Moses Lake council makes changes to WATV ordinance

MOSES LAKE — Although they weren’t major, the Moses Lake City Council recently made some minor changes to the city’s WATV/ORV ordinance to address safety concerns.

The council passed the initial ordinance, which deals with off-road vehicles (ORVs) and wheeled all-terrain vehicles (WATVs), in March 2017. Washington House Bill 1632 first created the WATV class of vehicle in July 2013. The vehicles must meet a standard set of equipment and safety requirements before they can go on select city streets.

The vehicles are not permitted to travel in excess of 35 mph and at a previous council meeting Chief Kevin Fuhr said the Moses Lake Police Department hasn’t been inundated with WATV complaints since its passage and few reports have been received about the vehicles traveling on exempt streets. Fuhr also said the vehicles are a fairly rare sight on streets in the city and enforcement has been minimal.

Because there was little impact, the only recommendations to change the ordinance came in the form of amendments to address safety concerns. The first amendment deals primarily with seat belts in the vehicles. The addition reads that any person who “operates or rides as a passenger in a wheeled all-terrain vehicle must wear a securely fastened seat belt” as required by state law. In addition, passengers younger than 16 must be restrained in the vehicles in accordance with state law. The second addition to the ordinance deals with helmets.

“All passengers who are less than sixteen years of age must wear a securely fastened motorcycle helmet regardless of the presence of seat belts, a roll cage or an enclosed passenger compartment,” reads the ordinance.

The only change to the ordinance proposed by the council came from council member Ryann Leonard, who suggested language be written into the ordinance to state the helmets must be Department of Transportation certified.

The changes were all met positively by the council and the amendments were unanimously approved. The changes were also met well by local WATV/ORV enthusiasts and promoters. Derek Smith, general manager at Experience Powersports in Moses Lake, pledged $2,000 from his business to Moses Lake for WATV/ORV ordinance-related signage to be put up around the city.