After police find no compromise between residents, the City Commission approved a first reading of an ATV ordinance.

The Madison City Commission approved the First Reading of an ordinance to regulate ATV’s and dirt bikes, at their meeting on Monday. The ordinance would specify that ATVs or dirt bikes must remain at least 50 feet from any adjoining or adjacent property line, and must remain at least 100 feet from an off-site residential dwelling. It also would prohibit the recreational use of an ATV or dirt bike between the hours of 8:00 p.m. and 8:00a.m. There would also be limitations set regarding speed, dust, and the use of ATVs or dirt bikes in environmentally sensitive areas, such as streams, creeks, waterways, drainage ways, wetlands and erosion-sensitive areas.

The ordinance comes after several complaints this year of noise from ATV’s or dirt bikes in the city, all originated from one property. Madison Police Chief Justin Meyer said there are currently no ordinances for the ATVs in city limits, and they were unable to get a compromise between the parties involved in the complaints.