New Rules for ATV’s, Dirt Bikes, Scooters and More
By Robin Vinci | Editor at October 27, 2023 | 3:00 pm | Print
The City is looking to implement new rules to stop certain vehicles from using City streets.
A new proposed ordinance reads, “any person who operates any motor scooter, mini-bike, pocket bike, bicycle with a helper motor, mini-motorcycle, dirt bike, all-terrain vehicle, or snowmobile on any portion of any public or private street shown on the official map of the city, and/or any public property, including sidewalks, playgrounds and parks within the City of New Britain or on watershed property owned by the City of New Britain and located in another municipality shall be fined $1,000 for a first violation, $1,500 for a second violation and $2,000 for a third or subsequent violation.”
Any vehicle which is in violation shall be subject to seizure and forfeiture by the City of New Britain. It will then be sold at a public auction by the City.
Passengers will be fined $50.
“We are providing for regulations including penalties and forfeiture of them,” said Mayor Erin Stewart. “The State passed a law last session that allows City and towns to make their own laws regarding use of these types of vehicles. We have had many problems.”
Some problems including driving at all hours of the night. Others include tearing up yards.
“There are trails to bring vehicles like this. They are loud and are not allowed on our streets,” said Stewart. “We can’t chase people when they are on them because it is a liability.”
The vehicles can be taken by trailer to other cities that have an area for their use. There are no legal areas in New Britain.
“We’ve seen a pattern to a lot of vandalism has occurred in areas where ATV’s and motor bikes go. A couple weeks ago, one of our pump stations for the Wolcott Reservoir, that we own, was attempted to be lit on fire,” said Stewart. “They accessed that using ATV’s. We had cameras, but could not seize vehicles because we did not have an ordinance prohibiting it yet.”
Alderman Daniel Salerno suggests when neighbors see these illegal vehicles they report them to the City or police department.
The Common Council sent this item to the Consolidated Committee and Admin, Finance and Law Wednesday night to be looked at further.
Alderman Tremell Collins, chairman of the Consolidated Committee said, “I look forward to a hearty discussion regarding the use of all-terrain vehicles on our City streets and I look forward to preventing any further vandalism from occurring on City property.”
On Wednesday night the Council also took a look at recommendations of the Historic Preservation Action Plan for the City of New Britain, in order to encourage the preservation of architecturally and historically significant buildings, by establishing a demolition delay and required review process to be followed prior to issuance of a demolition permit for any building recognized as being historically significant.
“It deals with property owners who not to do anything with historic buildings and let them go to waste,” said Stewart. “Measures will be taken if the property owner is not taking care of the property because they want to develop it.”
