Lewis discussing permit-based ATV trail system

LOWVILLE — Lewis County officials are working to establish a permit-based all-terrain vehicle trail system.

"It's going to be some bookkeeping," Legislator Richard C. Lucas, R-Barnes Corners, chairman of the legislative Economic Development Committee, said at a committee meeting Tuesday morning. "But I think the income is going to make it worth it."

County Trail Coordinator Robert C. Diehl showed committee members a sample permit. The 3-by-4-inch stickers, to be placed on ATVs, would include space for 1-by-1-inch stickers displaying the year of issuance.

Mr. Lucas said that while per-day and other special offers could be added in the future, the county should start by offering only annual permits that take effect each April.

"To start off, I think we should keep it simple," he said.

Mr. Diehl suggested that private landowners with trails on their property — likely 70 to 75 at this point — be given permits at no cost.

Committee members discussed potential fees Tuesday but didn't make any final decisions. However, they did express the desire to charge less for county residents than for nonresidents.

While the lowest figure suggested was $25, Mr. Lucas said he didn't feel the fees should be any lower than $40 for residents and $80 for nonresidents.

"The taxpayers of Lewis County have subsidized this thing, and we need to pay them back," he said.

Legislators last month approved the final generic environmental impact statement for a countywide ATV system but still need to adopt a findings statement at their next meeting to complete the state environmental quality review process.

Upon completion of the nearly two-year-old, $100,000 review, county officials plan to begin developing trails on county reforestation land. The proposed system also would include trails and play areas on private land, along with connecting town and county roads.

While the county is not allowed to charge for access to public roads, it may require that ATVs being driven on county and private land have a permit sticker, Mr. Diehl said after the meeting.

While uncertain exactly how the permit system would be administered, the trail coordinator said he hopes to pattern it after the Old Forge snowmobile trail system, which is owned, operated and maintained by the town of Webb.

In contrast, the Lewis County ATV system would be maintained as a joint effort of the county and the nonprofit Lewis County ATV Association. The ATV Association also provides liability insurance coverage for private landowners.

Some other eastern states, including West Virginia and Pennsylvania, have fairly extensive trail systems, Mr. Diehl said. However, those systems don't provide the opportunity to ride from community to community as this one would.

"When you stay at a lot of our places, you're right on the trail system," Mr. Diehl said.

While the ultimate goal is to create a regional ATV system through several adjacent counties, local officials plan to make sure any "bugs" are worked out at the county level first, he said.

"We'll take the mud on the face and straighten it out," Mr. Diehl said. "We're creating the template for the regional system."