By Kris Leonhardt

Editor

SPENCER — The Spencer Village Board of Trustees is considering an ordinance that may allow ATVs, utility terrain vehicles, and golf carts on village streets.

The action comes following a similar move by a neighboring township allowing use of the vehicles on routes heading into the municipality.

“Some people approached the board, wondering if there could be ATVs allowed in town. Since it had passed in the township of Spencer, they were interested in getting it here so they could get gas and go through town,” said Village of Spencer Administrator/Clerk/Treasurer Paul Hensch. “The village has been working on this for the last six months or so trying to get citizen input and see what the village residents are feeling.

“It’s gone through a couple of different paths, a couple of different iterations, but it looks like it is coming to a close to where ATVs will be allowed on the road.

“There are routes in the township that do lead up to the village, but once you get into the village, you cannot use an ATV on the road.”

Four hearings were held to receive public feedback before the proposed ordinance reached the village board. The originally proposed ordinance would authorize ATVs on designated streets in the village, which was then altered during the June regular board meeting of the trustees.

“There was a lot of discussion about what route we would allow ATVs on in town, and then after much deliberation they decided to look at the possibility of having ATVs allowed on all village roads. That is the direction we are heading in right now it looks like,” Hensch said.

The adjusted ordinance will come back to the village board for possible action during the July 10 meeting.

According to Wisconsin law, golf carts need to be registered with the state. If the ordinance passes in Spencer, owners will be required to register their golf carts with the village for use on streets. According to Hensch, registration will come with a nominal fee, which has not yet been determined.