Some off-road vehicle operations in Bourbonnais residential areas now considered nuisance

BOURBONNAIS – Bourbonnais officials are attempting to put the brakes on off-road vehicles.

A recent complaint by residents about people operating all-terrain vehicles and motorcycles off road near their homes led Bourbonnais trustees to amend its disorderly conduct and noise ordinance at the May 19 meeting.

Mayor Jeff Keast said some residents have voiced concerns regarding some noise issues occurring in the Briarcliff area.

“We discussed it and thought that the right type of ordinance is to put a nuisance ordinance, a disturbing the peace ordinance,” Keast said.

This revision does not have anything to do with the normal operation on streets.

“This makes it an ordinance violation for people operating off-terrain type vehicles, motorcycles and that, not ordinary street stuff, but this is for off-road type and stuff,” Village Attorney Pat Dunn said after the meeting.

The operator of that type of a vehicle within 300 feet of a residential building – which includes single-family homes, apartments and duplexes – would be a code violation. The violator could also be subject to a $250 per day fine.

There are exceptions, Dunn said.

Those include if the owner of the dwelling(s) gave permission to the operator of the ATV or recreational vehicle.

Other exceptions include:

• The maintenance of lawns and gardens, snow removal, agriculture, towing of other vehicles during parades or inspection of public works in remote areas

• Use by law enforcement officers for any law enforcement purposes

“It’s not so much, I’m using my four-wheeler to haul some stuff to do some gardening or something like that. That’s an exception,” Dunn said. “This is more for someone who’s entertaining themselves and riding back and forth for three or four hours.”