public lands. But since dirt bikes are not covered under the states bull**** ATV Registration Law, they are NOT open to dirt bikes. ATV owners are required to pay a $20 biannual registration fee, and maintain liability insurance (no required amount of coverage, however, so a $5 policy is fine), so they are allowed to use these public areas as a result. Dirt bikes have no registration so they aren't permitted. No provisions are made for dirt bikers wishing to get registered so they can use these areas.

So, because I ride a less-distructive machine than an ATV, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania screws me. I think a letter writing campaign is in order myself.

 

[James921]

Sorry for not making my post more clear.
Yes, we are proposing on allowing motorcycles on the trails. In my mind, they have just as much right to ride as anyone else. And, they are in need of places to ride just like everyone else. So, you bet we're going to allow them to use the trails.

James

 

[Green Horn]

If you're looking to win votes, then you need to come up with some reasons why opening a riding area on public lands is a good idea. Also, be ready to validate some sort of rules/ monitoring that will be in place. In order to convince people, you need to show them that you're planning on opening a riding area where RESPONSIBLE PARTIES ONLY will be allowed to ride. Lots of people cast off-roaders in general in a bad light. You need to give the voters good reasons to allow this to happen. Just a whole bunch of people saying they want to ride and signing a petition isn't good enough. Just my 2 cents...

Good Luck!!

 

[James921]

Very true, Chris. You're absolutely right.

We've come up with a proposal that outlines everything from trail construction to park management to noise management to erosion concerns and everything in between.
We have the criteria in place, now all we need is the support of other off-roaders who want to see a new place to ride. And, from what I've been told, there are alot of Okies that hang out on this bb.
Thanks for the input - it was right on the money.
James