Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Transportation topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
East Troy board to study allowing UTVs on village streets; committee meeting set for July 20
Summary
The East Troy Village Board discussed a resident request to reconsider permitting ATVs/UTVs on village streets, heard safety and enforcement concerns from police, and directed staff to prepare materials for a committee-of-the-whole meeting on July 20 to gather public input and draft ordinance options.
The East Troy Village Board discussed whether to revisit its ordinance barring ATVs and UTVs from village streets and directed staff to bring draft options and public outreach to a committee-of-the-whole meeting on July 20.
Board members opened a lengthy discussion after staff described a resident’s request to reconsider the village ban, last debated in November 2022. Trustees and the police chief summarized mixed feedback: one trustee reported roughly 80% of residents he consulted opposed permitting UTV/ATV use on village streets, while owners of the vehicles urged clearer rules that would allow UTVs under specified conditions.
The police chief told the board that neighboring municipalities adopt widely varying rules: some allow UTVs but not ATVs; others limit use to specific streets, set age or licensing requirements, or restrict hours. He explained that enforcement of many UTV-related offenses is handled as Department of Natural Resources (DNR) violations in some circumstances rather than through the regular motor-vehicle code, which affects whether an incident appears on a driver’s record.
Trustees focused on balancing safety, noise and convenience. Several members suggested limiting any change to UTVs (rather than ATVs), specifying equipment standards (lights, turn signals, tires), setting minimum ages and license requirements, and excluding residential streets or areas around bars and the village square. One trustee suggested adopting Wisconsin’s chapter 346 language into the village ordinance so violations would be enforceable under the regular rules of the road if the board so chooses.
Rather than vote on an ordinance, the board asked staff and the chief to compile sample ordinances from Walworth County municipalities and to consult the town police chiefs about lessons learned. The board agreed to place a committee-of-the-whole meeting on the July 20 agenda for broader public input.
What happens next: Staff will collect example ordinances and enforcement options and present draft language and public-notice plans to the committee-of-the-whole on July 20 for further public comment and possible formal ordinance drafting.
