Groton ― The town is proposing an ordinance intended to deter people from illegally using All-Terrain Vehicles, dirt bikes or other vehicles.

Town Manager John Burt said the main purpose of the draft ordinance is to allow the town to levy financial penalties against people participating in “street takeovers”

Burt said the state authorized such penalties with the passage of H.B. 5413, an “Act Concerning the Illegal Use of Certain Vehicles and Street Takeovers,” but it requires a local ordinance for municipalities to do so.

“This would hopefully serve as a deterrent to illegal behavior involving these vehicles,“ Burt said.

The Town Council began reviewing the ordinance and is proposing to hold a public hearing on it in December.

Town Mayor Rachael Franco said at the Oct. 8 Town Council Committee of the Whole meeting that the ordinance was brought forward following a tragic death in the community.

Norwich resident Tiara Wheeler, 24, who was the passenger on a dirt bike, died in August 2023 after the bike crashed into a car on Long Hill Road.

Proposed ordinance

According to a bill analysis, the state law allows municipalities to adopt an ordinance setting a fine system for people involved in a “street takeover,” defined as “taking over part of a public road or off-street parking lot open to the public by blocking or impeding regular traffic flow to cause disorder or create a nuisance to other road or lot users.”

The town’s proposed draft ordinance would allow the town to fine people $1,000 for a first offense, $1,500 for a second offense, and $2,000 for further offenses. Gas or service stations are prohibited from allowing ATVs or dirt bikes to fuel there and can be fined $100 for each violation.

ATVs, motorcycles, mopeds or motorized go-carts used in violation of the ordinance can be confiscated, according to the draft ordinance.

The draft ordinance specifies that people cannot drive an ATV, dirt bike, or motorized go-cart on public streets or town-owned land, including schools, parks, playgrounds, fields and open space.

The ordinance additionally states that people cannot drive a motorcycle or moped on town-owned land, such as schools, parks, playgrounds, fields and open space, though they can drive them on public streets, thoroughfares and parking areas.

There are exceptions in both cases for emergencies.

The ordinance also specifies that people are prohibited from driving an ATV, motorcycle, moped or go-cart in a way that causes “a nuisance,” including emitting “unreasonably loud noise.”

The ordinance does not apply to people operating an ATV, motorcycle, moped or go-cart on land owned or leased by the vehicle owner, registered vehicles in an organized contest, golf carts during a golf game or on a golf course, people using an automated chair for handicap use, ATVs or maintenance vehicles used to remove snow on driveways and parking lots, or to governmental and public safety use.

Public hearing

Councilors had questions last week, including whether other vehicles creating a nuisance could be included in the ordinance, which Burt said he will find out the answers to.

Franco said she hopes the ordinance will give the police more tools.

Burt said a resolution will go to the Town Council on Nov. 5 to set a Dec. 3 public hearing for the proposed ordinance. He said he anticipates the ordinance will evolve as input is received from both the public and the council.

If the Council eventually adopts an ordinance, it would then go to the Representative Town Meeting, which has the authority to veto it, Burt said.

k.drelich@theday.com