City moves to snowmobile curfew

By DEANNA HORNYAK, Dispatch Staff Writer03/08/2006

ONEIDA - Snowmobilers aren't the only ones who will be affected by the amendments to the city's vehicles and traffic provisions.

While the council passed a resolution at its meeting on Tuesday night changing the current ordinance in regards to snowmobile traffic, Mayor Leo Matzke said he would like to extend the same "rules" to four-wheelers and dirt bikes. "Presently, four wheelers and dirt bikes aren't even mentioned in the charter," he said.

The new ordinance states that "no person shall operate a snowmobile between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m." The old ordinance prohibited people from riding snowmobiles in the city from midnight to 6 a.m. Matzke said that in the future, the city may consider pushing the time to 7 or 8 a.m. instead of 6 a.m.

According to Matzke, the ordinance does not just apply to the city's urban areas. "It applies to both the inside and outside districts," he said. "We are concerned about some neighborhoods south and north of the city that see a lot of snowmobile traffic."

The ordinance also states that "no person shall operate a snowmobile within 100 feet of a dwelling, unless traveling on a city designated route." Matzke said that he hopes by fall the city will have a trail that runs along the north side of Sconondoa Park for snowmobilers, dirt bikers, etc. The construction of that trail is scheduled to start after the city upgrades its wastewater treatment plant.

While Matzke said that the amendments to the ordinance may be controversial, he wants to show support for the sport. "It is a love it or hate it sport," he said. A public hearing is set for Tuesday, April 4.

The snowmobiling amendments were not the only amendments discussed at the council meeting. At the pre-meeting, Planning Director Cassie Rose came to the council with information concerning the zoning map.

The area in question is along the east side of Route 46 heading south. As of right now, the properties, which include Friendly's, Hanifin Tire, Rite Aid, the SavOn gas station, the Oneida Savings Bank Convenience Branch and some residential properties are zoned manufacturing-industrial. Rose said the recommendation of the planning commission is to change the area to commercial and neighborhood commercial (further down on Route 46).

The catch, according to Rose, is four property owners have petitioned for their land to stay zoned M-I, including Hanifin Tire, and three other residential properties.

While the easy solution would be to leave those properties as M-I and change the rest to commercial, Rose said that the city has to leave it the way it is or change all of them.

Rose said that if the zoning does change, any current uses of the land will be grandfathered. She also said the council needs to make a decision before she can order new zoning maps.

The council will vote on the proposed change after Ward 1 Councilwoman Wendy Cary returns from her vacation since it affects her ward.

The council also approved the appointments to the Neighborhood Restoration and Dog Park Committees. Ken Drake, Bruce Coe, Pam Maihafer, Don Hudson, Pat Baron, Frank Reginelli, Wendy Chamberlain and David Scholl will sit on the Neighborhood Restoration Committee.

Rick, Marilyn and Kristen Talbot, Mike Bowe, Patti McGee, David Meeker, Ken Gianetti, Leo Matzke, Tonia Davis, Jamie Dygert, Sandy Fiore, Maria Fallicaro and Kody Sylvester will sit on the Dog Park Committee. The goal of the committee will be to develop recommendations to the common council that would lead to the creation and operation of the park. Recommendations will cover such topics as location, layout, operations, funding and user rules.

The next council meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, March 21 at 7 p.m. at City Hall.

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