Mud Toy
09-11-2006, 10:30 PM
9/6/2006 10:59:00 AM
Off-road riders want a place to play
By Kasia Pierzga, Leader Staff Writer
A study to look at the feasibility of designating some state-owned land near Quilcene for use by people riding off-road vehicles has some revving their engines and others ready to protest.The two areas being considered for ORV access are on land owned by the Washington Department of Natural Resources. One area is west of Quilcene along Penny Creek Road, and the other is further north, on Skidder Hill and along Snow Creek west of Crocker Lake.Members of the Jefferson County-based Mud Toy 4x4 Club say designating a backcountry area for people who want to ride their dirt bikes, Jeeps, four-wheel-drive trucks and all-terrain vehicles will pump money into the local economy and keep people from riding illegally on public and private land."We just want somewhere to play," said club president Eric Holm of Port Townsend.But some Quilcene residents are worried about losing their peace and quiet."Most people I've talked to are not very fond of the idea," said Carol Christiansen, a Quilcene resident who is helping to organize those who oppose the ORV area proposal. "We want to be fair about this, but it can't be in an area that's so residential."The idea of designating an area for ORV use gained traction in 2005 when several local clubs worked together to secure grant funding from the Washington Interagency Committee for Outdoor Recreation to help pay for a feasibility study coordinated by Jefferson County's Parks and Recreation division.The grant comes from state taxes collected on fuel used by ORVs and set aside in a fund to support off-road sports such as trail riding. Part of the feasibility study is to gather public input, including through a public meeting planned for Sept. 19 in Quilcene.If the proposal moves forward, the ORV area would be developed, managed and maintained by a designated coalition of local off-road organizations.The Jefferson County Parks and Recreation board will make recommendations on the proposal, but the final decision about whether - and where - an ORV area might take shape rests with the Jefferson County Board of Commissioners.Family funLong popular among young men, riding ORVs is becoming increasingly attractive as a family activity. A national survey indicates that between 2001 and 2005, the number of people who enjoy off-road riding has increased 42 percent. Campgrounds and state parks near off-road trails are often packed on weekends with whole families or club groups, and local gas stations and convenience stores do a brisk business when riders roll in. Two of the Jefferson County Fair's main fundraisers each year in Port Townsend involve ORV activities.ORV riders are often the same people who enjoy riding snowmobiles in winter. And recent figures indicate that the number of off-road sports enthusiasts is comparable to the number of people involved with soccer or baseball.Many local families find off-road sports are a fun way to spend time together, Holm said. But with no officially approved place to ride in east Jefferson County, local enthusiasts end up loading up their rigs and driving to ORV areas on DNR-owned land near Belfair in Mason County or at Sadie Creek west of Joyce in Clallam County."It's a shame when your kids have dirt bikes and you can't legally unload those things anywhere around here without being arrested for criminal trespass," Holm said.With all the forestlands in Jefferson County, Holm said it makes sense to designate an area for people to take their vehicles.The group started the process of identifying a possible ORV area two years ago, holding public meetings in Quilcene and the Tri-Area (Port Hadlock, Irondale, Chimacum) and reviewing about a dozen possible sites. Each was evaluated for its recreational potential, possible environmental effects and other considerations, including proximity to neighbors, Holm said."Basically, we want to be away from everybody," he said. "We don't want to disturb anybody."The potential for damage to the environment and wildlife habitat is among the top concerns voiced by opponents of the ORV proposal, as is concern about engine noise.Too much noise?But Christiansen said the valley surrounding Quilcene is "like a fish bowl," with noise from logging, the gravel quarry at Penny Creek and other activities echoing across Quilcene Bay."The noise we want to hear is the birds," she said.Christiansen said she's also concerned that ORV use may clash with the way people currently use the area. The proposed site along Penny Creek Road is on the route that leads to some of east Jefferson County's most popular hiking trails, including Mount Townsend and Silver Lake.Some also worry that trail riders will dump trash in the backcountry, leaving a mess for others to clean up.But Holm and other members of the Mud Toy 4x4 Club say they're responsible about their activities, and in fact spend a lot of time cleaning up household trash and junk dumped by people who don't want to pay to dispose of it at the county dump.At Sadie Creek, for example, club members maintain trails. Later this month, they're headed to the site to pitch in on a bridge-building project.DNR Natural Resource Specialist Wayne Fitzwater, who oversees Sadie Creek, said local ORV groups do a lot to take care of the trail system, and their presence is believed to help deter people looking for a place to dump trash or engage in other illegal activities.A local ORV user organization was the first - and so far, the only group - to sign an adopt-a-trail agreement to take care of the trails, Fitzwater said."My experience with these organized groups and the folks who have been involved at Sadie Creek has been wonderful," he said. "They're very conscientious."But Christiansen and other neighbors have their doubts."We understand that people say they will self-police," she said. "That's a great theory, but who knows?"Culture clashPopulation growth and the increasing number of luxury homes in the Quilcene area could make it tough for ORV riders to gain public support for the proposal, said Jefferson County Parks' Tyler."It's a demographic issue," he said. "If you study the demographics of the opposition, they are often newer residents, sometimes part-time residents, older, and of a high income or just higher financial standing in general."In contrast, Tyler said, many ORV enthusiasts come from a blue-collar, working-class background.Christiansen, a retired public-relations specialist who worked for Edmonds Community College, first arrived in Quilcene in 1988 as a part-time resident with her husband, who worked in business and finance in the Seattle Community College system.Christiansen said nobody she knows has an ORV.Turning Quilcene into an ORV mecca that could perhaps draw enthusiasts from around the region would ruin the quiet, small-town atmosphere, she said."We're very concerned it will considerably change the character of Quilcene," she said.The members of the Mud Toy 4x4 Club don't want to upset neighbors, said Holm, the club's president. Just like people who enjoy soccer fields or horseback-riding trails or bike paths, ORV fans just want a place to practice their sport."Pretty much every user group in the county is having its needs met except ours," he said.Tyler said the effort to designate an ORV area in east Jefferson County could be facing an uphill battle.Ten or so years ago, before Quilcene was "discovered" as a nice place to build a luxury retirement home, advocating for a place to ride dirt bikes and 4x4s might have been a lot easier, he said."Neither our board nor the board of commissioners would go against the neighbors' or landowners' wishes," Tyler said. "You may as well just cut your head off. The goal is just to come up with a win-win situation that everyone can live with."Another unexpected complication is that state wildlife officials are considering a plan to move elk into the Snow Creek watershed after removing the animals from the Sequim area, where they are clashing with increasing suburbanization. If the animals are moved into Jefferson County, ORV users probably won't be able to use the parcel of DNR land they're looking at along Snow Creek.Ironically, the best way to preserve the lush forest on public lands around Quilcene might be to go ahead and let the ORV riders use it. That's because as long as DNR continues to manage the land for timber production, it's only a matter of time before the entire area is clear-cut.Designating some state-owned land for ORV use would likely mean the land would come under county control, Tyler said.In that case, he said, local residents "are going to have a lot more say than they do when the state decides to log it."(Contact Kasia Pierzga at kpierzga@ptleader.com)
(NOTE THIS IS A PUBLIC MEETING FOR ANYONE TO ATTEND AT 6:00PM at Quilcene School in the learning center room September 19th, 2006)
A study to evaluate whether it's feasible to create an off-road vehicle area near Quilcene is being advocated by off-road sports enthusiasts, including members of the Mud Toy 4x4 Club. Pictured are (from left) David Moore, vice president; Adam Cole, activities chair; Mary Holm, secretary; and Eric Holm, president. – Photo by Kasia Pierzga
Off-road riders want a place to play
By Kasia Pierzga, Leader Staff Writer
A study to look at the feasibility of designating some state-owned land near Quilcene for use by people riding off-road vehicles has some revving their engines and others ready to protest.The two areas being considered for ORV access are on land owned by the Washington Department of Natural Resources. One area is west of Quilcene along Penny Creek Road, and the other is further north, on Skidder Hill and along Snow Creek west of Crocker Lake.Members of the Jefferson County-based Mud Toy 4x4 Club say designating a backcountry area for people who want to ride their dirt bikes, Jeeps, four-wheel-drive trucks and all-terrain vehicles will pump money into the local economy and keep people from riding illegally on public and private land."We just want somewhere to play," said club president Eric Holm of Port Townsend.But some Quilcene residents are worried about losing their peace and quiet."Most people I've talked to are not very fond of the idea," said Carol Christiansen, a Quilcene resident who is helping to organize those who oppose the ORV area proposal. "We want to be fair about this, but it can't be in an area that's so residential."The idea of designating an area for ORV use gained traction in 2005 when several local clubs worked together to secure grant funding from the Washington Interagency Committee for Outdoor Recreation to help pay for a feasibility study coordinated by Jefferson County's Parks and Recreation division.The grant comes from state taxes collected on fuel used by ORVs and set aside in a fund to support off-road sports such as trail riding. Part of the feasibility study is to gather public input, including through a public meeting planned for Sept. 19 in Quilcene.If the proposal moves forward, the ORV area would be developed, managed and maintained by a designated coalition of local off-road organizations.The Jefferson County Parks and Recreation board will make recommendations on the proposal, but the final decision about whether - and where - an ORV area might take shape rests with the Jefferson County Board of Commissioners.Family funLong popular among young men, riding ORVs is becoming increasingly attractive as a family activity. A national survey indicates that between 2001 and 2005, the number of people who enjoy off-road riding has increased 42 percent. Campgrounds and state parks near off-road trails are often packed on weekends with whole families or club groups, and local gas stations and convenience stores do a brisk business when riders roll in. Two of the Jefferson County Fair's main fundraisers each year in Port Townsend involve ORV activities.ORV riders are often the same people who enjoy riding snowmobiles in winter. And recent figures indicate that the number of off-road sports enthusiasts is comparable to the number of people involved with soccer or baseball.Many local families find off-road sports are a fun way to spend time together, Holm said. But with no officially approved place to ride in east Jefferson County, local enthusiasts end up loading up their rigs and driving to ORV areas on DNR-owned land near Belfair in Mason County or at Sadie Creek west of Joyce in Clallam County."It's a shame when your kids have dirt bikes and you can't legally unload those things anywhere around here without being arrested for criminal trespass," Holm said.With all the forestlands in Jefferson County, Holm said it makes sense to designate an area for people to take their vehicles.The group started the process of identifying a possible ORV area two years ago, holding public meetings in Quilcene and the Tri-Area (Port Hadlock, Irondale, Chimacum) and reviewing about a dozen possible sites. Each was evaluated for its recreational potential, possible environmental effects and other considerations, including proximity to neighbors, Holm said."Basically, we want to be away from everybody," he said. "We don't want to disturb anybody."The potential for damage to the environment and wildlife habitat is among the top concerns voiced by opponents of the ORV proposal, as is concern about engine noise.Too much noise?But Christiansen said the valley surrounding Quilcene is "like a fish bowl," with noise from logging, the gravel quarry at Penny Creek and other activities echoing across Quilcene Bay."The noise we want to hear is the birds," she said.Christiansen said she's also concerned that ORV use may clash with the way people currently use the area. The proposed site along Penny Creek Road is on the route that leads to some of east Jefferson County's most popular hiking trails, including Mount Townsend and Silver Lake.Some also worry that trail riders will dump trash in the backcountry, leaving a mess for others to clean up.But Holm and other members of the Mud Toy 4x4 Club say they're responsible about their activities, and in fact spend a lot of time cleaning up household trash and junk dumped by people who don't want to pay to dispose of it at the county dump.At Sadie Creek, for example, club members maintain trails. Later this month, they're headed to the site to pitch in on a bridge-building project.DNR Natural Resource Specialist Wayne Fitzwater, who oversees Sadie Creek, said local ORV groups do a lot to take care of the trail system, and their presence is believed to help deter people looking for a place to dump trash or engage in other illegal activities.A local ORV user organization was the first - and so far, the only group - to sign an adopt-a-trail agreement to take care of the trails, Fitzwater said."My experience with these organized groups and the folks who have been involved at Sadie Creek has been wonderful," he said. "They're very conscientious."But Christiansen and other neighbors have their doubts."We understand that people say they will self-police," she said. "That's a great theory, but who knows?"Culture clashPopulation growth and the increasing number of luxury homes in the Quilcene area could make it tough for ORV riders to gain public support for the proposal, said Jefferson County Parks' Tyler."It's a demographic issue," he said. "If you study the demographics of the opposition, they are often newer residents, sometimes part-time residents, older, and of a high income or just higher financial standing in general."In contrast, Tyler said, many ORV enthusiasts come from a blue-collar, working-class background.Christiansen, a retired public-relations specialist who worked for Edmonds Community College, first arrived in Quilcene in 1988 as a part-time resident with her husband, who worked in business and finance in the Seattle Community College system.Christiansen said nobody she knows has an ORV.Turning Quilcene into an ORV mecca that could perhaps draw enthusiasts from around the region would ruin the quiet, small-town atmosphere, she said."We're very concerned it will considerably change the character of Quilcene," she said.The members of the Mud Toy 4x4 Club don't want to upset neighbors, said Holm, the club's president. Just like people who enjoy soccer fields or horseback-riding trails or bike paths, ORV fans just want a place to practice their sport."Pretty much every user group in the county is having its needs met except ours," he said.Tyler said the effort to designate an ORV area in east Jefferson County could be facing an uphill battle.Ten or so years ago, before Quilcene was "discovered" as a nice place to build a luxury retirement home, advocating for a place to ride dirt bikes and 4x4s might have been a lot easier, he said."Neither our board nor the board of commissioners would go against the neighbors' or landowners' wishes," Tyler said. "You may as well just cut your head off. The goal is just to come up with a win-win situation that everyone can live with."Another unexpected complication is that state wildlife officials are considering a plan to move elk into the Snow Creek watershed after removing the animals from the Sequim area, where they are clashing with increasing suburbanization. If the animals are moved into Jefferson County, ORV users probably won't be able to use the parcel of DNR land they're looking at along Snow Creek.Ironically, the best way to preserve the lush forest on public lands around Quilcene might be to go ahead and let the ORV riders use it. That's because as long as DNR continues to manage the land for timber production, it's only a matter of time before the entire area is clear-cut.Designating some state-owned land for ORV use would likely mean the land would come under county control, Tyler said.In that case, he said, local residents "are going to have a lot more say than they do when the state decides to log it."(Contact Kasia Pierzga at kpierzga@ptleader.com)
(NOTE THIS IS A PUBLIC MEETING FOR ANYONE TO ATTEND AT 6:00PM at Quilcene School in the learning center room September 19th, 2006)
A study to evaluate whether it's feasible to create an off-road vehicle area near Quilcene is being advocated by off-road sports enthusiasts, including members of the Mud Toy 4x4 Club. Pictured are (from left) David Moore, vice president; Adam Cole, activities chair; Mary Holm, secretary; and Eric Holm, president. – Photo by Kasia Pierzga