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Grantsville adopts amended OHV rules, requests police compliance report in August
Summary
Council adopted Ordinance 2025-21 amending Grantsville's OHV code to align with state law and clarify age and crossing-point rules; supporters voiced that changes restore driveway-to-trail recreation while council directed the police chief to report compliance data at the first August meeting.
Grantsville — The City Council on April 2 approved Ordinance 2025-21, which updates chapter 17-4 of the municipal code governing off-highway vehicles (OHVs). The language clarifies that non-street-legal OHVs are restricted to riders 18 and older while street-legal vehicles are governed by standard vehicle age rules; it also specifies authorized crossing points for certain state roads and retains fines and enforcement mechanisms.
Supporters in the public comment period, including residents Krista McFarling and Brandon McFarland, urged the council to restore the ability for families to gear up at home and ride directly to nearby trails. "I support the changes that he has proposed," Krista said when describing a proposed compromise to the ordinance that she said would allow families to recreate from their driveways while addressing public-safety concerns.
Council members and the police chief said enforcement and education will be central to the ordinance's success. The police chief urged data-driven review and cautioned that decisions should consider future traffic growth: "Informed decisions come based on data, not emotions," the chief said during debate. Several council members asked for a public-education campaign and for the chief to return with enforcement data.
The council added direction that the police chief present a compliance and incident report at the first council meeting in August so councilors can assess whether the changes are operating as intended and whether further adjustments are needed.
The ordinance sets explicit crossing points for state roads and retains fines for violations; staff said an informational outreach plan (social media and utility-customer handouts) will accompany the code change to improve public awareness.
