Sam Fletcher reports from the Oak Harbor City Council meeting on Tue., Dec. 3, 2024 for the Whidbey News-Times.
The streets of Oak Harbor may soon look more like a Johnny Cash song: riding around in style and driving everybody wild.
Last week in a 5-1 vote, the city council approved Ordinance 2013 to allow all-terrain vehicles or ATVs on city streets.
Councilmember Barbara Armes was the sole dissenter.
They Said It
“Traffic is already a zoo,” [Armes] said. “It’s already a mess, and I have reservations about this. It’s just more enforcement, and how many people are going to comply?”
“Growing up, I always wanted one of these,” said Councilmember Bryan Stucky. “As I was doing a little more research I’m like, ‘Man, those things look fun.’ So I can’t say I might not end up with one of these in the future.”
Councilmember Christopher Wiegenstein was also in favor.
“I’ve had some toys over the years, and I enjoy them, and when I had one here in Oak Harbor I couldn’t ride it,” he said.
Councilmember Jim Woessner seemed a bit more hesitant. The ordinance makes more sense in the county than the city, he said.
ATVs can be noisy, he said, and he hopes the few people who take advantage of the new rule don’t abuse it by crossing county lines.
The city has greater traffic concerns, he said, like the flow of traffic downtown, parking in commercial areas and decreasing its carbon footprint. Ordinance 2013 addresses none of this.
While he ultimately sided with the majority, he said, “I get it, but I don’t get it.”
