Monona taking steps to update snowmobile ordinance
By Audrey Posten, Times-Register
The Monona Council is taking steps to update the city’s snowmobile ordinance, in an effort to clarify where snowmobilers are allowed to ride following recent safety and trespassing complaints.
“It’s an exceptional year. It’s not very often the trails get used this much,” said Dave Smith, a Monona resident and member of the Clayton County Snowbirds snowmobile club, which puts effort each year into marking and maintaining trails, then encouraging riders to follow those routes. “But every community has a different ordinance pertaining to snowmobiles. A lot of the problem is people don’t know. And ours is pretty vague. Where are you allowed to ride?”
According to city administrator Barb Collins, indirectly, there are no snowmobile trails that go through Monona. There’s only a marked route to reach the community’s restaurants.
“It’s to come down one block of Depue Street, then turn up and drive on the city street, across B45 and go right down the street by the community center, park, eat, then go out that direction,” she explained at the council’s Feb. 1 meeting.
During that time, the ordinance states snowmobiles should be operated only upon streets that have not been plowed. They are not to be operated on the public sidewalk or the portion of the street between the curb line and the sidewalk, except for the purposes of crossing to a public street, she added.
“It’s hard to understand,” acknowledged councilman John Elledge.
Riders have been deviating from the route, however, traveling on sidewalks and private properties. Kylie Sandstrom, who lives on East Iowa Street, said it’s been a problem for years.
“I live in the house I grew up in. Even growing up there, we’ve always had snowmobilers in the yard,” she shared.
This year, some of the behavior has been extreme, prompting her to file two complaints.
“They’re riding all over the sidewalks after we’ve plowed them and shoveled them. I actually had one ride probably four feet from my house, on my property,” Sandstrom said. “My husband parked his vehicle so they couldn’t ride on the same trail, and they literally went right next to his vehicle, in our yard.”
The Sandstroms have also set up a trail cam to both catch and deter perpetrators.
“I caught on trail cam that they actually jumped some of the snowbanks in my yard, five minutes after my children were outside,” she said. “If my kids were outside, there’s no way they’d be able to stop.”
Sandstrom stressed she’s all for having fun, but hopes riders will do so respectfully.
Others in attendance at the meeting agreed, urging the city to come up with better guidance on direct routes in and out of Monona, as well as determine locations where riders could park trailers, offload their snowmobiles, then safely and legally go in and out of town to the designated trail.
“Come up with a way to handle the people getting in and out of town safely, and for people to go to our restaurants. Because we want them to buy gas here and stuff,” said Collins.
Council members suggested the creation of a committee to help update the ordinance, as a group did for ATV/UTV usage in town.
“Make sure the people who ride and enjoy the snowmobiles are writing the rules,” said Elledge. “We don’t want to write the rules because of the jerks. Let’s do it for those people who are doing the right thing. I expect you to help write the rules and enforce the rules.”
Collins said, unfortunately, the season might be over by the time the ordinance is updated. In the meantime, citations will be issued at police officers’ discretion.
In addition to following traffic laws, riders must have a valid license and proof of insurance and registration, said police chief Jo Amsden. People can be charged with reckless or careless driving, which is a $354 fine. Some riders have already been cited this year.
“If they want to continue to do that, they’re going to get charged with that,” she said. “It’s not a problem if you don’t call attention to yourself and act stupid.
In other news from the Feb. 1 meeting, the council received an update on the proposed Kwik Star Water and Sewer Utility Expansion Project, which will connect soon-to-be annexed properties in that area with city utilities. Forrest Aldrich with the engineering firm Veenstra & Kimm, Inc., said bids for the project should be awarded in mid-March, with work to be completed by October. Some easements will be needed to complete the project, which he advised the city to negotiate over the next month. The city also reviewed updates on the development agreement with Kwik Star and will proceed with further negotiations.
Another item on the agenda included weighing the pros and cons of a proposal from People Service for a full-service employee versus hiring a new city employee and certifying the individual for water and wastewater operations. The discussion was prompted by the impending retirement of Monona street supervisor Randy Evanson.
