Town of Wilson considers allowing ATVs on roads
Seven communities in Sheboygan County already allow the vehicles on roads
TOWN OF WILSON — The controversial issue of allowing ATVs and UTVs on roads has made its way closer to Sheboygan.
The Lakeshore ATV/UTV Club is calling upon the Wilson Town Board to pass an ordinance allowing these recreational vehicles to use on town roads. Members gave a presentation and answered questions before a packed Town Board meeting Tuesday evening. They cite similar ordinances already in place in southern Sheboygan County. They point to the Town of Holland, the Village of Random Lake and the Town of Sherman as communities that already allow ATVs and UTVs on roads.
If the Town Board were to approve the ordinance, they would ultimately have the say on which roads the vehicles would be allowed on. Weeden Creek Road, Moenning Road as well as South 12th Street would be roads that the recreational vehicles would not be allowed to operate on. That’s because the City of Sheboygan and Town of Wilson are located on either side and the city would need to sign off on the route, which would be unlikely given the current direction of city government.
Town resident Belle Rose Ragins shared with the Town Board that there were 25 fatal crashes involving ATVs so far this year and 40 deaths last year in Wisconsin. Ragins focused on safety data from state and federal agencies. Fellow resident Mary Faydash had concerns with the quality of life, risk factors and pollution. She compared the sound of the recreational vehicles to the sound of lawn mowers. Claudia Bricks also shared her concerns regarding potential impacts the vehicles would have in the town.
Brenda Peiffer of the Lakeshore ATV/UTV Club countered the concerns shared by residents by saying motor vehicles are worse than recreational vehicles. Town Supervisor Nancy DesJardins questioned allowing children as young as 12 to operate an ATV on the road. After a lengthy discussion, Town Chairman Matthew Fore is creating an Ad-Hoc Committee to study the issue and make recommendations to the full Town Board. A decision is expected sometime in November or December.
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