The purpose of this chapter is to protect the public health, safety
and general welfare by regulating the operation of snowmobiles within the
Village of Chittenango in a manner which will promote their safe and proper
use for recreation and commerce, minimize detrimental effects of such use
on the environment and permit use of the highways and other lands of the village
compatible with the use thereof for vehicular and pedestrian travel and other
uses.
The chapter is enacted pursuant to the provisions of Article 21 of the
Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation Law, as enacted by Chapter 660
of the Laws of 1972.
Snowmobiles may be operated on the following portions of highways which
have been designated and posted as provided by law:
A. Shoulders and inside banks.
B. On roadways of such designated and posted highways in
case the outside banks or shoulders are determined by the Village Board of
Trustees to be impassable or nonexistent by reason of prevailing snow conditions
or conditions of terrain.
C. On such designated and posted highways, for a distance
not to exceed 500 yards, when the Village Board of Trustees determines it
is otherwise impossible for snowmobiles to gain access to areas or trails
adjacent to the highway, for the purpose only of gaining access to and from
the areas of operation.
Whenever the operation of a snowmobile is permitted on any highway of the village as provided in §
119-4 above, the following conditions and restrictions are hereby established and shall be applicable to all such snowmobile operation, pursuant to Article 25, § 25.09, Subdivision 1, Clause (d), but shall not be construed as limiting or modifying the conditions and restrictions of the operation of snowmobiles as set forth in said Article 25:
A. Public or private lands. No snowmobiles shall be operated
on any lands owned or occupied by any governmental authority, except as is
otherwise provided by this chapter or on private property of another without
the express permission of such owner or occupant.
B. Sidewalks. Snowmobiles shall not be operated upon any
public sidewalk or walkway.
C. School areas. Snowmobiles shall not be operated on any
lands or roadways owned by the Chittenango Central School District.
D. Church areas. Snowmobiles shall not be operated within
1,000 feet of any church or religious society during the hours when such church
or society is conducting publicly posted religious services.
E. Quiet zones. Snowmobiles shall not be operated at any
time within 500 feet of lands or buildings occupied and used as a licensed
hospital, sanatorium, nursing or other health-related facility.
F. Speed limit. Snowmobiles shall not be operated on any
village highway or any portion thereof at a rate of speed in excess of 15
miles per hour.
G. Seasonal limitation. Snowmobiles shall not be operated
on any village highway or portions thereof or on any village-owned or -occupied
lands from the 15th day of April to the first day of November in any year.
H. Hours of operation. Snowmobiles shall not be operated
on any village highway or any portion thereof between the hours of 11:00 p.m.
and 7:00 am. of the following day, except that on Fridays and Saturdays the
prohibited hours shall be from 2:30 a.m. to 7:00 a.m. on each of said days.
I. Unnecessary noise. Snowmobiles shall not be operated,
except at special events as defined in said Article 25, § 25.11,
in any manner which creates loud, unnecessary or unusual noise so as to disturb
or interfere with the peace and quiet of other persons or in any other manner
which constitutes a public nuisance or annoys, injures or endangers the health,
safety or comfort of the public.
J. Unattended snowmobiles. It shall be unlawful for any
owner or operator to leave or allow a snowmobile to be left unattended on
any village highway or at any public place while the motor is running or with
any key for starting the same left in the ignition or elsewhere in said snowmobile.
K. Minimum age. No person shall operate a snowmobile on
any village highway or any portion thereof or upon any village-owned or -occupied
lands unless such operator has attained the proper age required to receive
a license to operate a motor vehicle or a learner's permit relating thereto
as prescribed by the Vehicle and Traffic Law of the State of New York.
L. Accident reports. A copy of or a similar report of any
accidents required of any owner, operator or participant involved in or having
knowledge of an accident to be reported to the Office of Parks and Recreation
and/or any other law enforcement agency as prescribed by Article 25, § 25.25,
shall be, within the same time limits as required of such person under Article
25, filed with or reported to the Police Department of the village.
Any person who violates any provision of this chapter shall be guilty
of a violation.
A violation shall be punishable as provided in the Penal Law, except
that the maximum fine may not exceed $100.