Princeton City Council to discuss allowing UTVs/ATVs after hearing public interest

After hearing members of the public voice their support during Monday’s meeting, Princeton City Council will continue to discuss the possibility of allowing the use of UTVs and ATVs on city streets.

Mayor Joel Quiram opened the topic for discussion during the Mayor’s Notes section of the meeting as council members stated they were open to the idea.

“I think it’s going to take certain parameters to go through,” Councilmember Michael McCall said. “I’m not against it as long as we are following some regulations along with it.”

Quiram also voiced his support for the idea as long as the city ordinance follows the steps that other town governments have set forward.

“I think it could be a safe mode for long term affordable transportation in the city,” Quiram said. “It would be allowed on federal or state routes.”

Quiram added that the possible city ordinance would not include Main, Peru or Elm Streets.

The possible ordinance would require a multitude of safety items to be included on the vehicles including a variation of insurance, registration, turn signals, brake lights or other safety-related parameters.

“In today’s world with how everything is with gas prices, as long as everything is done correctly and it’s econable, I think the biggest part would be enforcement from our law enforcement officers,” Councilman Hector Gomez said.

Gomez also added that if the council were to pass an ordinance allowing these vehicles on city streets, then a lot of informational public relations should be done to ensure the public are aware of what is and isn’t allowed.

Princeton City Manager Theresa Wittenauer stated that she has collected related ordinance information from city governments smaller and similar in size to Princeton and will be sending them to council members for review.

“I don’t think it’s anything that we are going to have to reinvent,” Wittenauer said. “It’s obviously being done. A lot of the ordinances look mostly identical.”

Local communities that have adopted similar ordinances include Buda, Wyanet, Kewanee, Dixon and Henry.

The initial discussing did not include the topic of golf carts as Quiram mentioned they are smaller vehicles and might require a different set of requirements for discussion.

During the final public comment section, a Princeton resident urged the city council to allow explore allowing golf carts within the possible ordinance as well.

City officials will begin research and ground work on a discussed ordinance and the issue will be readdressed in coming city council meetings.