A unanimous vote by the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) repealed the 2023 Ordinance that prohibited All Terrain Vehicles (ATVs) from using public roadways in the county.
It was a brief discussion at the July 9 meeting that centered on the freedom and wishes of the BOCC’s constituents in the northwestern section of the county, which is popular with ATV ridership.
County Ordinance 2023-05 passed 4-1 in May 2023, effectively prohibiting ATV use on any county roads, leading to detainment by law enforcement for several riders. Residents communicated with Commissioners and on May 28, 2024, the board concurred to consider a citizen’s survey that was underway at the time.
Commissioner Brian Hawkins recalled his earlier days on the BOCC when he received numerous complaints from residents who were concerned about ATV riders trespassing on private property. “One thing the government does a lot – we tend to believe that we know what the residents want. The survey shows us the opposite of that.”
The survey was conducted by the Hernando County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) from May 23, 2024, to June 5, 2024, to gather information on residents’ opinions on the 2023 Ordinance, which banned ATVs from using all county public roadways. Of the 1,799 completed surveys, approximately 49 percent of respondents voted that ATV enforcement should be decreased. Sixty-six percent responded that ATVs should be allowed on certain unpaved roads.
Hawkins suggested that in the future, the BOCC should consider more citizen surveys when deliberating new ordinances that will affect a community.
Commissioner Jerry Campbell commended the residents who requested the Commission revisit the matter on their respectful presentations to the board that resulted in this decision. “There are a lot of you that have done a really great job.”
