Mashpee Conservation Agent Andrew McManus.
MASHPEE – Officials in Mashpee are looking to take actions to eliminate illegal motorized vehicle usage in conservation lands.
The Conservation Commission hopes to change a town bylaw to increase fines from $300 to $1,000 or more and allow for police to confiscate vehicles for first-time offenders.
“We want to send a clear message that motorized vehicle access of any kind, whether it’s ATVs, trucks or jeeps, simply will not be tolerated,” McManus said.
Conservation Agent Andrew McManus says the problem has been ongoing for decades.
“It’s an ongoing issue and it’s just a matter of what area it happens to be most prevalent in from year to year,” McManus said.
McManus says the Johns Pond Conservation Land is currently seeing the most violations and vandalism.
The area is about 300 acres in size and includes a series of three sand pits that total about 10 or 15 acres.
“It really lends itself to off-road vehicle riding,” McManus said. “Over the years ATVers have discovered this area as a prime riding spot and it’s well known not only to riders on the Cape but off Cape.”
McManus said there are off-road vehicle websites that even promote riding in the Johns Pond area.
McManus said the enforcement of the current bylaw is tough.
“Police are not going to get into a high-speed chase,” he said. “That’s obviously not a safe thing to do and there is too much risk in that.”
Riders are also hard to identify as they are usually wearing helmets and registration information is hard to locate.
“The most effective way to curtail ATV activity is to try to find out, if they are local, where they are coming from and identify the residents,” McManus said. “Or if they are happened to be driven in on the backs of trucks, getting identifying information from those vehicles that transfer the ATVs into these areas.”
McManus believes increasing the fines would help to dissuade riders from the prohibited areas.
“Even if it is just one or two people who get caught word travels quickly when those types of things happen – when there is enforcement,” he said. “And we are hoping that that will be an effective deterrent compared to the current fines.”
The conservation commission has posted a notice regarding the current rules and regulations regarding motorized vehicles in unauthorized areas on their website.
“Please be advised that the use of motorized vehciles (cars, trucks, SUVs, ATVs, motorized bikes, etc) is strictly prohibited on all of Mashpee’s Conservation lands and open spaces at all times, unless authorized by the Mashpee Conservation Dept as per Mashpee’s Chapter 173 Conservation Land Bylaw,” the statement reads. “Any motorized vehicles discovered riding in Mashpee’s conservation and open space areas will be subject to fines and possible impoundment. Parking is allowed outside of any gates or in designated parking lots.”
By BRIAN MERCHANT, CapeCod.com NewsCenter
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