May 14, 2020 at 8:22 p.m.
Lake Tomahawk residents OK ATV/UTV use on town roads
Planning commission to draft an ordinance
Lake Tomahawk residents OK ATV/UTV use on town roads
The final tally of "yes" votes to the town-wide survey question "Are you in favor of opening all town roads to year round ATV/UTV traffic?" was 421.
There were 263 "no" votes. The town board was approached by the Lake Tomahawk ATV Club in December regarding ATV use on a town roads.
The club requested 2.6 miles of Lakewood Road from Cassian to County Highway D be open to ATV/UTV traffic.
"This 2.6 miles," a letter from the club to the town stated, "would connect Nokomis ATV Club to Lakeland ATV Club trails."
There was extensive discussion at that meeting that led to town chairman George DeMet expressing his feelings about the operation of ATVs and UTVs on town roads.
At one point in that discussion, he noted there had been four ATV/UTV-related fatalities in Oneida County in the previous year.
"Each one of those deaths occurred on a town road," DeMet said. "That's what bothers me."
The matter was sent to the town's planning commission and eventually, during the first part of March, a survey was sent out.
The deadline for people to return the survey was April 30.
The proverbial ball is now in the planning commission's court, DeMet told the Lakeland Times last Friday.
"This is a planning commission survey," he said. "And I look forward to their recommendation."
Planning commission chairman Steve Forrest has not yet scheduled a meeting. He noted it's possible there won't be a meeting until after this month, as some commission members are uncomfortable having a meeting at this time because of the COVID-19 situation.
"I'm not gonna push that issue," he said. "Because you know there's gonna be 20 people showing up, too."
In addition, Forrest said, an ATV/UTV ordinance needs to be drafted.
"I'll work on that in the meantime," he said. "We'll see what we can get opened up on that."
While DeMet has been vocal in his oppositions to ATV/UTV use on town roads, town board member Larry Hoffman has been supportive of the Lakeland ATV Club's efforts, telling The Lakeland Times on Friday he was glad to see the survey results turn out the way they did.
Hoffman also serves on the planning commission.
ATV/UTV use of town roads, he said, "levels the playing field with the surrounding towns."
"It makes it easier for local residents to get to the trailhead and go out and enjoy the trails," Hoffman noted. "It's what the residents want, so hopefully we can move forward and get it completed."
Brian Jopek may be reached via email at [email protected]
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