Proposed fees at ONF

[lswjth2]

I got this in an e-mail from ARRA.....     

The Federal Register recently posted a notice for a new fee in Florida's Ocala National Forest.

The USDA Forest Service proposes a new fee site that will involve a special recreation permit for each operator using the Ocala National Forest designated off-highway vehicle trail system. There would be a choice between a three-consecutive day permits ($15) or an annual permit (proposed to be between $60 and up to $120 pending final financial and marketing analysis, public input, and agency review). The Forest Service will use funds generated to sustain the trail system,
facilities, patrols, and monitoring.

The Ocala National Forest is committed to providing quality motorized recreation in balance with what the land can support. The Ocala National Forest recently designated approximately 150 miles of off-highway vehicle trails for motorcycles and unlicensed all-terrain vehicles that consist of mixed-use roads, ATV/motorcycle trails, and motorcycle-only trails. Analysis has begun to consider additional designated trails on the Ocala National Forest which would be included
in the fee permit system.

The proposed fee would be initiated no sooner than April 1, 2007. Comments, concerns, or questions on this proposal must be submitted by October 30, 2006.

Please submit comments, concerns, or questions about this proposal to:
District Ranger
Ocala National Forest
40929 State Road 19
Umatilla, Florida 3448-5849

For further information, please contact:
Bret Bush
Recreation Program Manager
(352) 625-2520 extension 2509

For the full Federal Register notice please visit: http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20061800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2006/06-8929.htm

[MPTonyT]

wow..... i dunno about that. up to 120.00 geez

[cobra96461]

they should also do a family plan, do the math 120 a head if u have 4 kids gets expensive

[450rcrazy]

120$ does sound a bit high if its gonna be that much it should include all florida public riding areas not just onf,It should include croom  and all other places as well.

[KB]

Maybe if they start charging at O.N.F. like they do at croom it would mean less people= less traffic= less riff-raff ?

[KB]

Maybe if they start charging at O.N.F. like they do at croom it would mean less people= less traffic= less riff-raff ?

[4fittyr]

they should have opened up 5 new parks with the title money since 01 and charge $125 permit to all florida parks like disney seaworld and busch garden adventure island does. catering to tourist. $100 a yr for all florida residents

[bluesman]

how much to set up a meth lab?

[450rcrazy]

Maybe if they start charging at O.N.F. like they do at croom it would mean less people= less traffic= less riff-raff ?

Charging at croom does not seem to keep the rif raf out I see plenty of people riding like jack a$$es there. they told us by charging registration for are quads would provide guaranteed riding areas and better data bases to track stolen bikes. they did not tell us even with the data bases the police dont care to try and stop bike thieves and they did not tell us we would have to pay again to use those riding areas

[450rcrazy]

how much to set up a meth lab?

about 15 ta 20 in the pokey.

[randyz]

I wouldnt mind paying if they groomed the trails.  Last time I was there it was nothing but mile after mile of whoops.  I keep hearing they are going to groom them but does anyone know when?

[GrizzlyBear]

We are now about 2 months from getting the last piece of equipment.  The manufacturer has a big contract with the military in Iraq and only produces 1 unit per month.  Maintenance can start then.

[eldiablo64]

$120 is way to much its not like most people ride there every weekend or even once a month for that matter.now if the forest was right in your backyard it wouldn't be so bad but that would still be a steep fee.

[bad2thebone]

They may be two months away from getting the equipment, but it is my understanding that there is only one person to run the equipment, and it has to be a usfs person, along with a biologist, and an environmentalist.

So how much are the trails really going to get groomed?

How much of that fee that I am paying really stays within the forest system. All the money they use to log the forest goes back to Washington to use in all the forests. I know Croom only gets 40 - 50 % of the money they take in.

[pywacket1955]

  $120.00 is alittle steep.  But what the heck,  I'd pay it just to have a place to ride.  ONF is about 3 hours from my house, Croom is about 1.5 hours ( yes i do pay for all 6 bikes to get into Croom). But I perfer to ride at ONF. It's a nature thing.  I also think that the Trail system is a good thing. Ilike the idea of more camp grounds.  It's really a pain to drive 3 hours to find Big Scrub is full. And this is my opinion.

[GrizzlyBear]

In regards to how much of the fee stays here.  The Breakdown is as follows:  80% for the forest, 15% for enforcement, 5% to administer the program.  That is as per Rick Lint today.

[bad2thebone]

For now, that is the way it was at croom, and it isn't that way now.

[randyz]

Thanks for the update GrizzlyBear.

I travel 400 miles one way to Durhamtown and Broadriver to ride on nicely taken care of trails.  I would much rather pay the fee and drive 45 mins to Ocala if & when they get going.

[GrizzlyBear]

Bad2thebone,

I have checked with Bret Bush and what you are saying is not correct.  Anyone can be trained to operate the equipment, including volunteers.  Also, as the trail corridors have already been approved be  environmentalists and biologists, they are not involved, other then they want to see that the trails are maintained so that riders do not decide to go off trails

[350x_rider]

does anybody know if this fee will be a tag the rider wears like hatfield mcoy or a sticker like croom,one for each bike.I dont mind a fee,even think its good,but with 5 atvs i would rather put a tag on me instead of one on each bike at 120 each.when I go to hatfield I buy 1 sticker and am legal on any of my atvs.If someone knows I would like some info.thanks

[banana-man]

Did they ever get that equipment?  The marked trails are NOT groomed.

How often would this need to be done?  It seems like some sort of rake dragged behind a ute or sm 4x4 would do it.

We are now about 2 months from getting the last piece of equipment.  The manufacturer has a big contract with the military in Iraq and only produces 1 unit per month.  Maintenance can start then.

[GrizzlyBear]

The swego, which is a trail bulldozer (4 ft wide) is to be finally delivered this month.  The company that makes this equipment only makes one per month for public use, everything else they make goes to Iraq.

[Prairie Master]

I still want to know why I have to pay for a little green sticker and also pay for a permit to ride in ocala , I'm aware the sticker is for  titling and proof of ownership  "another way to collect sales tax"  and to make new trails  and to maintain trails . According to the permit fee its used to maintain trails and facilities. Trails in ocala are still not groomed and I here the groomer will be here in a few months , what facilities need to be maintained All there is there is an out house. I want to know where the figures are for the collected tax for all these orvs are I looked at the link below and couldn't find it.

There is a motorcycle cat, but I would think revenue from this program would be seperate from that.



http://www.hsmv.state.fl.us/html/revpub/revpub05-06.pdf

[lisa]

Bad2thebone,

I have checked with Bret Bush and what you are saying is not correct.  Anyone can be trained to operate the equipment, including volunteers.

   That is interesting, at the OHV meeting I attended, the USFS person told us that only USFS employee could use the equipment. I seriously doubt that has changed. I mean, can you volunteer to drive any city truck you want to? The government doesn't allow non-trained, non-licensed folks on their equipment, or let volunteers drive heavy machinery. 

[dvx400#1]

before
3 $ NIGHT TO CAMP
I COULD NIGHT RIDE
NO FEE TO USE THE FOREST WICH I ALREADY PAY FOR SOME HOW ANYWAYS
$50 ON GAS, NOT INCLUDING GAS FOR BIKE
i could play up front of the cAMP GROUND
TOTAL FOR A 3 DAY WEEKEND $59.00

NOW
$35 FOR REGISTERING BIKE
$ 6 OR $8 A NIGHT TO Camp
no night riding
NO MORE PLAYING IN THE FRONT
$15 A DAY TO USE SOMETHING I ALREADY PAY FOR ANY WAYS
$75 IN GAS, NOT INCLUDING GAS FOR BIKE
CLOSE DOWN AREAS, LIMITED PLACES TO RIDE
TOTAL FOR 3 DAY WEEKEND $193.00

IF YOU HAVE MORE THAN 1 BIKE