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ATVs Banned from Town Trails

May 16, 2011 - Otisfield — Selectmen decided to officially ban ATVs from a series of town-owned trails in Otisfield.

This is the first time the town has been asked to address ATV use in Heniger Park, a 100 acre plot at the northwest end of Pleasant Lake.

The board responded to concerns from a nature enthusiast over ATV usage on the trails by agreeing to post signs at the trailheads to let ATV users know they were off limits.

Pixie Williams, chairperson of the Otisfield Conservation Committee, told the board that she was worried about the recreational vehicles disturbing wildlife in the park.

The town owns the land on which the park sits, and board members said that they intended for the trails to be used by hikers. Williams was concerned that allowing ATVs to use the trails was incompatible with the needs of the hikers.

"If you do allow ATVs on these trails then your hikers and your nature lovers are not going to be going in," said Williams. "When you have all the motor noise you're not going to have animals nesting or making their dens there."

Selectman Lenny Adler agreed that ATVs and hikers could not both use the trails simultaneously. In addition to the potential harm to the environment, he pointed out, allowing motorized vehicles on the trails would put pedestrians at risk.

"For me it's about safety," said Adler. "An ATV on a trail where people are walking is not safe."

In addition, Adler said, ATV riders did not have any right to use the trails and had never come to the town to specifically request that they be allowed. None of the trails are part of the trail system maintained by the Otisfield ATV club, the Otisfield Trail Blazers.

"Since it's not part of the trail system and they have not asked permission, they have no right to use it," said Adler.

Chairperson Hal Ferguson agreed to post the signs, but expressed some concern over suddenly telling people that they could not use trails that they had been using in the past. He pointed out that there are riders outside of the ATV Club who may use the trails on their own.

"If one person uses that trail and they've been using it for 20 years, it's not right to just cut them off," said Ferguson.

The board unanimously agreed that the Otisfield Conservation Commission would be allowed to post signs at the entrances to all the trails.

Otisfield's next selectmen meeting will be held on Wednesday, May 18 at the town office.


Devin Conway, Advertiser Democrat, May 2011


Lakes: Pleasant Lake
Regions: Sebago


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