The purpose of this chapter is to protect the
public health, welfare and safety by regulating the operation of snowmobiles
on public highways and places in the Village of Clayton in a manner
which will be compatible with the use of such highways and places
for vehicular and pedestrian travel and other uses and which will
promote the safe and proper use of snowmobiles for recreation and
commerce and minimize detrimental effects of such use on the environment.
Operation of snowmobiles on highways and public
ways of the Village and of the County of Jefferson shall be subject
to the applicable provisions of Articles 21 through 27 of the Parks
and Recreation Law, the rules and regulations of the Office of Parks
and Recreation and the rules, restrictions and conditions set forth in §
106-4 of this chapter.
A. Streets and highways. All of the streets or highways
within the Village are hereby designated for the purpose of operation
of snowmobiles on the shoulders and inside banks thereof as authorized
by § 25.05 of the Parks and Recreation Law.
B. Limited operation on highways for emergencies. A snowmobile
may be operated on a highway for the purpose of an emergency as authorized
by § 25.05 of the Parks and Recreation Law.
C. Roadways. A snowmobile may be operated on the roadway
of the following highways or portions thereof described herein, it
being hereby determined that the outside bank or shoulder of such
highways or portions is nonexistent or by reason of normally prevailing
snow conditions and conditions of terrain is impassable: all of the
streets and highways within the limits of the Village of Clayton.
Whenever the operation of a snowmobile is permitted
on the shoulder, roadway or inside bank of any Village street or highway
or portion thereof as provided in this chapter or on parks or public
lands of the Village, the following conditions and restrictions are
hereby imposed on all such snowmobile operations:
A. Prohibited operating hours. No person shall operate
snowmobiles on any Village highway between the hours of 11:00 p.m.
and 6:00 a.m., except for the purpose of returning to his residence
or place of domicile.
B. Financial security. It shall be unlawful for any person
to operate a snowmobile on any public lands or places in the Village
unless the owner or operator of such snowmobile is insured against
public liability and carries with him proof of financial responsibility
in the manner prescribed by the Office of Parks and Recreation and
in the minimum amount as provided in Subdivision 1 of § 25.13
of the Parks and Recreation Law. Such proof shall be displayed by the owner or operator
of any snowmobile upon request of any magistrate, any law enforcement
officer or any person having authority to enforce the provisions of
this chapter, or to any person who has suffered or claims to have
suffered either personal injury or damage to property as a result
of the operation of such snowmobile by any such owner or operator.
C. Direction of operation. No person shall operate a
snowmobile within the street or highway right-of-way of the Village
between sunrise and sunset except on the right of side right-of-way
and in the same direction as the highway traffic. Operation on other
public places shall be only in the direction marked by appropriate
route direction markers.
D. 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 public place while the motor is running
or with any key for starting the same left in the ignition or elsewhere
in said snowmobile.
E. Obedience to vehicular traffic controls. Each person
operating a snowmobile on any Village highway shall observe strictly
all vehicular traffic signs and signals and all other rules and regulations
applicable to vehicular traffic and shall obey the orders and directions
of any state or local police or other law enforcement officer authorized
to direct or regulate traffic.
F. Operation by youthful operators. No person under the
age of 10 years shall operate a snowmobile except on lands owned or
leased by his parents or guardian unless he is accompanied by a person
over 18 years of age or a person over 14 years of age who holds a
snowmobile safety certificate. No person under the age of 16 years
of age may operate a snowmobile on the Village streets.
A violation of any of the provisions of this
chapter shall be punishable as provided in § 27.11 of the
Parks and Recreation Law.