Council passes ATV, UTV ordinances

by Nathan Arneal
Published 1/28/15

With the passage of two ordinances at the Jan. 20 city council meeting, the city streets of North Bend are now open to a wider variety of traffic.

Ordinances 532 and 533 will allow utility-transport vehicles and all-terrain vehicles, respectively, to be operated on North Bend streets. Golf carts and go carts remain illegal.

The ordinances were drawn up by the city council after North Bend voters approved such a measure allowing ATV and UTVs in the election last November.

The ordinances allow for the operation of ATVs and UTVs between sunrise and sunset on city streets — not including highways 79 and 30, with the exception of 90 degree crossings. Operators must be at least 19 years old and possess a legal drivers’ license.

Anyone wishing to operate an ATV or UTV in North Bend must register the vehicle with the city clerk. There is a $50 registration fee the first year and a $25 fee in subsequent years. Registered vehicles will be given a sticker that will be displayed on the vehicle.

For more details, see the complete text of the ordinances on pages 8 and 9.
In other business, the city council approved the one and six-year street plans for North Bend, which haven’t changed in years.

High on the wish list of the council is paving Fifth Street, which runs south of the railroad tracks along the golf course. City clerk Theresa Busse said this gravel road gets beat up by truck traffic when the Highway 79 railroad crossing is closed.

However, the paving of Fifth Street is unlikely since the cost of street improvements are assessed to adjacent land owners, and Union Pacific and the North Bend Golf Course are unlikely to approve such an expensive improvement.

<<Back to the front page