Supervisors Opt Not To Regulate Trail Rides Following Discussion In Monday’s Meeting
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WATER VALLEY – A request by District Four Supervisor Eddie Harris for county officials to consider regulating trail rides in the county did not find traction during discussion in Monday’s supervisor meeting at the Water Valley courthouse.
Harris told board members that he had fielded several complaints following a trail ride for UTVs (utility vehicles, side-by-sides) and ATVs (four-wheelers) last weekend on County Road 216.
“I got a text Sunday morning while I was in church asking who is going to pick up all the trash and beer bottles on County Road 216,” Harris explained.
Harris said he reached out to organizer Anderson Bradford to clean up the trash.
“They did clean it up,” Harris said.
Harris also said the complainant asked for supervisors to consider adopting a county ordinance regulating trails rides, adding that the trail rides are also regularly held in another area of his district near County Road 66. Harris noted that typically the property owner charges admission for the rides and alcohol is often consumed by participants.
“I have relayed this to y’all to see what we can do,” Harris then added.
“If they are riding side-by-sides on a public road, that is against the law. If they are littering, that is against the law. If they are disturbing the peace, that is against the law,” District 5 Supervisor Gaylon Gray countered. “And you can’t ‘ordinance’ somebody on what they are doing on their own property.”
Harris said that one recommendation by the complainant who reached out to him was for the county to adopt an ordinance that would require a permit for a property owner to have a trail ride. The permit could require information including the date, number of attendees, activities proposed, hours of operation and other details.
Harris also cited a trail ride in neighboring Tallahatchie County that has grown.
“Trail rides are getting huge. The one over at Tallahatchie County on Smith Farms, it is huge. The sheriff of Tallahatchie County had to call our sheriff’s department to come over and help with traffic control on Hwy. 32 earlier this year,” Harris continued.
“If they are riding off-road vehicles on a county road, that is not a trail ride,” Gray noted.
“They are doing that at times, but they are riding on our county roads. But the majority of them are off the road on these trails on private property,” Harris said.
“If they are doing it on their own private land, I don’t see anything we can do,” Gray countered.
“What about the parking on the side of the road, they can’t block the roads?” Harris asked.
“That falls back on the sheriff’s department,” Gray said. “It is a safety concern, especially if they are riding on the county roads,” Gray reiterated.
“I think Gaylon brought up several good points, we have laws on the books that address this,” Board President Cayce Washington noted. “We know the problems that comes with this kind of activity. I think we should encourage the people who organize these rides to coordinate with our sheriff and EMA guys because it could overwhelm us if there is a traffic concern, maybe get routes approved. But my most important concern at this table is to keep the county out of a liability situation. This could come back on us if we approve something, and then something happens and we get in a lawsuit.”
The conversation ended with no action, and Harris said he would reach out to a Tallahatchie County supervisor to see if they have any regulations for trail rides.
