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Millstone Township Committee decides against law controlling use of ATVs
and dirt bikes following public outcry.
MILLSTONE — Public outcry over the township's attempts to control
all-terrain and dirt bike use in Millstone prompted the Township
Committee to ditch its ATV ordinance last week.
The unanimous decision by the committee was met with loud cheers from a
standing-room-only crowd packed with riders and parents at the
committee's meeting Aug. 4. At least a dozen teenagers and younger
children stood alongside adults of all ages to protest the suggested
restrictions, which included set riding times, a maximum decibel level
allowed from exhausts and prohibiting people from riding on their
property if they own less than 6 acres.
Residents streamed up to the microphone to denounce the proposed
ordinance. In all, 16 residents spoke about the ATV ordinance and most
of them were strongly opposed to any restrictions for riders. Many
speakers cited homeowners' property rights as a reason why the
recommended law should fail.
"What are you guys trying to achieve here if you pass this ordinance?...
Six acres, that's insane. You're telling me I can't do stuff on my
property now? It's against the Constitution," Roberts Road rider Joseph
Murray said.
Mr. Murray said the ordinance unfairly profiled riders and that its only
purpose would be to make more money for the towns from fines. Penalties
for violating the ATV laws would have ranged from up to $100 for a first
offense to up to $1,250, jail or community service hours.
Nancy Santarsiero of Old Mill Hunt Road told the committee that the
proposed ordinance was against the town's children.
"I am really disgusted because I don't want my children to live in a
community where they feel they are not wanted," she said.
Not everyone in the audience was against the proposed riding
restrictions. Suzanne Worringer, who has gone before a judge to reach a
nonbinding agreement with her neighbors about when the children next
door can ride their recreational vehicles, said ATVs are noisy and can
cause air pollution.
"I don't believe that having dirt bikes and quad riding within 100 feet
of my property is a good quality of life," said Ms. Worringer, who added
that she moved to Millstone for the peace and quiet of rural living.
"The noise is such that a normal conversation cannot be had if you're
outside on the deck. This noise can occur for up to five hours. We have
timed it."
But the committee agreed with the ATV riders that the ordinance was not
right for Millstone. The vote to reject the ordinance came weeks after
the committee unanimously introduced it. Committee members said they
were deluged with phone calls from concerned riders in the interim.
Committeeman Bill Nurko said he concluded that, instead of an ATV
ordinance, Millstone needed to tighten and enforce its noise ordinance.
Deputy Mayor Elias Abilheira had some words of advice for ATV riders
after the committee turned down the ordinance. He noted that the idea
for an ordinance was born from disrespectful riders who refused to
compromise with neighbors on riding times and places.
"I hope everyone in here tonight who fought to stop this ordinance
polices themselves. If you don't police yourselves and respect your
neighbors, this (ordinance idea) will come back and eventually you're
going to lose if you disrespect the rights of people in this town...
Please don't just walk out of here saying you got away with it," he
said.
After the vote ATV riders and supporters gathered in the parking lot to
celebrate their victory. Several were congratulating each other and
planning rides for that night.
Ms. Santarsiero's sons, Zach, 10, and Matt, 13, and their friends were
among the residents smiling at the vote. The boys said that they ride
all of the time and are happy that they can still ride legally in town.
©PACKETONLINE News Classifieds Entertainment Business - Princeton and
Central New Jersey 2004
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