ERIN – Working to maintain consistency across the county, the Town of Erin will now permit the use of off-road vehicles on town roads.
In a Nov. 20 meeting, council heard from director of infrastructure services and engineer Nick Colucci on the allowance of off-road vehicles on roads.
In June, Mayor Allan Alls brought forward a motion for the town to reconsider its policy.
“Municipalities either had to opt in or opt out to allow off-road vehicles on roads and if you’re not listed in the (regulation) you have to opt in,” Colucci explained to council.
“The Town of Erin is not listed within that (regulation), so we have to opt in.”
The bylaw presented to council prohibits off-road motorcycles and extreme terrain vehicles on any highway within the town, which Colucci noted is just to remain consistent with the other municipalities in the county.
“The extreme terrain vehicles are much wider and they’re heavier so they’re considered to be banned and off-road motorcycles are typically banned in most municipalities,” he explained, adding most of the enforcement will be done by the OPP.
Keeping in line with the town’s noise bylaw, off-road vehicles will not be permitted on roads in the urban areas of town between the hours of 11pm and 6am.
The bylaw also notes off-road vehicles will not be permitted on community centre grounds, parks, sports fields, playgrounds, walking trails, or any cemetery under the jurisdiction of the town.
In addition, they will not be permitted near any churches or funeral homes when services are in progress or near a school between 8am and 4:30pm during the school year.
“I will say that if we pass this resolution and we do opt in we’ll be the last community within the county that does it, so it’s one of my reasons I brought it forward because the OPP want us to be consistent across the county,” Alls said.
Council received the report and approved the proposed bylaw.
