Regulations don't work; fines might; Brantley Commission must use a new way to try to regulate ATVs

Mike Morrison

Having learned it can't regulate - or so much as allow - all-terrain vehicles on its roads, the Brantley County Commission now is looking toward stiffening fines in hopes of keep them off altogether.

The county had sought to allow responsible riding on roads with low speed limits, but was trumped by a state law that says the vehicles cannot be licensed or registered. That means the commissioners will have to rescind its ATV ordinance that was to have taken effect Sept. 1.

Commissioner Greg O'Quinn said he hopes the commission makes illegal riding more painful and tries to salvage some parts of the ordinance.

The Satilla Riverkeeper has complained that ATV riders use the river as a highway during periods of low water and routinely leave the streambed to trespass on private property.

O'Quinn said the current state-mandated fine for illegal riding is $25. The commissioners can't adopt a fine lower than that, but they could go considerably higher.

The fines laid out in the ill-fated ordinance were $250 for a first offense, $500 for a second and $1,000 for a third offense.

Then, it will be up to the Sheriff's Department and the Georgia State Patrol to enforce the laws that are already on the books, O'Quinn said.

"It needs to be a priority," he said. "There are opportunities out there to write a ticket."

Whatever the County Commission does, Chairman Ron Ham hopes it's done soon.

"We need to drop this thing and focus on other priorities," he said.

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Source: http://www.jacksonville.com

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