Two New Off Road Parks In N.C.

J.C.

J.C.

Volunteer
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Joined
Apr 18, 2005
Location
Greensboro, NC
The following excerpt is taken from N.C. Senate Bill 45* which has been filed and is currently under consideration by the Senate Commerce Committee. It is up to YOU as to whether we get these two parks or not! If you do not send emails to your state Senators who are considering this bill it will be YOU who kept us from getting these parks!

GS 20-63.4. North Carolina Off-Road Vehicle Recreation Program
(a) There shall be created within the Department of Environment and Natural Resources a North Carolina Off-Road Vehicle Recreation Program to coordinate the planning, development, and management of public off-road vehicle recreation areas, parks, trails, and facilities.
(b) In consultation with the State land managing agencies, off-road vehicle organizations, the off-road vehicle industry, and environmental organizations, the North Carolina Off-Road Vehicle Recreation Program shall review the inventory of public lands to determine the feasibility of providing public access for off-road vehicle recreation and trails. The Department shall provide a report to the 2010 Regular Session of the 2009 General Assembly by March 1, 2010. The report should include at least two appropriate locations for public access for off-road vehicle recreational use and the applicable cost of providing each facility. The cost section of the report shall fully explain the fiscal approach of renovating, maintaining, and operating each site and include a recommended fee structure to support the ongoing maintenance and operation of the program. The report shall also include the benefits
and risks of offering each site for off-road vehicle recreational use.
 
email EVERY member of the Commerce Committee voicing your support for this bill. Tell them you would like for them to pass it with a modification to what constitutes an "off-highway vehicle". Your email should contain the following wording according to Carla Boucher, legal counsel for United Four Wheel Drive Assn and Southern Four Wheel Drive Assn, "Off-highway vehicle" or "OHV" means any off-road motorcycles, three or four-wheel all-terrain vehicles, four wheel drive motor vehicles intended by the user or owner to be used in recreational pursuits, or dune buggies. "

If we want this to pass and want full size off highway vehicles to be included in it we MUST act. Here is a list of the Commerce Committee members and email addresses. email EVERY one! If we snooze, we lose!

Senate Standing Committee - Commerce

Chairman - Sen. R.C. Sproles, Jr (Dem) -Tabor City, NC - Rcsoles@ncleg.net
Vice Chairman - Sen. David W. Hoyle (Dem) - Dallas, NC - Davidh@ncleg.net
Vice Chairman - Sen. Floyd B. McKissick (Dem) - Durham, NC - Floydm@ncleg.net
Vice Chairman - Sen. Tony Rand (Dem) - Fayetteville, NC - Tonyr@ncleg.net
Members
Sen. Tom Apodaca (Rep) - Hendersonville, NC - Toma@ncleg.net
Sen. Philip E. Berger (Rep) - Eden, NC - philbe@ncleg.net
Sen. Doug Berger (Dem) - Youngsville, N C - Dougb@ncleg.net
Sen. Harris Blake (Rep) - Pinehurst, NC - Harrisb@ncleg.net
Sen. Julia Boseman (Dem) - Wilmington, NC - Juliab@ncleg.net
Sen. Peter S. Brunstetter (Rep) - Lewisville, NC - Peterb@ncleg.net
Sen. Debbie A. Clary (Rep) - Shelby, NC - Debbie.Clary@ncleg.net
Sen. Katie G. Dorsette (Dem) - Greensboro, NC - Katied@ncleg.net
Sen. Tont Foriest (Dem) - Graham, NC - Tonyf@ncleg.net
Sen. James Forrester (Rep) - Stanley, NC - Jamesf@ncleg.net
Sen. Linda Garrou (Dem) - Winston-Salem, NC - Lindag@ncleg.net
Sen. W. Edward (Eddie) Goodall (Rep) - Matthews, NC - Eddieg@ncleg.net
Sen. Steve Goss (Dem) - Boone, NC - Steveg@ncleg.net
Sen. Malcom Graham (Dem) - Charlotte, NC - Malcolmg@ncleg.net
Sen. Neal Hunt (Rep) - Raleigh, NC - Nealh@ncleg.net
Sen. Jim Jacumin (Rep) - Connelly Springs. NC - Jimja@ncleg.net
Sen. Clark Jenkins (Dem) - Tarboro, NC - Clarkj@ncleg.net
Sen. Vernon Malone (Dem) - Raleigh, NC - Vernonm@ncleg.net
Sen. Martin L. Nesbitt (Dem) - Asheville, NC - martinn@ncleg.net
Sen. Willian R. Purcell (Dem) - Laurinburg, NC - Williamp@ncleg.net
Sen. Joe Sam Queen (Dem) - Waynesville, NC - JoeQ@ncleg.net
Sen. Bob Rucho (Rep) - Matthews, NC - Bob.Rucho@ncleg.net
Sen. Larry Shaw (Dem) - Fayetteville, NC - Larrys@ncleg.net
Sen. Josh Stein (Dem) - Raleigh, NC - Josh.Stein@ncleg.net
Sen. Richard Stevens (Rep) - Cary, NC - Richards@ncleg.net
Sen. Don Vaughn (Dem) - Greensboro, NC - Don.Vaughan@ncleg.net
 
Damn I wish I still lived in NC so I could get a voice in this.

Actually - maybe I do... I wonder if I could play the angle that "I would love to travel to NC simply to enjoy new OHV parks... which entails bringing local revenue such as hotel and food expenses..."
May be worth pointing out that avid OHVers gladly travel good distances, across state lines, for a decent park system.
 
RatLabGuy said:
Damn I wish I still lived in NC so I could get a voice in this.
Actually - maybe I do... I wonder if I could play the angle that "I would love to travel to NC simply to enjoy new OHV parks... which entails bringing local revenue such as hotel and food expenses..."
May be worth pointing out that avid OHVers gladly travel good distances, across state lines, for a decent park system.
Click to expand...



yeah, voice your opinion. Outside $$$ coming into NC is always welcome and your thoughts and opinions can't hurt, only help, unless you are a tree hugger member of the Sierra Club :flipoff2:
 
send the email

I just sent my email.

I am personally challenging every member of this forum to send their email in support of the bill with the modification suggested in JC's previous post.

Probably be a good idea to list your address in your email to them, so they know you are a voter and not just someone from India.
Post up when you've sent it! Even if you don't live in NC, tell them you'd be happy to travel to NC to enjoy the trails.
 
post on Pirate and other 4x4 forums. I vote for Johnson Valley to stay open, the CA guys can voice their opinions for NC...
 
 
this is great. i wonder where they would be at? i know brown mountain is big but not enough for the big rigs..
 
I just sent mine out! Here is my write up, in case anyone just wanted to copy/ paste both the email addresses and the wording to make it as simple as possible! PLEASE just do it- no matter how you do it!

<I would like for this proposed legislation to pass with a modification to what constitutes an "off-highway vehicle". An "Off-highway vehicle" or "OHV" means any off-road motorcycles,three or four-wheel all-terrain vehicles, four wheel drive motor vehicles (including full size off highway vehicles and vehicles intended for legal highway use with the ability to operate off-road)- intended by the user or owner to be used in recreational pursuits,( or dune buggies). This would a be a potentially great revenue source for the state and a legal venue for enthusiasts of the sport as well. Recreation is a reliable source of income for North Carolina- including out of state patrons! Thank you for your time and consideration in this matter.>
 
BigClay, thanks for getting all those addresses together :)
This is what I sent. Feel free to use and or modify to your needs.

Dear Senator,

I am writing this to all the Senators on the Commerce Committee, asking you to support Senate Bill 45*, which, according to The North Carolina General Assembly web site, is now under consideration by the Commerce Committee.

We have an odd happenstance here, in my opinion. At a time when national interest in preserving the environment is extremely strong, we also have a huge growth in Off Highway Vehicle (OHV) ownership and use. These two interests have continued to collide over the last couple of years as the swelling OHV usership seeks areas to enjoy their sport while environmental activists try to protect our natural resources and environment.

In this bill you have a unique opportunity to bring the two disparate groups together! Passage of this bill would be a forward step in providing OHV access in an environmentally sound environment. Creation of The OHV Trust Fund and implementation of the bill would allow our state to be on the forefront of a movement to provide environmental friendly, properly designed and managed OHV recreation areas for the citizens of North Carolina!

I also would like to urge you to emend the wording of the bill as it pertains to OHVs. All terrain vehicles (ATVs) and motorcycles are not the only users of OHV trails. Many full size, four wheel drive vehicles such as Jeeps are also used in an OHV manner as well as dune buggies, and with the proliferation of the sport, custom built chassis off road vehicles. I would like to add these OHVs to the bill by emending the wording to read; "Off-highway vehicle" or "OHV" means any off-road motorcycles, three or four-wheel all-terrain vehicles, four wheel drive motor vehicles intended by the user or owner to be used in recreational pursuits, custom chassis rock crawlers, or dune buggies. "

Thank you for your consideration of this bill which would be beneficial not only to the OHV community but while providing environmentally sound OHV recreation would also speak to North Carolina's forward thinking in environmental/recreation issues on a national level!
 
Senate Bill 45*

Email sent... this is a redo of John's letter to serve as another sample letter for anyone who wishes to use it as a template.


Dear Senator(s),



I am sending this email to all the Senators on the Commerce Committee, asking all of you to please support Senate Bill 45*, which, according to The North Carolina General Assembly web site, is now under consideration by the Commerce Committee.



At a time when national interest in preserving the environment is at an all-time high, we also have a huge growth in Off Highway Vehicle (OHV) ownership and use. These two interests have continued to collide over the years as the swelling OHV community seeks areas to enjoy their sport while environmental activists try to protect our natural resources and environment.



In this bill you have a unique opportunity, if not an obligation, to bring the two disparate groups together. Passage of this bill would be a giant step forward toward providing OHV access in an environmentally sound environment. Creation of the OHV Trust Fund, and implementation of the bill, would allow our state to be on the forefront of a movement to provide environmental friendly, properly designed and managed OHV recreation areas for the citizens of North Carolina.



I also would like to urge you to emend the wording of the bill as it pertains to OHVs. All Terrain Vehicles (ATVs) and motorcycles are not the only users of OHV trails. Many full size, four wheel drive vehicles such as Jeeps and trucks are also used in an OHV manner as well as dune buggies. With the proliferation of the sport, we also have custom built chassis off road vehicles. I would like to add these OHVs to the bill by emending the wording to read; "Off-highway vehicle" or "OHV" means any off-road motorcycles, three or four-wheel all-terrain vehicles, and any four wheel drive motor vehicles intended by the user or owner to be used in recreational pursuits, custom chassis rock crawlers, or dune buggies."


I would like to sincerely thank you for your consideration of this bill. It is my belief that passage of this bill would be beneficial not only to the OHV community by providing environmentally sound OHV recreation, it would also serve as an outstanding example of North Carolina's forward-thinking on environmental/recreation issues on a national level.
 
Done.

Also sent a specific email to Jim Jacumin regarding possible expansion of the Brown Mtn area and the potential benefits locally.
 
Where does it say that these will be new ohv areas, rather than a new department taking over and providing a report on the moneymaking abilities of already existing ohv parks? Maybe I'm misreading it?
 
I am unaware of any North Carolina state sponsored OHV areas other than Fort Fisher, which isn't really an OHV area, just allows OHV access, therefore there would be nothing for the new department to take over. I guess I just assumed they would be new as there aren't any in existence right now :) The preamble of the bill specifically mentions acquiring new lands and developing off road parks which indicates to me they would be new areas. At least that's how I read it.
 
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