House Resources Recreation and Development Committee
Public Hearing: Wednesday, February 12, 2025 01:00 pm LOB 305.
Executive Session: 02/12/2025 02:00 pm LOB 305
HB 683-FN: Removes the requirement for the petitioner to pay the costs for abutter notification in opening town roads to Off Highway Recreational Vehicles (OHRVs) and allows for OHRV riding on state roads in 5 more counties: Carroll, Cheshire, Hillsborough, Merrimack, and Sullivan. The nuisance experienced by residents in Coos and Grafton Counties since their roads were opened to OHRV riding in 2013 will spread rather than be corrected.
This is a property rights issue.
Opening sections of state roads enables OHRV riders to ride from town to town – attracting yet more riders. This is a major change in use of public roads that will affect multiple neighborhoods throughout the connecting towns. Abutters must be notified whether they live on town roads or state roads. Here is an informative article from the New Hampshire Municipal Association about Reviewing Developments of Regional Impact in New Hampshire.
In zoning and planning, the first requirement in any change in use is abutter notification. Notification by verified mail must be extended to abutters on state roads as well as town roads.
Safety Concerns: From the Polaris website: “Operating on Pavement: This vehicle’s tires are designed for off-road use. not for use on pavement. Operating this vehicle on paved surfaces (including sidewalks, paths, parking lots and driveways) may adversely affect the handling of the vehicle and may increase the risk of loss of control and accident or rollover. Avoid operating the vehicle on pavement.”
Background: There was NO abutter notification in 2013 when the state and towns launched Ride the Wilds across Coos County by allowing OHRVs onto neighborhood roads and trails. The noise and dust from OHRVs has deprived many people of the peaceful enjoyment of private property, public lands and quiet outdoor recreation.
Along with the four other OHRV bills this session – HB 683 undermines the intent of the trail siting statutes RSA 215-A 41,42,43. This bill also preempts the on-going work of the OHRV Study Commission, established in 2022, to study the many issues surrounding OHRV riding in New Hampshire. This commission is required to “report its findings and recommend proposed legislation…….on or before November 1 of each year.” However, the prime sponsor of HB 683, the Chairman of the OHRV Study Commission, failed to bring this bill to the Commission for review and recommendation.
In the 30+ years of controversy in New Hampshire over where OHRV trails belong, the problems have grown rather than diminished. The New Hampshire legislature should be guided by the conclusions of the first ATV Study Committee: “emphasis should be on development of self-contained trails, not linear trails” “new or expanded trails should be for ATV riding only……so conflict issues will not arise.”
A brief legislative history can be found here.
Please email Chairman Harb and members of the House Resources Recreation and Development Committee members and ask them to oppose HB 683-FN and expand notification to all abutters of OHRV trails and instead send this bill to the current Study Commission for review. Include personal stories of how OHRV riding has or would impact the peaceful enjoyment of your home – a basic property right.
[email protected], [email protected], [email protected], William Darby [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected]
To ensure your letter is put in the record, cc: the Committee Assistant Jami Wyman [email protected]
(Class I, II, III are state roads, Class IV, V, VI are town roads)