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TrailHog
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Re: 600 acres and the ATV guys
a note from Polly Granzow
Thank you for your letter. This is the first I have heard of it. I will look into it.
Polly Granzow
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11/14/2004, 10:01 pm
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TrailHog
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Re: 600 acres and the ATV guys
A note from Jeff Peck
Mark,
With regard to your other question about the DNR taking over the ORV area...A couple of years ago we offered it up to them, and they refused it. I think that since Susan Hagar has left the DNR and her Replacement Erica Anderson came on board there may be some misunderstanding of what their intentions are. We have not been approached and I do not think the DNR wants the ORV area.
That's about the best answer I can give you at this time.
Jeffrey H. Peck
Park Ranger
Coralville Lake
319-338-3543 ext. 6310
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11/15/2004, 6:31 pm
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sailin0007
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Re: 600 acres ATV's & 4WD vehicles
Hi Mark,
Perhaps it's already someplace on the e-mail thread, but is there a list of addresses and/or email contacts for the various legislators that we may write to voice our opinions? I hope that all our members would take a few minutes to contact the legislators and let them know how we feel about having the right to use the site. I dont understand the distinction between ATV'ers and 4WD vehicle offroaders - we have alot in common including offroading and the love of the outdoors, we have and should be able to get along as a community of 4-wheelers and share the 600 acres site.
For folks that have a financial interest (AJ, Doug ....) you have a great reason to write key folks, loss of income, jobs and tax base for Iowa. AJ you already hit on that on your reply - hopefully you have sent that on to key folks.
Thanks for listening!
David
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11/15/2004, 9:48 pm
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TrailHog
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Re: 600 acres and the ATV guys
There is a list of legislators email addresses in the general chat section. I agree we need to get some emails sent out asap! I got some new info on this today from Rob W. The DNR is having a meeting next week here in CR about this so please stay tuned to the board for more info. I would like to get a group to go to the meeting.
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11/15/2004, 9:59 pm
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iowajeeps
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Re: 600 acres and the ATV guys
A friend of mine who is activly looking for wheeling ground gave me an email address for a contact at the army corps of engineers.
wayne.e.johnson@mvr02.usa.ce.army.mil
Supposedly he is in charge of real estate for this area and may be of some help.
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11/16/2004, 3:10 pm
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TrailHog
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Re: 600 acres and the ATV guys
The findings from Joe Bolkcom. Are you sitting down?
Mark,
Here is what I received from our staff member Jace Mikels. He
summarizes
information provided by IDNR below.
Let me know what questions or thoughts you might have.
Thanks.
Joe
-----Original Message-----
From: Mikels, Jace [LEGIS] [mailto:jace.mikels@legis.state.ia.us]
Sent: Tuesday, November 16, 2004 9:24 AM
To: Joe Bolkcom
Subject: RE: Iowa 4x4's
Joe-
Here is some information I received from DNR on the Off Highway Vehicle
Park in Coralville. It appears the DNR is investigating the possibility of converting the park into an ATV only facility. The DNR does not allow the cross use of parks by ATV's and full-size vehicles for
liability reasons and to curb what it sees as a dangerous practice. The DNR feels that the demand and need for a ATV park in SE Iowa is present. They are pursuing this to cut down on the amount of illegal activity
that is taking place at other riding areas in the region. This would result in the full-size vehicles being squeezed out of the Coralville area, but the DNR indicates that they have attempted to work with the
full size group in finding an acceptable area for them to use. Right now, it seems as if the ATV riders are more organized and better prepared to move ahead with creating a public riding area under state management.
Jace
Background:
Several years ago the Corp. and a local ATV club approached the Department about developing an ATV area at Eli that would be similar to the riding area at Rathbun.
The riding area at Rathbun: This riding area is on Corps property, has a local club sponsor and participates in the DNR ATV Grant program. The DNR provides funds for maintenance, liability insurance, summer worker and joint law enforcement. This formula has worked well for five years.
At the time that the local club and the Corp. were interested in developing a cooperatively managed area, the ATV program did not have the funds to develop the Eli area.
The riding area at Eli has become a haven for illegal and dangerous activity. There is unsupervised operation of full-sized off highway vehicles (Jeeps and 4x4 trucks) mixed with ATV operation. In riding areas, Jeeps and ATVs are always separated for safety reasons. DNR ATV park liability insurance will not cover full-size vehicles when mixed with ATV use (this is an extremely dangerous practice). The area is
also filled with folks who have unregistered ATVs and vehicles on public
property. This is illegal under Iowa code 321I and 321. When riders or operators have vehicles that they cannot register legally, they head for this unsupervised area.
The DNR is finding that the majority of illegal activity at our nearby ATV park in Waterloo comes from riders bored with riding at Eli and venture out.
The DNR law enforcement supervisor for the area has valid concerns that we need to take cooperative action with the Corps to stop the illegal activity in the area. By looking the other way, the DNR and the Corps
are inviting a fatality and liability issues. The illegal activity at the area is spreading to other state areas and creating an environmental nightmare. (No maintenance is being done, as would be provided in a designated riding area).
Possible Solution
The solution would be to revisit the opportunity that was presented more
than two years ago.
ATV program coordinator David Downing worked with the Iowa Full-size Off-highway Vehicle Association (which covers most organized Jeep clubs)last year to find a riding area (separate from ATVs) for full-sized vehicles. The Eli area was turned down by the Association, as they had
selected other privately owned areas to develop.
The Association was encouraged to obtain a manage agreement with the Corps to develop the Eli area, or the DNR would be looking at other options with the Iowa Off-highway Vehicle Association which represents ATV riders. The above group has funding, insurance that covers the state and federal government and a dedicated membership to provide needed maintenance.
Over the last year, the Full-Sized Off-Highway Vehicle Association has
made no organized effort to obtain a management agreement with the
Corps. They have also been unable to obtain insurance that would cover
the club members, state and federal government, or operators outside of
their club.
During 2004 legislative meetings with representatives of the Full-sized
Off-Highway Vehicle Association, the Association agreed to seek a private area for development and seek National Recreational Trail Grant Funds to cover their costs. These action-steps were also conclusions of the DNR Full-Sized Off-Highway Vehicle Plan that was presented to the legislature last session.
Need?
There are currently 42,000 registered ATVs in the state. We are working to provide legal riding areas, following common sense environmental guidelines. The Southeast corner of the state is lacking a legal
riding area.
The state Association that represents full-sized vehicles has approximately 600 members. There are at least four large private riding areas in the state, including a 2,500 acre area in the North Central part of the state.
What has the DNR done on the matter?
Following concerns from law enforcement personnel and renewed interest by a local ATV club, including the Iowa Off-Highway Vehicle Association, David Downing sent an e-mail to the truck and Jeep folks to let them know that the Department would be looking into a possible agreement with
the Corps and local ATV club riding. Downing advised them that due to the present conditions at the Eli area and a lack of an organized effort on their part, the Department we moving forward.
The Department has not contacted the Corps regarding the area. It is simply in the investigative stages, gathering public interest and input, to help inform any possible agreement.
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11/16/2004, 8:07 pm
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TrailHog
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Re: 600 acres and the ATV guys
A note from Mark Zieman
Mark,
I contacted the DNR and there is problably reason to be concerned. I didn't understand how far along the process is, but I didn't note any sympathy on their part.
Mark Zieman
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11/16/2004, 8:09 pm
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Brygy
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Re: 600 acres and the ATV guys
All -
Alarmed and concerned. That's how I feel right now. A Couple of thoughts about how we can proceed in making an argument to the Legislators, DNR and the Army Corp of Engineers.
While email is the quickest way to get a lot of people a note about our cause, we will need to send actual letters. Legislators and other government agencies take a formal written letter very seriously. I will put together a list of the legislator's office addresses so that we can begin a formal letter campaign in addition to our immediate email campaign.
As far as our argument to fight this push. Here are a couple of key points that will help our cause.
1) When our club rides at Eli, we ride in representation of our club. Our club has rules about conduct and most importantly our club has all members who participate in group rides, sign waivers. If they want to claim their is safety issues and liability issues, let them ask how responsible and organized we are with this point. Lets make sure that we have the records in check for all of this.
2) Virtually every Jeep and other full size 4x4 vehicles are registered with the state. While many ATV/Motorcycles might be registered, I would venture that most are not.
3) Just as virtually all Jeep and other full size 4x4 vehicles are registered with the state, they also carry liability insurance. Again I would venture that even fewer ATV/Motorcycles have liability insurance on them.
4) This is not a Trailhogs Jeep Club only issue or an Eastern Iowa only issue. We need to talk to the other state clubs and organizations. We will need their support and help.
5) One of the comments that was mentioned earlier in the thread is that the DNR doesn't believe the Jeep and other full size 4x4 vehicle riders do not appear organized or engaged in the effort. This is wrong. This notion is due to a lack of education on our part. Mark, help me with this. The Trailhogs have been active responsible users of the 600 acres for how many years? And for how many years have we organized an annual trash clean-up day. We've hauled out X number of dumpsters of trash, tires, batteries, cars, etc. If this doesn't show responsibility, care, and sponsorship for park, then I don't know what will help our cause.
All. We will all have to get involved in order to help protect the opportunities at 600 Acres OHV Park that we currently have. So please, offer up any other valid, concrete arguments to further our cause. It would also be helpful if we could figure out who exactly is organizing this effort from the ATV riders perspective and understand how they are pushing their agenda.
Bryan Steffen
319-743-9976
bsteffen@naeno.com
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Bryan Steffen
bsteffen AT naeno DOT com
1997 2.5L Black TJ Hardtop
4.0L Throttle Body; 2" ProComp + 1.75" Coil Spacers; 1" Daystar BL
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11/16/2004, 9:29 pm
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AJsArmor
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Re: 600 acres and the ATV guys
Sent out email to the list you provide Mark, thanks! This really sucks that they are moving ahead with it and the support we DON'T get from the organization that is supposed to fight for us. Pathetic.
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11/16/2004, 11:50 pm
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edubreuil
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Re: 600 acres and the ATV guys
quote:
"There are currently 42,000 registered ATVs in the state....The state Association that represents full-sized vehicles has approximately 600 members..."
WOW!!! 42,000 vs. 600Legislators are probably more concerned about 42,000 ATV riders, than 600 full sized vehicle drivers.
Last I knew, we weren't even members of any state association. :dunno:
quote:
"The Trailhogs have been active responsible users of the 600 acres for how many years? And for how many years have we organized an annual trash clean-up day. We've hauled out X number of dumpsters of trash, tires, batteries, cars, etc. If this doesn't show responsibility, care, and sponsorship for park, then I don't know what will help our cause. "
As stated above, we are an example of what full sized OHV park users should be. Looking at it from the states side, you would have to agree that the bulk of the junk we pick up every year is brought in by "full sized" vehicles. (Hard to carry a sofa on an ATV) So as a group, "full sized" OHV owners are seen as a problem, not as a solution. That combined with the lack of organization, makes our cause more trouble than it is worth (to the State).
I'm not sure if the Iowa Association of Four Wheel Drive Vehicles , or the Midwest4WD Association is aware of this, but it might be more effective coming from a statewide or larger group, than a very motivated, but small group of Trailhogs. The "David and Goliath" thing only worked once...
I would say we have a lot of catching up to do, and e-mails probably won't get it done.
Last edited by edubreuil, 11/17/2004, 8:10 am
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11/17/2004, 8:03 am
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