Motorcycle track dispute arises in Jericho

[catamount]

Motorcycle track
dispute arises in
Jericho

JERICHO -- A Jericho property owner is asking
the town's Development Review Board to allow
him to continue operating a track for dirt bikes
on his Plains Road property.

Neighbors complained to the town in September
about noise and dust coming from the track. The
town sent a letter to landowner Michael Mallow
that he needed a permit to continue operating
the dirt-bike track, said Seth Jensen, Jericho's
town planner.

The track first was used as a practice track for
Mallow's son, Jensen said, but during the
summer, several people began using the track,
especially Tuesday and Thursday evenings and
on weekends.

Mallow argues the dirt track is a "passive use,"
meaning it's a relatively low-impact activity that
does not require a conditional-use permit from
the town, Jensen said. Mallow could not be
reached for comment Wednesday afternoon.

A letter signed by several neighbors and other
Jericho residents and sent to Jensen in
September disagreed, saying the dirt bikes
generate noise and dust, triggering the need for
a permit.

According to Jericho zoning laws, a landowner
needs a conditional-use permit if an activity
affects the character of the adjacent
neighborhood, traffic and the availability of town
services, such as fire protection and schools,
among other criteria.

The Jericho Development Review Board is
expected to decide today whether Mallow needs
a permit. If so, the board could grant it or ask
him for more information.

[NobodySpecific]

Buncha buzz kills

[markbvt]

I love the fact that they're complaining about the dust from the track, but don't seem to mind the dust from the dirt road that they all live on. Asshats.

--mark

[tonyd]

I can think of 2 guys locally that have been shut down in recent years in 2 different towns.

One town decided that if its natural terrain you don't need permit or zoning approval, but if you build a track you do.

The other town just harrassed the guy until his insurance agent mailed him a quote for liability insurance for the track and notified they were cancelling his homeowners if he did not buy the track insurance.

[Paul_E_D]

This stuff blows.

[Trouble]

Complaints and issues like that have been happening for years. Back when I was a kid there was a track in Hinesburg on Magee Hill that they allowed to run just on certain days of the week and a limited number of times a month. It was a "private" track and they still restricted it.

I think there's a time and place for everything. As a small town official and resident I can see how it would be intrusive to have a motocross track next door. That doesn't mean I wouldn't want one on my property...

[Slyder]

One of the main reasons I no longer have a dirty bike...no place to ride one anymore. VT sucks like that. The state can have thousands of miles of snowmobile trails (and of course charge you out the ass to use said trails) but when it comes to dirt bikes and ATV's...it's a joke.

There's a clay track for cars near me, been there for who knows how long. It was built away from houses out at the end of a dirt road. People buy land near the track, build houses and then cry and whine about the noise, trucks and trailers as well as other traffic on "their" road, etc.

That track was there first, and now because of stupid people, they can only run it one day a week and at certain hours.

Oh and the cars have to have "mufflers" nowadays too

[Doc]

Frick. No more secret spot dirty riding with my friend Mike.

[obsolete]

One of the main reasons I no longer have a dirty bike...no place to ride one anymore. VT sucks like that. The state can have thousands of miles of snowmobile trails (and of course charge you out the ass to use said trails) but when it comes to dirt bikes and ATV's...it's a joke.

There's a clay track for cars near me, been there for who knows how long. It was built away from houses out at the end of a dirt road. People buy land near the track, build houses and then cry and whine about the noise, trucks and trailers as well as other traffic on "their" road, etc.

That track was there first, and now because of stupid people, they can only run it one day a week and at certain hours.

Oh and the cars have to have "mufflers" nowadays too

While that sucks cause the track was there first, sound like in this case the dirtbike track was there second. It's a tough situation, while I'd much rather see kids using a dirtbike track and doing something constructive I don't know how happy I'd be to have a bunch of dust being kicked up on to my property and 2 strokes screaming because my neighbor decides one day he wants to make a track.

[markbvt]

One of the main reasons I no longer have a dirty bike...no place to ride one anymore. VT sucks like that. The state can have thousands of miles of snowmobile trails (and of course charge you out the ass to use said trails) but when it comes to dirt bikes and ATV's...it's a joke.

Very true... which is why I'm constantly telling people that if they want to get a dirty bike, they need to get one that's plated. Because there are lots of great dirt roads (including some pretty gnarly Class IV ones) throughout Vermont.

It would be really nice, though, if the VAST trail network were opened up, at least the portions on public land. I wouldn't even mind paying a yearly fee to use it.

--mark

[obsolete]

Why do snowmobiles get land use rights but not ATV's? That sounds kinda dumb.

[Rambunctous]

Why young people need to vote. Snowmobles/ATV's are generally a older crowd. They vote. They get representation. Now if everyone under 30 yo in this town joined forces and storm the town meeting the selectman would buckle but quick. Then the selectman would throw the neighbors some cheap talk about understanding their dilemna. Meaning get lost.

[markbvt]

Why do snowmobiles get land use rights but not ATV's? That sounds kinda dumb.

A big part of the issue is that many of the VAST trails cross private land. The landowners give permission for snowmobiles to cross because they figure they're only packing down the snow, not damaging the ground, whereas ATVs and bikes aren't welcome because they "tear up the ground."

This still doesn't explain why the portions of the VAST network on public land aren't open to ATVs and bikes, except that those VAST dicks have a lot of political clout.

--mark

[Slyder]

Why do snowmobiles get land use rights but not ATV's? That sounds kinda dumb.

The majority of VT's trail system for snowmobiles, is on private land. Ground is frozen, covered in snow. Low impact. Now imagine ATV's and dirty bikes on the land in the summer...throw in a fresh rain storm. High impact.

Snowmobiles get the privilege, not the right, to use the trails because the state / VAST negotiates with land owners to have the trails on their land. It's technically illegal (trespass) for me to step foot off the trail, even when I've paid my $$$. And trust me, lots of retards will go off the trail and ride all over peoples land....fields, etc. Land owners get pissed and close said trail. Most have no trouble with snowmobiles and most want nothing to do with ATV's and the dirty bikes.

If I had land I'd ride the toys on it, but I'd probably not let others do so as well.

[Kitt]

I have a great buffer.. I have also looked into town ordinances and by-laws. This kind of thing is crap, and rather than bitching, more riders or young people, however you want to call it... need to become active members of the town officiating boards.

[obsolete]

What is VAST?

We got the same shit down here. My club wheels on private property that is leased to a company. We have permission from both the company and the land owners and it's still a hassle.

[markbvt]

What is VAST?

Vermont Association of Snow Travelers

--mark

[Slyder]

This still doesn't explain why the portions of the VAST network on public land aren't open to ATVs and bikes, except that those VAST dicks have a lot of political clout.

--mark

As much as I hate paying high prices for VAST / club dues (well, when I had a sled) another thing to note that even with public / state land, you're going to rut it up, rocks, etc. You'd then have more work to do to get the trails ready for snowmobile season. Can't rely on mother nature anymore for decent snowfall. I've ridden on trails that have had heavy ATV use in the spring, summer and fall. It is not fun.

I understand it from that point of view, it costs $ to maintain those trails and they're only used in the winter. But on the other hand I look at a state like NH and wish VT had a trail network like that. You can ride ATVs and dirty bikes on some of the sled trails there...but there are also a bunch of ORV parks too.

I know they've tried to do something along those lines in VT. The amount of people completely against it that show up is astounding. It seems like a lot of people in VT don't want ATV's / bikes on their land or out in the middle of no where. Ask 'em how me riding an ATV in the middle of no where affects them and they'll tell you you're still making noise pollution and tearing up the ground.

VT'ers suck

[SSearchVT]

VT'ers suck

More than likely - it's not Vermonters that are doing the bitching...

I had a woman try to rip me a new one in my own front yard because my lawn mowing attire (soccer shorts, and sneakers) 'was unacceptable for Westchester'... She was using her friends vacation house for the weekend and would have appreciated not having to hear the noise while she was there.

[khuygie88]

More than likely - it's not Vermonters that are doing the bitching...

I had a woman try to rip me a new one in my own front yard because my lawn mowing attire (soccer shorts, and sneakers) 'was unacceptable for Westchester'... She was using her friends vacation house for the weekend and would have appreciated not having to hear the noise while she was there.

You'd be surprised how many out of staters will start bitching when you ruin their image of what VT should be....

Oh, and a giant at the second part!

[catamount]

More than likely - it's not Vermonters that are doing the bitching...

I had a woman try to rip me a new one in my own front yard because my lawn mowing attire (soccer shorts, and sneakers) 'was unacceptable for Westchester'... She was using her friends vacation house for the weekend and would have appreciated not having to hear the noise while she was there.

WTF? That can't be true?

I would have raged!

[SSearchVT]

WTF? That can't be true?

I would have raged!

Yup - It's true... After her Westchester comment - I looked over both shoulders and back at her. 'Doesn't look like Westchester to me.' Then she told me to fetch the home owner so she could talk to them...

It went downhill from there and ended with me telling her to get the f*ck out of my face, and off my f-in' property...

[obsolete]

Wow, what a cunt.

[markbvt]

Then she told me to fetch the home owner so she could talk to them...

Wow. Just wow.

I would have thoroughly enjoyed my subsequent verbal retaliation if I had been in your shoes.

--mark

[ChrisNoF4i]

Double-U Oh Double-U.

I would have taken her out for a nice seafood dinner.... and then NEVER called her again!