Lake County staff urge shift of OHV permitting from planning to Public Works as ordinance 24‑01 begins implementation

Ann Snyder of Community Planning and Development (CPD) walked Lake County commissioners through the background, permitting process and implementation challenges of Ordinance 24‑01 on commercial motorized recreation during a work session focused on off‑highway vehicle (OHV) regulations.

Snyder said the ordinance, which began moving through public engagement in 2022 and took effect in March 2024, created two different regulatory tracks for commercial activity on county roads: a conditional use permit (CUP) tied to land use and a commercial recreation roadway permit intended to capture data on road use and require contribution toward roadway maintenance. "The CPD was only really vested in creating the process and the regulation, and then there was gonna be a pass off," Snyder said, describing the department’s role in drafting the ordinance and its recommendation that administration of the roadway maintenance agreement and the commercial recreation permit be managed outside CPD.

What the ordinance requires and how it operates - Two permit types: CPD described a conditional use permit required for outfitters that operate from property in the county and a commercial recreation roadway permit that requires operators to disclose routes, machine types, hours, trip volumes, base‑of‑operations address, emergency and impact‑mitigation plans, and insurance. - Roadway maintenance agreement options: Snyder described three compliance options the roadway supervisor may use: a…