WILTON – After listening to more than an hour of debate from a crowded town office, selectmen unanimously killed a proposal to allow all-terrain vehicles on a residential street in town.
Western Maine ATV Club Trailmaster Mike Lee had proposed the idea, which would have brought ATVs to the downtown business district by opening up Village View Street and part of Prospect Street as an access route to Main Street. Village View connects at one end of town with the popular Whistlestop Rail Trail at Rick’s Market on Route 156.
As expected, Lee arrived at the meeting with a list of additional restrictions for his proposal, in the hope of helping allay the concerns several residents have voiced over the plan.
These revisions included restricting access to the road to daylight hours and only from May 15 until Nov. 1. Riders would also be unable to use any vehicle with a modified exhaust system, which are louder than typical ATVs, and could not exceed 10 mph in speed. Riders under the age of 16 would be required to wear a helmet.
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Lee also proposed a month-to-month trial basis for his idea.
“Instead of having a one year trial,” he said, “I’ll come in once a month, if problems arise we’ll shut it down.”
“I know it’s a narrow street,” he acknowledged, “and that there’s a lot of opposition. But there’s a lot of support too.”
Lee said he had 64 signatures of people on Village View street who supported the idea and four signatures of people who said they opposed it.
Police Chief Dennis Brown, however, reiterated his opposition to the proposal. He noted that the 10 mph speed limit would not prevent accidents, and that the collision between a car going 35 mph with an ATV would be the equivalent of a 45 mph collision.
He also noted the problems police would have enforcing the speed limit, as the department has a policy of not pursuing ATVs due to the danger of a crash. While the warden service does some patrol work, there is no guarantee one will have time to spend in Wilton. Brown cited the number of ATV-related complaints along the rail bed trails he had gotten in his two years in town as evidence of the enforcement problem.
“Who polices it?” Brown said, answering a resident’s question. “We do.”
Numerous residents cited their concerns over the number of children playing in and around the street. The discussion became heated at times, with Selectman Chair Paul Gooch repeatedly asking residents to identify themselves, speak one at a time and be polite.
“I view this as a public safety issue,” said Richard Rosol, a local pediatrician. He noted that ATVers could certainly park their vehicles and hike into town.
“I have three young boys that play in the yard,” agreed resident Michael Backus. “You’re looking at the peak period of activity for children [June to September, when school is out].”
A few people, mostly ATV enthusiasts, spoke in defense of the measure, saying it could bring more commerce to the downtown. Henry Johnson, who said he often rides through Dixfield’s ATV-accessible streets, said that the town should “open its arms” to the ATVers.
“I didn’t see any trouble with anyone,” Johnson said, referring to Dixfield. “Why can’t we open our arms and tell people to come on in?”
Public safety however, ruled the day in the minds of the selectmen. Selectman Russell Black made the motion to take no action on the plan, which was seconded by Selectman Irving Faunce.
“The main issue is that the police chief feels it’s not a good idea,” Black said.
Faunce agreed, noting that he had received more calls on this subject than any other. Gooch and Black concurred with that assessment.
“Some, I suspect, had never called a selectman before in their life,” Faunce said. “But they felt strongly enough to call and voice their concerns and their opposition.”
Selectman Terry Brann, who himself operates an ATV, said that he felt it was too bad that a compromise couldn’t be reached. He noted, however, that a different route would probably be better.
After the vote, Lee thanked his supporters, those in opposition and the selectmen.
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