This article shall be known as the "Off-Road Recreational Vehicle Regulation Ordinance of the City of Oneida."
It is hereby declared to be the policy of the City to prevent excessive, unnecessary or unusually loud noise and unlawful acts of trespass upon private lands by off-road recreational vehicles. It is further declared that the provisions and prohibitions herein contained and enacted are in pursuance of and for the purpose of preserving, protecting and promoting the public health, comfort, convenience, safety, welfare and the peace and quiet of the City and its inhabitants.
As used in this article, the following terms shall have the meanings assigned to them below:
A-WEIGHTED SOUND LEVEL
The sound pressure level measured by the use of an instrument with the metering characteristics and A-weighting frequency response prescribed for sound level meters.
COMMISSIONER
The Commissioner of Public Safety of the city.
DRIVER
Every person who operates or drives or is in actual physical control of an off-road recreational vehicle, whether or not such vehicle is actually in motion.
MUFFLER
A device consisting of a series of chambers or baffle plates or other mechanical design for the purpose of receiving exhaust gas from a sound source and effective in reducing noise.
OFF-ROAD RECREATIONAL VEHICLE
Any vehicle which is propelled by any power other than muscular power that is designed for or capable of cross-country travel, such as a motorcycle, trailbike or minibike, but not a snowmobile.
OWNER
The owner shall be the person having title to the off-road recreational vehicle.
[Amended 6-17-2014 by Ord. No. 14-06]
[1]
Editor’s Note: Former § 180-36, Registration; fee, was repealed 6-17-2014 by Ord. No. 14-06.
No person shall operate or permit or suffer to be operated an off-road recreational vehicle on a public highway unless such vehicle meets the equipment and licensing requirements contained in the New York Vehicle and Traffic Law.
A. 
No person shall operate or permit or suffer to be operated an off-road recreational vehicle unless such vehicle shall at all times be equipped with an adequate muffler and exhaust system in constant operation and properly maintained to prevent any unnecessary noise; no such muffler or exhaust system shall be equipped with a cut-out, bypass or similar device.
B. 
No person shall modify or cause to be modified the muffler, exhaust system or other noise control device on an off-road recreational vehicle in a manner which will increase the noise emitted by such vehicle above that emitted by the vehicle when newly manufactured, regardless of the date of manufacture. No person shall operate or permit or suffer to be operated an off-road recreational vehicle so modified.
No person shall operate or permit or suffer to be operated an off-road recreational vehicle if the vehicle exceeds a sound level of 105 dB(A). The limit shall apply at a distance of 1/2 meter from the exhaust in accordance with the stationary test method of the Motorcycle Industry Council.
[Amended 2-20-2007 by Ord. No. 07-01]
No person shall operate or suffer to be operated an off-road recreational vehicle on private property other than that of the owner/operator, or within 125 feet of a dwelling other than that of owner/operator, unless a written permission slip from the owner of the property is in the immediate possession of the operator.
No person shall operate an off-road recreational vehicle designed for racing except at a facility used for racing events. The City may, by specific action of the Common Council, issue a permit authorizing a specific competition event, which excepts a person from these restrictions for that specific event.
Notwithstanding any other provisions of this article, a person shall not operate any off-road recreational vehicle so as to create a nuisance.
A. 
Any person operating an off-road recreational vehicle in violation of this article shall be guilty of a misdemeanor. Any owner who shall knowingly permit or suffer or authorize an off-road recreational vehicle to be driven in violation of this article shall be guilty of a misdemeanor. Any parent of any child and any guardian of any ward under the age of 16 years or any person with whom said child resides who shall knowingly suffer or permit any such child or ward to violate any provisions of this article shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.
B. 
Every person convicted of a misdemeanor for a violation of any provisions of this article shall be punished by a fine of not less than $25, nor more than a fine of $100, or imprisonment of not more than 30 days, or both such fine and imprisonment.