The Town of Sylvan Lake gave first reading to the Off-Highway Vehicle Bylaw during the council meeting on Aug. 26.
Currently, in town, off-highway vehicles are not permitted on the roadways, Director of Parks and Protective Services Ron Lebsack said.
"The proposed Off-Highway Vehicle Bylaw will permit off-highway vehicles to use the roadways within the Town of Sylvan Lake during the months of December through March."
Off-highway vehicles include four-wheel drive vehicles, low-pressure tire vehicles, snow vehicles, and any other means of transportation that is propelled by any power other than muscular, power, or wind.
The Alberta off-highway vehicle regulations states:
- the max speed is 40 km/h
- the operator must be at least 16 years of age and hold a valid class one to class six operator's licence
- the operator could be 14 years of age and hold a valid class seven operators licence as long as they are supervised by a person at least 18 years of age who holds a valid class one to class six operator's licence
The town is looking to get public engagement on the bylaw, Lebsack said.
"Staff were at the Fun Fest info Fair discussing and gauging feedback from residents regarding the bylaw. We'll also be hosting an online survey to allow feedback from residents who cannot attend in person."
In the agenda discussing the bylaw, it was noted that Municipal Enforcement had some safety concerns about the bylaw being approved.
"Off-highway vehicles already travel within the town currently and create noise disturbances, travel on parks and trails, create damage in parks and greenspaces, and typically do not stop for law enforcement. Municipal Enforcement also feels that the Town has a large enough population and traffic volumes that adding off-highway vehicles to town streets will increase the risk of traffic accidents," the agenda said.
More information on the bylaw can be found on the Engage Sylvan Lake website, engage.sylvanlake.ca/ohv-bylaw.
