© Ilion Snowdrifters Inc. 2020/2021
Village
Snowmobile Law
Village of Ilion – Snowmobile Code
[History: Adopted by the Board of Trustees of the Village of Ilion 12-10-
1974 as L.L. No. 5-1974. Section 191-14 added and § 191-15 amended
at the time of adoption of Code; see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I.
Other amendments noted where applicable.]
General References
Noise – See Ch. 159.
Parks and Recreation Areas – See Ch. 163
Streets and Sidewalks – See Ch. 197.
Vehicles and Traffic – See Ch. 239.
§ 191-1. Title.
This chapter shall be known as and may be cited as the " Snowmobile
Ordinance of the Village of Ilion”.
§ 191-2. Purpose
The purpose of this chapter is to protect the public health, welfare and
safety by regulating the operation of snowmobiles on public highways
and places in the Village of Ilion in a manner which will be compatible
with the use of such highways and places for vehicular and pedestrian
travel and other uses and which will promote the safe and proper use of
snowmobiles for recreation and commerce and minimize detrimental
effects of such use on the environment.
§ 191-3. Definitions
The terms, words and phrases used in this chapter shall have the same
meanings as such terms, words and phrases are defined in § 21.05 of
the Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation Law.
§ 191-4. Operation subject to certain provisions.
Operation of snowmobiles on highways and streets in the Village of Ilion,
whenever herein permitted, shall be subject to the applicable provisions
of Articles 21 through 27 of the Parks, Recreation and Historic
Preservation Law and the rules and regulations of the Office of Parks,
Recreation and Historic Preservation, except as modified by the
restrictions and conditions set forth in this chapter.
§ 191-5. Operation on village streets.
A. Village streets and highways. It shall be unlawful for any person to
operate a snowmobile on any street or highway in the Village of Ilion
except the operation by a resident owner or his guests of a snowmobiler
for the sole purpose of leaving the village from his place of residence by
the nearest possible route and returning from outside the village to his
place of residence by the nearest possible route.
Side of highway. For the purpose of the snowmobile operation permitted
in Subsection A above, all of the streets or highways of the Village of Ilion
are hereby designated for the purpose of operation of snowmobiles on
the extreme side of the street or highway, except those streets and
highways specifically excluded in the next following subsection C.
Excluded streets, highways and areas. Snowmobiles shall not be
operated on the following streets, highways and other areas designated:
(1) On County Road No. 14 (Barringer Road) from West Main Street to
Brook Street.
(2) On New York State Highway Route 5-S.
(3) On Second Street from Otsego Street to Barringer Road.
(4) On Central Avenue from East Clark Street north to the village line.
(5) On New York State Highway Route 51 on the portion known as
"Otsego Street" from East Clark Street south to the village line.
(6) In any portion of the downtown business area within the boundaries
of New York State Highway Route 5-S (Clark Street) on the north and
Second Street on the south and Otsego Street on the east and West
Street on the west.
(7) On private property of another without the express permission to do
so by the owner or occupant of said property.
(8) On public school grounds, park property, cemeteries, playgrounds,
recreational areas and golf courses without express provision or
permission to do so by the proper public authority.
§ 191-6. Operation by minors.
No person under the age of ten (10) years shall operate a snowmobile in
the Village of Ilion.
B. Operation of a snowmobile in the Village of Ilion by a person ten (10)
years of age or over and less than sixteen (16) years of age is hereby
restricted and subject to the following provisions:
(1) Such an operator is defined for purposes of this chapter as a
"youthful operator."
(2) Operation by a youthful operator is subject to the provisions of the
Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation Law as herein modified and
restricted.
(3) A youthful operator must be accompanied by and under the
immediate supervision of a snowmobile operator sixteen (16) years of
age or over, and there shall be at least one (1) such operator sixteen (16)
years of age or older for each group of three (3) or fewer youthful
operators.
§ 191-7. Hours of operation.
No person shall operate a snowmobile on or in any of the permitted or
designated streets and highways between the hours of 11:00 p.m. and
8:00 a.m., except that on Saturday, Sunday and holidays the prohibited
hours shall be between 1:00 a.m. and 8:00 a.m. Holidays shall be
Thanksgiving Day, Christmas, New Year’s Day, Washington’s Birthday,
Lincoln’s Birthday and Easter.
§ 191-8. Speed restricted.
No person shall operate a snowmobile within the Village of Ilion at a
speed greater than ten (10) miles per hour.
§ 191-9. Additional provisions for operation on highways.
Emergency. A snowmobile may be operated on a highway for the
purpose of an emergency as authorized by § 25.05, Subdivision 2, of the
Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation Law.
No person shall operate a snowmobile on any street or highway except
on the right side of the right-of-way, traveling in a single file, and persons
shall not ride tandem or abreast of each other and shall travel on the
right side of the road in the same direction as the flow of vehicular traffic,
and the operator shall be in a standing position, with the snowmobile
running lights on.
No snowmobile shall be operated in any manner that would interfere with
the operation of snowplows in plowing the streets or sidewalks of the
village.
No person shall operate or ride upon a snowmobile unless he wears a
protective helmet approved by the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles for
use in the operation of motorcycle equipment pursuant to the Vehicle and
Traffic Law, such helmet to be equipped with either a neck or chin strap
and be reflectorized on both sides thereof.
§ 191-10. Obedience to traffic controls.
Each person operating a snowmobile on any village street or highway
shall observe strictly all vehicular traffic signs and signals and all other
rules and regulations applicable to vehicular traffic and shall obey the
orders and directions of any state or local police or other law
enforcement officer authorized to direct or regulate traffic.
§ 191-11. Unlawful operation.
It shall be unlawful for any person to operate a snowmobile under the
following circumstances:
In a manner so as to create loud, unnecessary or unusual noise so as to
disturb or interfere with the peace and quiet of other persons.
In a careless, reckless or negligent manner so as to endanger the safety
of any person or the property of any other person.
§ 191-12. Unattended snowmobiles unlawful.
It shall be unlawful for any owner or operator to leave or allow a
snowmobile to be left unattended on any village highway or public place.
§ 191-13. Right – of – way.
Pedestrians and all other motor vehicles, including snowplows, shall
have the right-of-way over all snowmobiles operated within the village.
§ 191-14. Operation in Russell Park.
Operation of snowmobiles in Russell Park shall be subject to the
applicable provisions of Articles 21 through 27 of the Parks, Recreation
and Historic Preservation Law and the rules and regulations of the Office
of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, except as modified by
the restrictions and conditions set forth in this chapter.
It shall be unlawful for any person to operate a snowmobile in Russell
Park at a time, at a place and in a manner contrary to this chapter.
Excluded areas. Snowmobiles shall not be operated in the area called
"the bowl", the ice skating rink or on the main park road between Phillip
Street and Highland Avenue or in any other area other than the back
park roadways or on any trail marked or designated with signs.
§ 191-15. Penalties for offenses. [Amended 1-27-1992 by L.L. No. 2-
1992]
Unless otherwise provided in the Vehicle and Traffic Law, any person
commiting an offense against any provision of this chapter shall be guilty
of a violation and, upon conviction thereof, shall be punishable for each
offense by a fine of not more than two hundred fifty dollars ($250.00) or
by imprisonment for not more than fifteen (15) days, or both.
§ 191-16. When effective.
This chapter shall take effect immediately upon its filing in accordance
with the provisions of § 27 of the Municipal Home Rule Law; provided,
however, that no snowmobile shall be operated under the provisions
hereof until such time as the signs and markers are installed or
constructed in accordance with the requirements of Article 25 of the
Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation Law and the Rules and
regulations of the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and
Historic Preservation.