At its meeting next week, the Mount Holly Select Board will consider an ordinance allowing all terrain vehicles to use some town roads. It's an issue that's been discussed in the past, and some residents are wondering why it's back on the agenda.The proposed ordnance would allow registered ATVs to travel on all gravel and class four roads in town. In addition, ATVs would be permitted for farming purposes on any road, with the exception of state highways.
The proposed ordinance was posted on the Mount Holly Newsflash blog on Nov. 26. Since then, there have been three responding posts raising concerns about allowing ATVs on the town's roadways.
"In a previous survey, town residents responded against an ATV ordinance allowing ATV use of Town roads," Brett Wright & Sandra Predom wrote in one post. "So this is, at a minimum, a contentious issue that should be voted and not forced upon (requiring petition to change) the resident citizens of Mt Holly."
In the spring of 2014, the town set up an email account dedicated to receiving feedback on if and where ATVs should be allowed on town roads.
If passed, the proposed ordinance would give the select board the authority to "allow or deny permission to operate an all-terrain vehicle on any Town highway (or section of highway)."
The Mount Holly Select Board meets Tuesday night, Dec. 13, at the town offices.