Snowmobile/ATV Ordinance

TOWN OF SHEFFIELD ORDINANCE REGULATING SNOWMOBILE and ALL TERRAIN VEHICLES


Revised May 2015

 

Section I AUTHORITY.

Under authority granted in 24 V.S.A. Chapter 59, 24 V.S.A. 3210 and 3510, the Select Board of the Town of Sheffield hereby adopts the following ordinance regulating the manner and location of operation of snowmobile and all-terrain vehicle within the town.

 

Section II PURPOSE.

The purpose of this ordinance is to protect the health and safety of operators of snowmobile and all-terrain vehicles and of the residents of the Town to protect the animals, property and environment of the Town.

 

Section III DEFINITIONS

 

A. “Snowmobile” means any non-highway recreational vehicle with specifically designed for use for cross-country travel on snow covered trails and natural terrain.

B. “All-terrain vehicle, or “ATV”, means any non-highway recreational vehicle, with at least four rubber tires, excluding snowmobiles and dirt bikes, when used for cross-country travel on trails or on any one of the following or a combination thereof: water, snow, ice, marsh, swampland and natural terrain.

C. “Operate” shall include any attempt to operate and shall be construed to cover all matters and things connected with the presence and use of all-terrain vehicle whether they are in motion or at rest.

 

Section IV OPERATION

A. All snowmobiles and ATV’s must be registered and operated according to the requirements of 23 V.S.A. Chapter 29 (1) and Chapter 31

B. All ATV’s operated in Sheffield must carry liability insurance.

C. Persons operating ATV’s must be at least 16 years of age unless accompanied by a parent or guardian.

D. ATV’s may only be operated between the hours of 7:00 A.M. and 10:00 P.M.

E. Snowmobiles and All-terrain vehicles may be operated on the following Highways:

Class IV roads, unless posted otherwise.

Class III roads, unless posted otherwise

Class II roads, unless posted otherwise

F. Speed limits for snowmobiles and ATV’s while operating on town highways will be a maximum of 25 MPH and all snowmobiles and ATV’s must be in single file, follow all traffic rules and control devices that apply to the Town Highway.

G. A valid VASA plate must be properly attached to all ATV’s.

1. Application may be made to the Select Board for exceptions based on Agricultural uses or other special circumstances.

 

Section V PENALTIES

         First offense………………………..………. $50.00, waiver fee $35.00

         Second offense………………………..……. $100.00, waiver fee $70.00

         Third and each subsequent offense………… $250.00, waiver fee $225.00

 

Section VI ENFORCEMENT

This is a civil ordinance and shall be enforced by law enforcement officials through the Judicial Bureau.

 

Section VII SEVERABILITY

If any section of this ordinance is held by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, such finding shall not invalidate any other part of this ordinance.

 

Section VIII EFFECTIVE DATE

This ordinance shall become effective immediately after its adoption by the Sheffield Select Board. If a petition is filed under 24 V.S.A. 1973, that statute shall govern the taking effect of this ordinance.

 

Adopted this_____day of May, 2015 by the Sheffield Select Board

Town Plan Public Notice

By Erika Lavallee • November 15, 2024
Notice of Public Hearing The Sheffield Planning Commission hereby provides notice of a public hearing being held pursuant to 24 V.S.A. § 4384 for the purpose of hearing public comment regarding the proposed 2025 Sheffield Town Plan. The public hearing is scheduled for Wednesday, December 18th, 2024, at 6:00 p.m. in the Sheffield Town Clerk’s Office, located at 37 Dane Road, Sheffield, VT 05866 and via Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85429690773?pwd=AqqLuT6BTHgyiG2mVqTDhMEPS3S3MD.1 . The purpose of the hearing is to receive public comment on the proposed Town Plan. Written comments can be submitted to Carolyn Crankshaw, Chair of the Sheffield Planning Commission, via email at planningcommission@sheffieldvt.org, or Jesse Noone, NVDA Regional Planner at jnoone@nvda.net. The proposed Plan will affect all areas in the Town of Sheffield. If approved, the plan will be sent to the Selectboard for hearing and then voted on by Australian Ballot for adoption at Town Meeting Day. The Town Plan is consistent with the goals established in 24 V.S.A. §4302, and the revisions do not alter the designation of any land area. The proposed Sheffield Town Plan includes all the required elements set forth in the Act [§4382]. Table of Contents: I. Overview II. Implementation Plan III. Introduction to Town IV. Community V. Land Use VI. Natural, Scenic, & Historic Resources VII. Housing VIII. Economic Development IX. Education X. Energy XI. Flood Resilience XII. Transportation XIII. Utilities & Facilities XIV. Evaluating the Plan XV. Appendix You can view the proposed plan online at https://www.sheffieldvt.org. Both physical & digital copies of the proposed Town Plan are available upon request from the Sheffield Town Clerk’s Office, located at 37 Dane Road, Sheffield, VT 05866, e-mail: sheffieldvttownclerk@gmail.com.
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