[HISTORY: Adopted by the Town Board of the Town of Clayton 10-23-1996 by L.L. No. 3-1996. Amendments noted where applicable.]
This chapter shall be known as the "Town of Clayton Local Law Permitting All-Terrain Vehicle (ATV) Operation on Certain Town of Clayton Highways."
The Town Board of the Town of Clayton recognizes the need for the incidental use of Town highways by all-terrain vehicle operators to access specific off-road all-terrain vehicle trails for recreational enjoyment. Further, the Town Board wishes to establish reasonable regulations permitting all-terrain vehicle operation on Town of Clayton highways and yet maintain the public health, welfare, and safety with regard to such legislation. Therefore, the purpose of this chapter is to open for travel by all-terrain vehicles Town of Clayton highways or portions thereof pursuant to the authority granted in Article 48-C, § 2405, of the Vehicle and Traffic Law of the State of New York.
As used in this chapter, unless the context requires otherwise:
ALL-TERRAIN VEHICLE (ATV)
An all-terrain vehicle as defined by § 2281 of the Vehicle and Traffic Law of the State of New York.
OPERATE
To ride in or on, other than as a passenger, or use or control the operation of an ATV in any manner, whether or not said ATV is underway.
OPERATOR
Every person who operates or is in actual physical control of an ATV.
TOWN
The Town of Clayton and boundaries defined therein.
The following roads, or portions thereof, are hereby designated as permitted roads open to travel by ATVs:
A. 
All Town roads in the Town of Clayton, County of Jefferson and the State of New York, but the area of permitted travel on such roads shall be limited as provided in § 212-5.
All of the conditions, restrictions, rules, and regulations as promulgated in Article 48-C of the Vehicle and Traffic Law of the State of New York shall apply with respect to the operation of ATVs within the areas designated in the preceding § 212-4. In addition:
A. 
Operation of an ATV within such designated areas shall be confined to the right shoulder and extreme right of center of the main traveled way, except as required to gain access to or egress from such areas designated for off-road recreational use.
B. 
ATV operators shall strictly observe all vehicular traffic signs and signals and all other rules and regulations applicable to vehicular traffic.
C. 
The designated areas shall be utilized for ATV travel only if, and to the extent that, suitable recreation trails adjacent thereto do not exist or are not accessible.
D. 
No person shall operate an ATV at a rate of speed greater than is reasonable and prudent under the conditions and having regard to the actual circumstances then existing.
E. 
No person shall operate an ATV in excess of 35 miles per hour at any time.
F. 
No person shall operate an ATV at a speed in excess of maximum established speed limits at any time.
G. 
No person shall operate an ATV upon a Town road of the Town of Clayton unless he/she is duly licensed to operate a motor vehicle pursuant to Article 19 of the Vehicle and Traffic Law of the State of New York.
H. 
No person shall operate an ATV upon a Town road of the Town of Clayton in an intoxicated condition or under the influence of narcotics or drugs as defined by § 114-a of the Vehicle and Traffic Law of New York State.
A violation of any provision of this chapter shall be a traffic infraction, and every person convicted of a traffic infraction for a violation of this chapter shall for a first conviction thereof be punished by a fine of not more than $100, or by imprisonment for not more than 15 days or both such fine and imprisonment; for a conviction of a second violation, both of which were committed within a period of 18 months, such person shall be punished by a fine of not more than $200, or by imprisonment for not more than 45 days or by both such fine and imprisonment.
The provisions of this chapter are declared to be severable; and if any section, subsection, sentence, clause, or phrase hereof shall, for any reason, be held to be invalid or unconstitutional, such decision shall not affect the validity of the remaining section, subsections, sentences, clauses, and phrases of this chapter, but they shall remain in effect, it being the legislative intent that this chapter shall stand notwithstanding the invalidity of any part.