U-Turn amendment is modified

WAITSBURG – The topics of ATV/UTV use in the city and Main Street U-turns continues to make their way before Waitsburg’s city council. At the Oct. 18 regular meeting, the council prohibited unauthorized ATV use in the fairgrounds area completely and revised the fine for U-Turns.

U-Turns

While Main Street U-turns between third and first have been prohibited by city code for some time, there was never a specified punishment for doing so. In September, the council approved a first offense fine of $50, a second offense fine of $100, and a third-and-subsequent offense fine at the discretion of the court, up to $300.

The code will be enforced by the Walla Walla County Sheriff’s Office who told the city they have no way of tracking the number of infractions an individual has incurred. Therefore, the cose was changed to say that each offense is punishable by a fine of $100.

ATVs/UTVs/Motorcycles

The ongoing issue of ATVs/UTVs being a noise nuisance and safety issue on the city has been discussed repeatedly by the council. The overall consensus has been that while the council does not have a problem with people using ATVs for work or chore-related tasks, they have serious concerns about excessive speed, noise, and safety issues such as riding without helmets and multiple people (often minors) on one vehicle.

Until now, Waitsburg’s municipal code did not specifically limit ATV use. The council considered adopting such a policy last October, but ultimately decided that state code which requires drivers to be licensed, registered, and to meet safety codes, already applies.

Recent damage to property at the fairgrounds and along the dike has resulted in the council taking a stronger stance. The new code prohibits any unauthorized motorcycle or wheeled all-terrian vehicle on the fairgrounds dike or the area between the Waitsburg City Cemetery, school athletic fields, and the city fairgrounds facility along what is known as College Ave. (the road leading to the pig barns.)

Permission to drive in those areas may be granted only by the mayor, the city administrator, or the Waitsburg School District superintendent. Sheriff John Turner, who was in attendance, said that if a minor is caught violating the ordinance, a report will be submitted to the prosecuting attorney and the parents will be notified.

Expectoration

On a lighter note, the council struck a section from Miscellaneous Violations that prohibited “Spitting or expectorating on any walk, crosswalk, or upon the floor of any church, school house, City Hall, theater, opera house, hall, store, office, motel, or boardinghouse within the city of Waitsburg.”

The council had a chuckle over the code and surmised that it stemmed from an era when chewing tobacco was prevalent and the city wanted to prevent damage to public spaces.