Iosco County adds ORV Ordinance

[2TrakR]

Iosco County has adopted an ordinance to allow ORV use on county roads. Each township has to opt in to participate and I do not currently have a list that have (maybe none have gone through the motions at this point since the legislation was just passed this week).
Iosco butts up to Ogemaw county on the east side of the state; the Huron Trail and Old State House trails are in this county.
As with most of the other 18 counties that have adopted such local laws, operation is restricted to the shoulder of county roads and does not include forest roads or state highways.
It takes affect on Jan 1, 2006.

Some work is being done in Gladwin county for similar laws right now and there is interest in Roscommon county as well.

 

[MWEISSEN]

This is great news! With this trend, I wonder if it would be enought to have the state look at "open unless posted closed" on state forest road in the lower pen.

Jeremey, is there a list somewhere of the 18 counties that have passed these ordinances?

Thanks for keeping us up to date on state/county happenings!

 

[2TrakR]

This is great news! With this trend, I wonder if it would be enought to have the state look at "open unless posted closed" on state forest road in the lower pen.

Doubtful at this point as the DNR is adamantly opposed to opening the county roads let alone forest roads. The other key part is that the legislature (senate/reps) listen to the DNR rather than the citizens mainly because they are not aware of our needs (only hear one side of the story).
Heck, the DNR is even writing tickets in Montmorency county (which is open) because they think the county doesn't have the right to regulate county roads. Those that don't protest these tickets in court get to pay the fine, those that do protest have the tickets dismissed. Sneaky.

is there a list somewhere of the 18 counties that have passed these ordinances?

Probably is somewhere.. Let's make up our own:
Alger County
Baraga County
Cheboygan County
Chippewa County
Delta County
Dickinson County
Gogebic County
Houghton County
Iosco County
Iron County
Keweenaw County
Luce County
Marquette County
Menominee County
Montmorency County
Ogemaw County
Ontonagon County
Presque Isle County
Schoolcraft County

--- I think Keweenaw was somewhat recent as they were not on my list previously.

 

[MWEISSEN]

Thanks a lot Jeremey. And other MTR's are appreciative as well, right guys?

When you said "18 counties" before, of course I was thinking the LP. It looks like most of them are UP, which explains a lot why I saw ATV riders on the side of the road all over the place while up there a couple weeks ago.

 

[KTM Mike]

Thanks Jeremy!

One conspicious absense from your list is Oscoda county. They had another recent run at it - but was shot down in flames! Some rather sneaky tactics used as well. The ORV "group" was trying to get their ducks in a row going back to March - I had been asked to be part of the efforts (I dont live in the county, but work and ride there regularly..plus frequent the Yamaha shop in Mio). Anyhow, the group had a bit of a false start, backed off from some set up meetings, then decided to keep it a smaller group. I had intended to get some letter writing going on from DRN MTR members, but was waiting to get a better sense of where the local group was heading - as they never headed anywhere...well nothin happened!


Meanwhile the County Commisioners snuck in the topic as an agenda item without the courtesy of notifying the powers that be within the ORV group. (now the ORV group should of been watching the postings of the agenda but evidently had not) They held their meeting, and can you imagine this..the audience was chuck full of anti ORV people...now how did that happen? Gee...what a coincidence!

The way it played in the papers was rather amusing (frustrating) as well. Big headline day...a good part of the town of Mio had been evacuated due to a gas line leak...big news right? Big headline type stuff in a small town - right? Nope - the big headline was the ORV ordinance topic! Some of the quotes in the paper were quite laughable as well - stuff to the effect of : "all these dirt bikers and quad riders want to do is "get big airs" (that is the exact words used!) - they will do it where ever they want and I dont want them doing it on my property", "I dont want to have to answer my door at 2:00 AM because some dirt biker got hurt riding his bike near my house"...on and on. Not a single pro ORV voice in the crowd!

As I understand it, the ORV group will be holding another meeting in August - basically to see if they really get any participation or interest going. If not enough interest is shown, the main guys behind it all sound like they are gonna take their toys and go ride, screw the roads topic.

I will find out that date of the meeting and post it. If i can make it, I plan to attend (though I vaguely recall it may have been the weekend of the Jackpine, if so I wont be around)

 

[woodsy]

100% correcto' mungo' there Mark - Once again the hat goes off to Jeremy for keeping us all aprised of all this stuff!!
I dont care if its all in the UP as long as its a "+" for the side of the actual return of ownership to the actual owners of the land taking place :nod:
After all, once all of the UP is returned to us maybe, just maybe we can see some real progress down here too - LET FREEDOM RING BROTHERS!!!!!!!!! By the way, sitting here listening to Oldies FM and "you say you want a revolution, wellll you know...." is playing!!!!!!! Brappppppppppp
Ol Radical Woodsy (ok - I'll go back to wrenching now) :rotfl:

 

[2TrakR]

I had talked briefly to the "ORV Group" (can't recall what they decided on for a title) from Oscoda county when I was at a meeting in Rose City a couple weeks ago. They indicated they were holding a mini-rally or some such at the fairgrounds pretty soon to get support for the ORV ordinance. Part of their plan is to only open a few key roads to get people through the county (ie from Ogemaw thru Oscoda to Montmorency). Ah, just found my notes.. It was Bob Madison from the Oscoda County Recreation something and they are having a meeting at the fair grounds near Fairview (or just past Mio?) on August 14th. Haven't had a chance to follow up on that one yet.

I was at one of the early meetings in Oscoda county and it was a pure bitch-fest by the AARP crowd. Not one had a clue other than all those evils ATVs were out to destroy the planet. It's feasible with a little planning we can get substantial support to a few of those meetings and show that it can have a positive impact on the county.