A nonprofit pushing for an off-road vehicle park in Forest County says the plan is not dead, despite a committee’s vote to keep the door closed against allowing off-road vehicles on county forest land.
The Wisconsin Off-Road Vehicle Park Incorporated or WORVPI says some of its members will meet Thursday to discuss next steps.
The group has been pushing for Forest County to purchase land needed for the large park, which is proposed to ultimately cover 10,000 acres. But the county would have first needed to change its 15-year forest plan, which currently does not allow for that kind of use.
Over a hundred people turned out a committee meeting to address the issue, with most voicing opposition to a park on county land. Committee members voted 4 to 2 against the amendments.
County Forester David Ziolkowski says proposed amendments would have opened the door to campgrounds and motorized trails on county forest land.
“There’s no language--in fact in any plan, in the state of Wisconsin on any county forest right now--that allows for an MRA park or a motorized recreation area," he explained. "So this was new language or kind of precedent setting.”
Many residents have voiced concern about financial risk, noise and potential environmental damage.
Park opponent and Lincoln town supervisor Steve Bunda says he’s relieved the measure failed at an early stage.
“It’s not legal to operate a business on county forest lands and stewardship lands," he said. "You really couldn’t operate a business like that anyway. So it’s best to stop wasting the taxpayer money.”
Ziolkowski says it was difficult to draft language for the amendment, because WORVPI did not provide detailed information requested by the forestry committee.
