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Gladstone ORV rules may be revised

By R. R. Branstrom 3 min read

GLADSTONE — Residents may soon see a change in the rules regarding off-road vehicles (ORVs) in the City of Gladstone.

While people have complained about off-roaders for years, it became clear at Monday’s regular meeting that a safety issue is created particularly when dirtbikes and other ORVs enter the property of W.C. Cameron Elementary School. After some discussion, the commission decided to form a subcommittee to reevaluate the city’s ordinance and bring changes to a hearing in the near future.

The agenda item had been suggested by Commissioner Steve O’Driscoll, who owns a business in the industrial park and has found ORVs to pose a nuisance there.

Most urgently, in order to reduce traffic at Cameron — where children between kindergarten and second grade attend — the commission believes that reopening 29th Street to ORVs will help.

Also referred to as P.5, 29th Street is currently off-limits to ORV traffic from the intersection with M-35 to about the water tower (“600 block through 900 block”). It appears that the ban went into effect in 2015 after one particular resident kept complaining about dirtbikes in the area.

“It’s thousands of complaints (from one resident),” said Public Safety Director Ron Robinson.

But now that said individual has been appeased, a whole new set of people — primarily very young children — are at risk, because the elementary school is right next to that road. By staying off of 29th, many trail riders seem to default to cutting through an area near Cameron’s outdoor classroom.

“Somebody’s gonna get hurt. And I don’t want it to be one of my kids or anyone else’s kids. …It’s been an issue for years,” said one public commenter who identified herself as a member of the Parent Teacher Organization (PTO).

Cameron Principal Katee Inghram also spoke on the subject at Monday’s meeting, not for the first time.

“Allowing more use on 29th Street instead would provide a safer, more appropriate route for riders and reduce the likelihood of them traveling through the (school) property,” Inghram said.

Though commissioners were in favor of changing the rules quickly — before school starts — a process must be followed. A subcommittee, including two city commissioners and Robinson, will propose changes and bring them to another meeting. Public hearings will follow.

“I do feel a sense of urgency with this particular case because school starts really early this year, August 24,” remarked Maloney. “Our number one priority should be the safety of the students.”

Robinson said that it would take time to educate people about the ordinance change.

Commissioner Brad Mantela noted that signs informing people of the updated rules can be effective. He lives off of Tipperary Road — where off-roaders were riding on a walking trail that was supposed to be non-motorized — and said that motorized use has dropped off “dramatically” after additional signage was installed.

Though an agenda has not yet been prepared for the next Gladstone City Commission, but the ORV ordinance is likely to be discussed at the next two sessions, which are scheduled for July 27 and Aug. 10. The meetings, open to the public, are held at 6 p.m. at City Hall.

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