Chapter 308: Snowmobiles and All-Terrain Vehicles

[HISTORY: Adopted by the Town Board of the Town of Rome as indicated in article histories. Amendments noted where applicable.]

Article I Snowmobiles

[Adopted as Sec. 8.03 of the prior Code]

§ 308-1 State snowmobile laws adopted.

Except as otherwise specifically provided in this article, the statutory provisions describing and defining regulations with respect to snowmobiles in the following portions of the Wisconsin Statutes are hereby adopted by reference and made part of this article as if fully set forth herein. Acts required to be performed or prohibited by such statutes are required or prohibited by this article. Any future amendments, revisions or modifications of the statutes incorporated herein by reference are intended to be made part of this Code.

Section 346.02(10), Applicability to Snowmobiles.

§ 308-2 Unattended vehicles.

No person shall leave or allow a snowmobile owned or operated by him to remain unattended on any public highway or public property while the motor is running or with the starting key left in the ignition.

§ 308-3 Routes and trails designated.

The following roads are designated as authorized snowmobile routes:

Name of Street
7th Drive
8th Avenue
9th Avenue
10th Avenue
13th Avenue
13th Drive
14th Avenue
15th Avenue
15th Drive
16th Avenue
Adams Avenue
Akron Avenue
Akron Drive
Aniwa Lane
Apache Avenue
Apache Lane (1600 block to 1200 block)
Archer Avenue
Archer Drive
Archers Lane
Arrowhead Trail
Aspen Avenue
Badger Avenue
Chatham Court
East Queens Way
Kings Way
Kingswood Trail
Leeds
Leisure Lane
Longbow Court
North Archers Way
Norwich Way
Penhurst Way
Rain Dance Trail
Rapids Trail
Richmond Way
South Archers Way
West Queens Way
Woodbridge Way

The Director of Public Works is directed and authorized to procure, erect and maintain appropriate snowmobile route, trail and limit signs and markers as approved by the State Department of Natural Resources under Sec. 350.13, Wis. Stats.

[Amended 4-16-2020 by Ord. No. 20-05]

Except as provided in §§ 350.02, 350.03 and 350.045, Wis. Stats., or for snowmobile events authorized in accordance with § 350.04, Wis. Stats., no person shall operate a snowmobile upon any public right-of-way, in any public park, cemetery or the Rome Transfer Site, except upon snowmobile routes designated by the Town Board.

§ 308-4 Prohibited use of snowmobile trails.

Except for emergency and law enforcement vehicles, and as provided in § 308-1 above, no person shall operate any motor vehicle other than a snowmobile on a snowmobile trail.

§ 308-5 Definitions.

For the purpose of this article, the following terms, phrases, words, and their derivations shall have the meaning given herein. If not defined herein, the word, term or phrase shall have the definition commonly accepted including a relevant definition contained in the Wisconsin Statutes. When not inconsistent with the context, the words used in the present tense include the future, words in the plural number include the singular number and words in the singular number include the plural number. The word "shall" is always mandatory and not merely directory:

PARK

All grounds, structures and watercourses which are or may be located within any area dedicated to the public use as a park, parkway, public boat landing, public lake access, recreation facility or conservancy district in the Town.

PERSON

Includes a corporation, firm partnership, association, organization and any other group acting as a unit as well as individuals, including a personal representative, receiver or other representative appointed according to law. Whenever the term "person" is used in any section of this article prescribing a penalty or fine, as to partnerships or associations, the work shall include the partners or members thereof, and as to corporations, shall include the officers, agents or members thereof who are responsible for any violation of such section.

SIGN

Any medium, including its structure, words, letters, figures, numerals, phrases, sentences, emblems, devices, designs, trade names or trademarks by which anything is made known and which are used to advertise or promote an individual, firm, association, corporation, profession, business, commodity or product and which is visible from any public street or highway.

STREET

Any public highway or alley and shall mean the entire width between the boundary lines of any public way where any part thereof is open to the public for purposes of vehicular traffic.

TOWN

The Town of Rome, Adams County, Wisconsin, or any duly appointed designate thereof, including, but not limited to, the Town Board and Town committees.

TOWN BOARD or BOARD

The present governing body of the Town or any successors to the legislative power of said body, or any duly appointed designate thereof.

VEHICLE

A motor vehicle, trailer, semitrailer or mobile home, whether or not such vehicle is registered under Wisconsin Law.

Article II All-Terrain and Utility Terrain Vehicles

[Adopted as Sec. 8.04 of the prior Code; amended in its entirety 6-22-2018 by Ord. No. 18-05]

§ 308-6 State all-terrain and utility terrain vehicle laws adopted.

The provisions describing and defining regulations with respect to all-terrain and utility terrain vehicles in §§ 23.33 and 346.02(1), Wis. Stats., and any future amendments or revisions, are hereby adopted by reference and made part of this article as if fully set forth herein.

§ 308-7 Designation of all-terrain and utility terrain vehicle routes.

[Amended 5-8-2020 by Ord. No. 20-08]

Purpose. To establish all-terrain and utility terrain vehicle routes and provide safe enjoyable all-terrain and utility terrain vehicle recreation consistent with public rights and interest. Where applicable, the provisions of this section apply equally to ATVs and UTVs. The provisions of this section shall apply to the areas designated herein, including roadways within the jurisdiction of the Town of Rome.

Authority. This article is adopted pursuant to the authority given to Towns under §§ 23.33(4)(d), 23.33(8)(b) and 23.33(11), Wis. Stats.

Operation. Pursuant to § 23.33(4)(d)4, Wis. Stats., except as otherwise provided in § 23.33(4), Wis. stats., no person may operate an all-terrain or utility terrain vehicle on the roadway portion of any highway in the Town except on roadways that are designated as all-terrain or utility terrain vehicle routes by this article.

All roads under the jurisdiction of the Town of Rome are designated all-terrain or utility terrain vehicle routes unless otherwise indicated below. Designated roads under this subsection shall exclude all county, state, and federal highways and all private roads.

(1)

The following Town roads are not designated as an all-terrain and utility terrain vehicle route:

(Reserved)

The following county roads have been approved and are designated as an ATV/UTV route:

(1)

CTH D, extending from 9th Avenue to STH 13.

(2)

CTH Z, extending from Akron Avenue, north to county line.

Operation of ATVs and UTVs may be suspended on any road where construction or emergency conditions exist.

[Amended 5-18-2023 by Ord. No. 23-07]

The Town of Rome reserves the right to close or modify routes at any time.

Signage required. Pursuant to § 23.33(8)(e), Wis. Stats., a sign shall be erected on each highway that crosses the Town's territorial boundary alerting motorists that all highways under the jurisdiction of the Town have been designated as all-terrain and utility terrain vehicle routes unless otherwise indicated. Any highway under the jurisdiction of the Town which is not designated as an all-terrain and utility terrain vehicle route shall have signs erected at such locations as appropriate to indicate the highway is not designated as an all-terrain and utility terrain vehicle route.

§ 308-8 Definitions.