Moses Lake may allow wheeled ATVs on streets

MOSES LAKE — After hearing from several proponents of the vehicles, Moses Lake city councilmembers are weighing the options of allowing Wheeled All-Terrain Vehicles (WATVs) on city streets.

Derek Smith, general manager of the Moses Lake-based Experience Powersports, along with several local and regional WATV advocates, presented the case of allowing WATVs on city streets at a recent council meeting.

Smith explained that Washington House Bill 1632 created the WATV class of vehicle in July 2013. The vehicles are required to meet a set standard of requirements before they can be operated on streets, which Smith said generally runs a WATV owner between $500 and $1,000 to bring their vehicle into compliance.

“The driver must be licensed, must file a written release exempting the state, county and city from any and all liability. They also must display a metal tag for easy identification,” Smith explained. “WATVs are not dune buggies, go-karts, youth vehicles, or any type of unmodified ATV or side-by-side.”

If an ordinance allowing WATVs on city streets was to be instituted, the vehicles would not be allowed to travel in excess of 35 mph and not permitted to be driven on state highways. Being that Moses Lake is uniquely positioned when it comes to Interstate 90 and state Route 17 cutting parts of the city off, Moses Lake Police Chief Kevin Fuhr noted not all parts of the city are accessible due to speed limits. Smith said WATV advocates will be petitioning the county to alter some speed limits, as to give WATV operators access to various areas in and around the city, such as the Moses Lake Sand Dunes.

Fuhr said the city of Wenatchee, which has a WATV ordinance, has had some, but not a lot of accidents involving the vehicles.

“Wenatchee is by far the largest city that has adopted anything having to do with the WATVs. Most of the cities that have a WATV policy are smaller cities,” Fuhr told the council. “Even though this ordinance is in place in Wenatchee, very few people actually use WATVs in the city.”

Councilmember Bill Ecret made a motion for city staff to bring the council an ordinance that mirrors Wenatchee’s current WATV ordinance, as to discuss the issues surrounding the vehicles in-depth at a future council meeting.

Mayor Todd Voth said before he votes to actually institute the ordinance he would like to get more information to city residents in the form of an open public forum, as to receive input on the issue from his constituents.

Councilmember Ryann Leonard echoed the mayor’s sentiment, stating she would like to give residents from neighborhoods that would be significantly impacted by the ordinance a chance to speak on the issue.

“I would definitely like to provide (an) opportunity for those individuals to potentially talk about this a little bit more,” Leonard said. “There are already problems with ATV users illegally doing things on some of those roads that present a safety hazard.”

Ecret, Voth, and councilmembers Don Myers and Mike Leonard voted in favor of city staff bringing an WATV ordinance to a future council meeting for discussion. Leonard and councilmember Karen Liebrecht voted against the motion.

Richard Byrd can be reached via email at city@columbiabasinherald.com.