At its Dec. 17 meeting the Crook County Board of Commissioners completed a second reading and public hearing and adopted Ordinance 356, which authorizes limited off-highway-vehicle (OHV) use on county roads under a county licensing process.

County counsel/staff summarized the draft ordinance and said its stated purpose is to promote tourism and economic development while preserving public safety. The license would apply only to county roads (not city streets or state highways) and would require applicants to demonstrate required insurance and safety measures and to undergo a review and at least one public hearing before a license is granted.

During the hearing, a member of the public, Adam Mikulski, asked how permit conditions would address damage to county roads. County counsel and staff said the permitting framework will include insurance requirements and that applicants could be subject to restitution or citation if they damage county facilities.

The ordinance does not include an emergency clause; staff explained that, if adopted, it would go into effect 90 days after the adoption date to give staff time to prepare application materials and rules. The board moved to adopt the ordinance, the motion was seconded and carried on a voice vote.

Next steps: staff will draft the permit application, insurance and safety standards, and bring the implementation materials back to the board for review.