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Commissioners
neutral on ATV trail use
By Pat Ciochetto
May 17th, 2004
A delegation from the Cook County all-terrain
vehicle (ATV) Club approached the Cook County
Commissioners on Tuesday, May 11, 2004 to define
the position adopted by the Club with regard to
designating specific trails that can be legally
used by ATVs, and various members of the
community were also present to refute the
request or to state their positions.
The ATV Club submitted a petition with
approximately 473 signatures to the
Commissioners as well as a letter stating its
reasons for the request. Because of a large
number of speakers, the Commissioners requested
that each speaker limit himself to a maximum of
five minutes.
John McClure, Vice-President of the ATV Club
opened the discussion by stating that the Club
would like to see The North
Shore State Trail (NSST) opened to ATVs. He
clearly stated that the snowmobile trail is the
responsibility of the Department of Natural
Resources (DNR), that the DNR is responsible for
its maintenance, and usage designation. It must
therefore be the decision of the DNR as to
whether the trail can have multiple usage by
both snowmobiles and ATVs. McClure stated that
other states and other areas have opened
National Forest lands to ATV usage successfully.
John Knutson, Region II Director of ATV
Minnesota, then took the floor to state that his
organization supported multi-use trails. He
stated that it was both cost-effective and
environmentally more favorable to extend the use
on an existing trail rather than to develop an
entirely new one. He said that the NSST could
become one of the primary trails in Minnesota
and that it was preferable to keep ATVs on
trails rather than in the wildlands, and that
designated trails would reduce negative impact
on the environment.
Rhonda Silence, Secretary of the ATV Club
informed the Board that the Club had been in
touch with one Ron Potter, DNR Statewide OHV
(off-highway vehicle) Coordinator and that the
Club had been told that because of the serious
dispute that occurred at the last meeting in
Cook County, the DNR was unwilling to look at
the issue again unless specifically invited to
do so by the county.
Silence explained that ATV users are presently
using old logging trails, snowmobile trails
(illegally) and other areas for riding, but that
these were not designated as legal trails, and
moreover, were hard to access. They are
oftentimes disconnected, and it is hard to get
from one to the next. Silence also stated that
the Club would like to designate a limited area
for rough usage (scramble area), so that the
people who wanted to drive in this manner could
do so without damaging regular trails.
Gene Lashinski, a local businessman, spoke at
the meeting stating that he supported
multiple-use trails, and that last year there
were more ATVs registered than snowmobiles.
Gayle Coyer, representing the Superior
Hiking Trail Association, submitted a map
showing a portion of the hiking trail that goes
through a wetland that would be totally
unsuitable for ATVs. Coyer said that the Hiking
Association is unwilling to move its location
from the NSST. She said that changing the trail
would involve a great deal of work and expense.
Clyde Hanson of Lutsen stated that he was
representing Cook County businesses and
citizens. Hanson advised the Board that it was
premature to make any decisions at the present
time. He said that the DNR has not completed its
plan. In addition Hanson said that his group
desired to convert a part of the trail system
into a birding
and hiking
trail. Hanson also said that members of the
community have not been informed of these plans
and that no consensus has been reached. He went
on to say that it was not feasible to plan a
motorized trail system at this time but that the
whole system should be planned together.
Hanson said that with over two million wildlife
watchers and hikers, this group far surpassed
the number of ATV users and that the former
group were most interested in peace, quiet and
serenity. Hanson said that he didn't think
motorized vehicle users represented a great
economic contribution to the community, and that
the DNR did not have a policing force large
enough to oversee the trail system as proposed.
Steve Frykman supported Hanson's statement and
agreed that the whole situation needed to be
given more thought.
Jan Horak of Cobblestone Cabins in Tofte upheld
the desire for silence and quietude. He said
that the noise factor is very detrimental to
hikers and birdwatchers, and that he is not at
all sure that the NSST is the right place for
ATVs.
David Seaton, owner of Hungry
Jack Outfitters on the Gunflint Trail said
that a number of businesses will be concerned
when they hear that the ATV Club also wants the
DNR to consider some grant-in-aid snowmobile
trails. He said that plans for legal ATV trails
had been turned down in Wisconsin.
Several other persons stated various opinions
regarding the issue.
Finally, Chairman Bob Fenwick explained that it
was not the responsibility of the Board of
Commissioners to make decisions as to the
ultimate determination or designating of trails,
but solely the responsibility of the DNR; that
each and every interested group could and should
present its views and desires directly to the
DNR, and that the DNR is obligated to respond to
these requests. Fenwick noted that the DNR was
in the process of completing an inventory of the
trail system, but that this inventory would not
be completed until at least October, at which
time the DNR will make its recommendations.
Fenwick said the DNR should eventually prepare a
list indicating the areas where ATVs can be
ridden, and look at the NSST to evaluate and
consider whether or not it will be converted or
re-designed.
Fenwick went on to say that he supported the DNR
and its processes. In the meantime he
recommended that the Board of Commissioners
remain objective. He proposed getting in touch
with the DNR to ask that it work with all of the
interested groups and take all their suggestions
into consideration. Fenwick stated that at the
present the most important decision was,
"which trails are appropriate for
what."
Commissioner Walt Mianowski made a motion,
seconded by Commissioner Jan Hall, that the
County draft a letter to the DNR, stating its
support, and asking that the DNR be open to
suggestions from varying groups. The motion was
carried unanimously, and the letter will be
drafted and submitted to the next Board meeting
for approval.
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