Price Citizens Approach Council with Atv, Motorcycle Concerns

By Sun Advocate

All-terrain vehicle and motorcycle riders on property in north Price are creating concerns for nearby residents.
The residents approached Price officials regarding the matter at the regularly scheduled city council meeting last Wednesday.
“We as a neighborhood are not asking that the riding stop, but we are asking that the operators have more courtesy when they ride through and around our neighborhood,” said Lamont Arnold, who presented a letter to the council that was signed by two dozen people.
The problem, according to Arnold, occurs at the northern end of 400 East and 600 East where riders have access from the streets to vacant private property in the area.
“What we are asking for is some restrictions on their operations, not a ban,” said Arnold. “We have people who ride right by the fences of our property, stirring up dust and creating a lot of noise. It began many years ago, but continues to grow in severity each spring.”
According to state statistics, ATV ownership in Utah has exploded, doubling in the last 10 years. At the local level, the Carbon County area has experienced had a large increase in the numbers of units.
The residents who signed the letter are asking the city to restrict the ATV and motorcycle operators from riding within 300 feet of the homes in the area.
In addition, the residents signing the letter want the city to restrict riding ATVs and motorcycles after dark, prohibit loitering and enforce no-littering regulations in the area in question.
“We live in a nice neighborhood, but there is no peace and tranquility there with this going on,” maintained Arnold.
Residents are also concerned about the fact that many of the ATV operators reportedly access the empty property by riding through city streets where children are playing.
The residents claim that speeding by non-street licensed vehicles is purportedly a common occurrence.
But city officials are in a bit of a dilemma.
The area where the riding is taking place is located on private property. And in the past, the landowners there have apparently appeared hesitant to do much about the problem.
However, Arnold pointed out that at least one property owner signed the letter Price residents passed around the neighborhood.
On Friday morning, Price Police Chief Aleck Shilaos said he had looked at a plot plan of the property and had identified the owners. The principal parts of ground where the riding is being done is owned by two people.
“Today, we are installing informational signs, hoping this will guide riders away from the homes. But unless the property owners want to do something about the activity we have little recourse,” pointed out the Price police chief.
Neighbors have called the police before and, when the riders see the cars coming, they disappear into the hills before the cruisers and patrolmen arrive at the scene, indicated Arnold.
“We talked to one of the riders and asked him to ride away from our fences. But he told us that’s where the best jumps are and then he took off,” claimed Arnold. “What can we do if the signs don’t do any good.”
Council members felt that the signs and some education with the riders might be able to help alleviate the situation.
“I think, if most of them understand the problems they are causing, they will ride in areas that are less intrusive,” said Mayor Joe Piccolo.
Arnold indicated that one officer who responded to the area caught some of the riders and talked with them.
“It improved a little after that,” said Arnold.
One council member suggested that the landowners could possibly place large boulders on the trails near the homes.
But Arnold felt that would be big, probably costly a job.
Arnold’s presentation was not listed on the regular agenda, but took place during the citizens input section of the meeting. Therefore, the council could take no official action in the matter. However, the officials said they will study the situation and watch to see what the new signage will do.
In an unrelated matter, the city council presided over the opening of bids submitted for two items.
The first was for plumbing replacement in the city’s indoor swimming pool and the second was paint the exterior of the backwash tank.
The first item drew four bids. Those bids included one from O’Brien Plumbing of Price for $74,200; another from Stilson and Sons Construction of Orangeville for $72,283; a third bid from U.S. Mechanical Limited of Pleasant Grove for $32,836; and a final bid from CEU Sales of Salt Lake for $74,481.
The city’s budget for the project is $60,0000.
“I am wondering why one of the bids is so much lower than the others,” commented Piccolo, after the council decided to form a committee of city officials to evaluate which proposal should be accepted.
The second item’s bids numbered two. The first was from Kings Coatings of Salt Lake for $59,850 and another from State Painting Company for $64,953. A committee was also formed to evaluate these bids.
The council also approved an ordinance to adopt replacement building codes as per the states new rules.
The new regulations adopted included the International Plumbing Code, International Mechanical Code, National Electric Code, Uniform Code for the Abatement of Dangerous Buildings, International Fire Code, Uniform Fire Code, International Building Code, Uniform Building Code, International Energy Conservation Code, the Model Energy Code, Federal Manufactured Housing Construction and Safety Standard Act, Manufactured Home Installations, International Residential Code and the Uniform Housing Code.
In addition, the members of the Price City Council also voted to approve the allocations of economic vitality loan fund monies for Bluebird Daycare and Becky Brews.
Bluebird Daycare received approval for $3,000 and Becky’s Brews for $10,000.