ATV Florida Forum

Will be held on January 30th 2008.

Location: Naples Florida

I will post more information when an exact location and time have been determined.

For additional information:
Tami Leonard, OHV Recreation Coordinator
Email: leonart@doacs.state.fl.us
Telephone: 352/ 489-5267
FAX: 352/ 489-9352

Is anyone here going to attend this meeting?
I would like to know what is on the agenda.
This is on a Wednesday if ANYONE can go, please do so. I wish it was closer to me. Maybe I'll be sick that day and have to take off of work. LOL!  8)

Thanks Scooter.
Please keep us posted. I should be able to make it.

Brian, I will be there. 

I haven't received the agenda from Tami yet bu i will post it when I get it. 

Long time ATV owner short time memeber of this site,  What can I do to help voice opinions about outdoor activities that are being made illegal in this state?

Off-Highway Vehicle Recreation Advisory Committee Meeting
January 30, 2008

North Collier Regional Park- Exhibit Hall
15000 Livingston Road, Naples, FL  34109, (239) 252-4060.

AGENDA

9:00 a.m.   Welcome and Introductions         Wayne Briske

9:10 a.m.    Approval of Minutes from Last Meeting   Wayne Briske

9:15 a.m.    Titling Update            Stan Kirkland

9:30 a.m.    Statewide OHV Public Lands Update   John Waldron
   USFS
   Miami-Dade
   Collier County
   Whiting Field
10:00 a.m.    Subcommittee Reports         Subcommittee Chairs
   Legislation
   Public Information
   Grants
   Sites
10:45 a.m.   Break (Finish Reports)

11:00 a.m.       OHV Safety Recreation Program   John Waldron & Tami Leonard

11:45 p.m.      Strategic Plan   Tami Leonard

12:30 p.m.      Public Comments   Wayne Briske

12:50 p.m.     Schedule Next Meeting (April)   Wayne Briske

 1:00 p.m.      Meeting Adjourned

Wow, I might have to call in sick to work that day. hehehe
What can a group of "public" do for this meeting? What should a group of people who want riding areas do?
It may take much time before real progress happens, but if it is baby steps that need be taken, then I think it is important to go and at least try to learn and work with these state people.

Brian,
It would be a good thing for you to attend.......I'll be there to represent the riders.

bump

a roll call of whos going should be started, where to gather, should we bring atvs in truck beds and trailers? also placed in every section of the forum...everyone complains about having no place to ride then they should all attend this meeting

I will be leaving at 5:30-6am from Jupiter and will be taking 95 South to 575/75 right into Naples

I will be leaving North Port at 7:15 am and have room for 3

These are my comments that Scott will be reading on my behalf. If you can go, please go and show support fro finding legal riding areas. The state of Florida (we) own over 5 MILLION acres.....thxs


                                                       To the State of Florida ORV committee


Dear representatives,

Thank you for taking the time to drive to Naples and provide us with the information you have, unfortunately nothing has happened since we met in Miami about 1.5 years ago. Not one square foot of public land has opened up for legal Atv riding in this State that has over 5 Million acres of land under the public trust, not one, yet we have lost over 10 lives in accidents here in South Florida.

Today, we the responsible riding Atv community are the new “blacks”,we we are banned out of areas that were once open to our family and children. Places like the Picayune state forest, places like Holeylands, and now the rumor is Big Cypress will also be a past dream. Meanwhile, the criminal agencies like SFWMD keep approving developments in areas where we are told are to “sensitive” to ride, but not sensitive enough to concrete over. 
Let me ask you this, why is it that you division, division of Forestry that is in charge of this OHV program, does not have a single foot of ATV riding allowed on these Dept of Forestry lands? Why?

Unfortunately nothing will change until the state get’s dragged into court and made responsible for their continuous persecution of a family sport, but I guess we live in a state where  we like to cut down the trees, place concrete over dirt, and what dirt is allowed, put a barb wire fence around it and call it a “preserve” until some developer coughs up money, then all of the sudden it’s no longer needed.

Rick Varela
Naples, Fl

You've got to be kidding me?
Comparing ATV riders to "blacks?"
Can you work on that a little, please?

Yep, at one time in this country and sometimes is still happens,people of color where discriminated solely on the basis of their skin color. Today if you ride an ATV regardless if it's a sport or an ute, you are automatically thought of as a drunk, toothless, uneducated, outlaw. Unfortunately that's (in my opinion) what the general public thinks of us. And if you go to some of the places where we ride, you come across garbage and cans all over the place giving those that don't like us ammunition, whether it was us or the hikers, we will always take the blame.


The state of Florida spends millions of dollars every year in putting in bike paths, boat ramps, hiking trails, horse trails, boardwalks etc. The only one's that don't get crap are us, hence my feelings of discrimination and unless we stand together and scream and howler, we will continue to take it up the arse......Rick

LOL! I'm with you Rick. We are, in many ways discriminated against, but again, to compare us to "blacks" is only asking for trouble. I'm just hoping you can reword it while maintaining the discrimination part.

No, i don't think it should be reworded, while there's no comparison of the struggle that colored people had to go through through to achieve the same civil liberties as the rest of the country, I stand by my comment. ATV's are not wanted anywhere, laws are written specifically to keep us out, while allowing others, that's by definition is discrimination,plain and simple.

Wow a whole 20 min for public comments.
Short of an emergency I will be there.
I would not recomend bring your bikes. They can not be seen from the meeting area.

I'm guessing like many other appointed "ADVISORY" committee's this one has about as much power to change laws (open up riding area's) than the rest of them  in government....please tell me if I'm wrong here but don't they report to a higher power with there findings and suggestions, and then that higher power probably throws it all in the trash!!! Who ever has the most money or biggest lobbying group gets the votes...I think its great to get involved show your support etc. etc....but untlil we can get a legislator or a big lobby group (ATV MANUFACTURERS) behind us; these little puppet meetings will do nothing for us but to pacify us (keep us quiet) untill it's too late....as it was said in lswjth2'S letter since the meeting in Miami over 1.5 years ago nothing has opend but plenty has "CLOSED" BUT i'M SURE ALL THOSE MEETINGS WENT WELL?

DISCLAIMER: Although lswjth2's letter was quoted in part in this post it does not signify my support of the entirety or conclutions the letter derives...ie " Today, we the responsible riding Atv community are the new “blacks”,  ;)

It's 5 am and I am headed out the door to go to Naples. I wish I had gone to bed earlier LOL!!

what happen  any new news?

The temporary 200 acre park in Collier county has been scrubbed. They are still doing the park at Lake Trafford site (in 5 years after the dredging is done).

Polk County is purchasing 200 acres from Mosaic this year with an ajoining 1000 acres in 2 years.

Dade County and Collier County are working on a 1000 acre site near big cypress which is owned by Dade County Aviation Authority, this is a long term project with many enviromental concerns and will take 2- 5 years to develop.

They are in the process of adding side by sides to the program so they can be titled.

We were assured that Big Cypress will remain open to OHV use with the current plan that is in place.

The next meeting is in Brooksville near Croom in mid April.

 

NPS – Big Cypress National Preserve ORV Advisory Committee

March 18, 2008, 3:00 pm
Everglades City Community Center, 205 Buckner Ave, Everglades City

The Committee will meet to discuss ORV management issues within the Preserve. The meeting’s agenda will be accessible by clicking here once it becomes available. Time for public comment will be allotted. For further information, please contact Karen Gustin, Superintendent, at 239-695-1103.

http://www.arra-access.com/campaign/senate_naturalresources_ohvuse/e6i63n417x65bdi?