ny300exrider
11-19-2003, 05:24 PM
this is the second week there has been an atv related article in suffolk life(newspaper) and it looks like things arent doing to bad. i really hope we get a legal riding area, we need it badly. heres what the article has to say GO CRECCA
Tom Riker from Long Island Off-Road Vehicle, a non-for-profit all-terrain vehicle advocacy group, said the group has met with several Suffolk County officials, including County Executive Robert Gaffney and Legislator Andrew Crecca (R-Hauppauge) to encourage the county to establish an ATV park.
He said it's been an uphill battle to get cooperation from the county in finding a location and just getting some acknowledgement that ATV riders are a legitimate user group.
"Our club is trying to do the right thing," Riker said, though he admits it's difficult to say how things will go with new legislators coming in.
Crecca recently introduced legislation calling for the creation of a task force to analyze the situation and to determine if the creation of an ATV park for use by Suffolk County residents is necessary, which he believes they will. The task force, if created, would be made up of representatives from the Suffolk County Parks Department and other county offices, as well as various ATV advocacy groups and environmental organizations. The task force would gather and evaluate pertinent information and hold public hearings on the issue.
"Suffolk County doesn't have any place [for people to ride] except for one or two private facilities," Crecca said. He added that the private facilities can't handle the volume of people who are looking to ride. He also said that an ATV park would not only bring in revenue to the county through user fees, but would also help to alleviate a lot of the illegal riding that occurs currently. A park, he believes, would also help to clear up some of the environmental issues because it would have established trails and rules.
One of the biggest opponents to an ATV park has been Legislator Michael Caracciolo (R-Riverhead) who, according to Riker, simply is not interested in hearing about the issue.
Riker admits that two of the biggest issues are noise and erosion. While his organization and ATV riders would love a parcel that is at least 100 acres, they would be satisfied with whatever the county would be willing to open up to them to ride on. A larger parcel would allow them to have a buffer between the trails and any surrounding communities, which Riker believes would help to alleviate some of the noise. As for erosion, he believes that ATVs cause no more than equestrian riders. In addition, he suggested proper trail maintenance, similar to what mountain biking groups like the Concerned Long Island Mountain Bikers do in places like Rocky Point and Cathedral Pines.
"The environmental community has no obligation to locate a site for any illegal activity," said Dick Amper, executive director of the Long Island Pine Barrens Society. "However, if an appropriate site can be found where these vehicles can be driven legally, so much the better."
At this time, Riker said he has approximately 5,000 signatures and a number of dealers on-board who are advocating for a park. For more information on the Long Off-Road Vehicle Association visit www.liorv.org. or write to them at LIORV, P.O. Box 1252, Miller Place, NY 11764.
Caracciolo could not be reached for comment in time for this article.
Tom Riker from Long Island Off-Road Vehicle, a non-for-profit all-terrain vehicle advocacy group, said the group has met with several Suffolk County officials, including County Executive Robert Gaffney and Legislator Andrew Crecca (R-Hauppauge) to encourage the county to establish an ATV park.
He said it's been an uphill battle to get cooperation from the county in finding a location and just getting some acknowledgement that ATV riders are a legitimate user group.
"Our club is trying to do the right thing," Riker said, though he admits it's difficult to say how things will go with new legislators coming in.
Crecca recently introduced legislation calling for the creation of a task force to analyze the situation and to determine if the creation of an ATV park for use by Suffolk County residents is necessary, which he believes they will. The task force, if created, would be made up of representatives from the Suffolk County Parks Department and other county offices, as well as various ATV advocacy groups and environmental organizations. The task force would gather and evaluate pertinent information and hold public hearings on the issue.
"Suffolk County doesn't have any place [for people to ride] except for one or two private facilities," Crecca said. He added that the private facilities can't handle the volume of people who are looking to ride. He also said that an ATV park would not only bring in revenue to the county through user fees, but would also help to alleviate a lot of the illegal riding that occurs currently. A park, he believes, would also help to clear up some of the environmental issues because it would have established trails and rules.
One of the biggest opponents to an ATV park has been Legislator Michael Caracciolo (R-Riverhead) who, according to Riker, simply is not interested in hearing about the issue.
Riker admits that two of the biggest issues are noise and erosion. While his organization and ATV riders would love a parcel that is at least 100 acres, they would be satisfied with whatever the county would be willing to open up to them to ride on. A larger parcel would allow them to have a buffer between the trails and any surrounding communities, which Riker believes would help to alleviate some of the noise. As for erosion, he believes that ATVs cause no more than equestrian riders. In addition, he suggested proper trail maintenance, similar to what mountain biking groups like the Concerned Long Island Mountain Bikers do in places like Rocky Point and Cathedral Pines.
"The environmental community has no obligation to locate a site for any illegal activity," said Dick Amper, executive director of the Long Island Pine Barrens Society. "However, if an appropriate site can be found where these vehicles can be driven legally, so much the better."
At this time, Riker said he has approximately 5,000 signatures and a number of dealers on-board who are advocating for a park. For more information on the Long Off-Road Vehicle Association visit www.liorv.org. or write to them at LIORV, P.O. Box 1252, Miller Place, NY 11764.
Caracciolo could not be reached for comment in time for this article.