Club asks village for ATV/UTV access

The Lakeshore ATV/UTV Club’s tour of greater northern Ozaukee County made a stop in the Village of Belgium last week.

The club, which recently had a proposal accepted to allow all-terrain and utility-terrain vehicles to travel in the Town of Belgium, wants to drive its machines in the village as well.

Club President Kevin Peiffer, his wife Brenda and former club president Bob Hubing were at the Sept. 21 Public Works Committee meeting to answer questions after Hubing submitted a proposal from the club at the Sept. 13 Village Board meeting.

“The club started in my garage about three years ago with all neighbors. We’re a very family orientated club,” Hubing said, adding many of the club’s members live in the village.

The club is seeking to allow ATVs and UTVs to be allowed on village roads with speed limits of 35 mph or less. Ozaukee County would have to approve access to roads with higher speed limits.

Committee Chairman Pete Anzia and committee member Sarah Heisler asked for clarification on several items, including golf carts.

Brenda said the club is not asking for an ordinance on golf carts since ATVs and UTVs are more common in Wisconsin, with 37,000 miles of approved road routes and 3,000 miles of approved trails.

Random Lake passed a separate ordinance to allow golf carts, and added a $30 registration fee since the vehicles are not registered by the state, Kevin said.

ATVs and UTVs, Brenda said, have two kinds of registrations. One is for agricultural use and the other is for routes and trails.

The village already sees a number of golf carts and similar vehicles during its annual rummage sale on a Saturday in May, Public Works Director Dan Birenbaum said.

“If they’re already driving their ATVs in the village, why do we need an ordinance?” Heisler asked.

Hubing said those riders could be ticketed since the vehicles aren’t allowed.

“The village shouldn’t be supporting illegal use of any activity like a golf cart or anything,” Brenda said.

Since the rummage sale is the most dangerous day for pedestrians and bicyclists all year, Hubing said, “I would want to be on an ATV. I guarantee it is safer to drive an ATV on that day than your vehicle.”

UTVs, Kevin said, are bigger than Smart cars and side-by-sides have seat belts.

Safety certificates are required for operators born after 1988. State law says those younger than 18 must wear a helmet.

Heisler wondered about people driving through subdivisions.

“I don’t see the fun in driving down Lar Ann Street on a UTV,” she said.

Kevin said some of club’s members live in the village and would like to be able to drive their ATVs and UTVs out of their subdivisions.

“There’s a lot of people you represent in the village who want to utilize this,” he said.

Hubing said, however, Belgium would not see an influx of riders.

“Everybody thinks this is going to be a magnet for people coming from Milwaukee and all over. It isn’t,” he said.

Heisler asked how operators would know the rules.

Hubing said it is operators’ responsibility to know the ordinance and suggests calling the municipality before riding through it.

Signs saying ATVs and UTVs are allowes would be placed at the entrances of village at the club’s expense.

The village may include restrictions it deems necessary in its ordinance. The Town of Belgium, in which debate drew tens of people and sometimes got heated, allows ATVs and UTVs to be ridden between 5 a.m. and 11 p.m., requires drivers to have liability insurance and requires operators age 12 to 16 to be within visual and audio range of a parent or guardian.

Kevin cautioned not to make the ordinance overly complicated to make it easier for law enforcement to uphold the rules. Any law enforcement officer, including a Department of Natural Resources warden, may ticket operators for violations.

Heisler asked what happens if someone gets into an accident without insurance. Kevin said that would fall under an uninsured motorist clause just like in car accidents.

While Heisler said she was “on the fence for a long, long, long, long time” agreed, along with Anzia, to send the proposal to the Village Board with a positive recommendation.

The board is slated to discuss the issue but not take action on Oct. 11 and later seek input from residents during a public hearing, Village Clerk Julie Lesar said.