SOLON — As of July 1 ATV and UTV riders may now legally operate their vehicles on public roads in all 99 counties, with some restrictions. However, until the City of Solon passes an ordinance allowing it, operating said vehicles in town remains illegal with enforcement by the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office (JCSO).
The law (HF 2130), signed by Governor Kim Reynolds on June 13, has been several years in the making as ATV and UTV owners sought to be able to ride them on more county and state roads, and in towns as well. Jeremy Stolba said he became involved in the movement in 2018. Stolba, from Shueyville, is with the Johnson County Recreational Vehicle Association and played a significant role in crafting the state law. The group formed so they would have a unified voice in working with the Johnson County Board of Supervisors in an attempt to pass an ordinance, that never came to fruition.
“It was more of a fight than anything,” Stolba said. “So, after a few years of trying, it (ATV/UTV ridership) had become such a big thing across Iowa and over 70 counties having an ordinance, it started getting to the point where everybody was complaining that each county was different (in their ordinances) and it was confusing as to which counties you could drive into, and which ones you couldn’t.” Stolba and Scott Minzenmeyer started working on a proposal. Stolba had already established a working relationship with Rep. Bobby Kaufmann (R-73) while Minzenmeyer was completing a statewide survey in 2020 (with over 4,600 respondents). “Scott and I met up with Bobby and got a gameplan and got everything prepared to go to the capitol with, and then Representative Christina Bohannan (D-85) jumped on board and co-sponsored the bill, which made it a non-political issue. If you look at the voting record it was a very non-partisan bill.”
Stolba said the whole process of crafting and passing the law was full of ups and downs. “It was a major rollercoaster. This was the first time I’d ever been involved with anything with the state legislature and did not have a clue what I was in for but learned a lot. I don’t regret doing this one bit. You really do learn a lot about state politics.” After surviving subcommittees and revisions in the Senate, the final version was passed and became law, however now the focus shifts to the communities, which are able to enact their own ordinances. “I would say most of them (cities) have been pretty open to it,” said Stolba. “Back in 2018 they did an economic impact study on ATV/UTVs in Iowa. Back then maybe 50 counties had an ordinance (allowing use on the streets and highways), and it figured (ATV/UTV riders) brought in over $26 million and over 300 jobs. So that was the biggest thing cities were looking at, and still are, is how much money this brings in.”
Under the state law any registered (with the Iowa Dept. of Natural Resources) ATV or UTV may be operated in all 99 counties with a maximum speed limit of 35 mph. The driver must be at least 18 years old and have a valid drivers license and proof of insurance. Headlights, tail and brake lights, a horn, and rear view mirrors are required.
The Solon City Council began discussion on an ATV/UTV ordinance at their Wednesday, July 6 meeting and received a letter of support from local businesses.
Mayor Steve Stange noted the city has had a golfcart ordinance, “that for the most part works. We’ve got some issues that the ATV/UTV state law change might open the door for us to maybe work these into one ordinance.” Stange said he’d received input from city staff, residents, proponents, and Sheriff Brad Kunkel. “I will credit the Sheriff for changing my mind. I was looking at it (the ordinance) being more restrictive in town, and he’s of the opinion that we try to follow state law as much as we can, not add a lot to it, and deal with problems as they arise.” He added the Sheriff’s goal is to have consistency across the towns for ease of compliance and enforcement, and that following the State law would be the best course of action for the council. City Attorney Kevin Olson agreed with using the state law as a template as much as possible.
Among the points discussed were possible hours of operation. Currently golfcarts can only be legally operated between sunrise and sunset, however the law requires ATVs and UTVs to have functioning headlights and taillights. Having designated routes to keep the vehicles out of residential neighborhoods was discussed in line with the current snowmobile ordinance in an effort to reduce if not eliminate complaints from residents.
Three readings of the proposed ordinance must be held before it can be enacted. The first reading is scheduled for Wednesday, July 20 with the second and third on August 3 and 17. The ordinance must then be published, most likely in the August 25 edition of the Solon Economist, before taking effect.
Stange addressed supporters of the ordinance saying he understood the process is arduous and, “a pain,” but added, “You’re getting what you want.”
Why are ATVs and UTVs so popular?
“It’s just something that people enjoy. Most of us who have them can go into other states (Wisconsin, Minnesota, Michigan) where you can ride them like this. People are like, ‘Hey, I want to just jump on my machine and maybe run to the Amana’s for breakfast, or Shuey’s for dinner. It’s nothing for us, if we’ve got a ride going on, to put on 150 miles in a day. And, when we do trips like that, the average rider spends over $100 for every ride they do between food and gas, and everything else.”
Once local ordinances are in-place Stolba predicts events such as poker runs (popular with motorcyclists) for charity events will spring up. Part of the Johnson County group, he said, is working on a firehouse run (going from fire station to fire station) to raise money for the volunteer fire departments.
“Back in 2017 we got our first side-by-sides (UTVs) and Jackson County was one of the first to open this up, so we went up there (Maquoketa) and we had to trailer it all the way there, unload it in the hotel parking lot, and went riding. The first thing we went down was Main Street and the side-by-sides outnumbered cars probably 10-1. It was a pretty cool thing to see and I guess that’s where a lot of my desire to get this going came from.” From Maquoketa riders were able to go to Bellevue and the Mississippi River and back, as well as to an OHV park. Once the Solon ordinance is enacted, he noted, riders will be able to travel through town and out to the nearby OHV Park on Ely Road.
Shueyville’s first meeting to discuss an ordinance was held on Tuesday, July 12, and the City of Tiffin has a discussion on their agenda for Tuesday, July 19.
For more information on ATVs/UTVs in Johnson County go to the Johnson County Recreational Vehicle Association’s page on Facebook, www.facebook.com/jocoiarva/, and for questions about the state law Stolba recommends sending an email to [email protected]. “That’s a committee that has direct access to the capitol to where if there’s questions we might not be able to answer, we can get an answer for them right away. We’ll use these questions down the road if we need to amend the ordinance. That’s what we’re going to look at, the questions and comments.”
Until the city’s ordinance allowing ATVs and UTVs on the streets makes it into the City Code, riders will be ticketed by the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office. Three readings by the City Council are required and have been scheduled with the ordinance on track to take effect late next month.