MONTAGUE — The White River Township board unanimously approved a new ordinance governing the use of off-road vehicles (ORVs) at Tuesday's monthly meeting.
Township supervisor Ron Bailey said the township itself will not be responsible for policing the ordinance, but that passing one gives the state Department of Natural Resources a document from which it can police it if necessary.
The ordinance, which the board said largely mimics the one in neighboring Montague Township, prohibits anyone younger than 18 from operating an ORV without a driver's license or the supervision of an adult who has one. It also prohibits the use of an ORV at over 25 miles per hour, as well as prohibiting it over 30 minutes prior to sunrise or after sunset unless the operator has headlights and taillights on.
One provision that drew questions was the one prohibiting use of an ORV without a helmet or protective eyewear, unless the vehicle has a roof "that meets or exceeds the standard for a crash helmet." Trustee Laura Anderson asked why the ordinance included this requirement, since there is no state law requiring the use of a helmet while driving a motorcycle. Bailey noted that the ordinance governs public land and DNR regulations require the use of a helmet, hence the requirement.
The board unanimously approved a $5,000 expenditure for its share of the repair of two culverts that are failing in the township. Bailey said he'd received communication from the Muskegon County Road Commission regarding the culverts. One failing culvert is 1,500 feet north of Flower Creek Road and the other is 539 feet north. Each culvert, the commission said, will cost an estimated $10,000 to fix, of which the township is responsible for $2,500. Treasurer Deb Harris said fortunately, the township has about $11,000 left over from funds that were earmarked for the Hancock Road repairs that were completed earlier this year which can be redirected to the culverts. Bailey added the commission has told him each repair should be completed in a day.
The board also unanimously approved a $1,200 expenditure to plant four trees as part of the continuing beautification of Hubbard Cemetery. It was noted that autumn is the best season to plant a tree because it allows tree roots time to grab hold of soil before the unforgiving Michigan winters.
Anderson reported that the White Lake Ambulance Authority is awaiting approval from the Whitehall Township planning commission for a parking structure. She also noted that the ambulance that was damaged in a crash earlier this year is slated to have its repairs completed around the end of this month.
