Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV)
Feasibility Plan
August 2004 – page 1
INTRODUCTION:
The development of this Off-Highway
Vehicle (OHV) Park Feasibility Plan is
in response to a request by many of the
OHV enthusiasts that have recently
approached the St. Lucie Board of
County
Commissioners
(Board)
regarding the construction of an offhighway vehicle riding area in St. Lucie
County. The citizens concerns are about
the large number of OHV enthusiasts
that do not have a place for this type of
recreation. Currently, OHV riding is
conducted primarily on non-public lands
without regard to borders, environmental
consideration, or safety. This results in
illegal and often unsafe riding of OHVs.
See Exhibit I for a copy of the February
25, 2004, All Terrain Vehicle (ATV)
Park
Memorandum
requesting
permission to proceed with the
development of an OHV Park Feasibility
Plan.
Due to the size requirements of an OHV
facility, the issue of using St. Lucie
County International Airport as a riding
area was discussed. As a result of the
many discussions that the off-road
vehicle enthusiasts have had with the
Commissioners, on April 27, 2004 the
Board instructed staff to develop an OffHighway
Vehicle
(OHV)
Park
Feasibility Plan. Based on the Board
direction of April 27th, the Airport has
assumed responsibility for developing a
Feasibility Plan to address the issues
associated with the development of an
OHV riding area in St. Lucie County.
The original intent of the development of
this Feasibility Plan was to develop an
interim site that can be used while
excess profits are escrowed so that a
permanent site can be purchased and
developed.
Since this type of activity is currently
not in St. Lucie County, the Airport
recruited County staff members and
members of the community to act as the
Steering Committee for the development
of this Feasibility Plan. The interested
community
members
included
citizens, OHV sales representatives, and
manufacturers. The Steering Committee
met seven times since April to develop
this Feasibility Plan for the proposed
OHV trail riding area at the Airport. See
Exhibit II for a copy of the minutes for
each of the Steering Committee's
meetings.
It is staff’s intent that the resources of
the Steering Committee will continue to
be used to oversee facility development
and operations of the OHV Park if the
Board approves this use.
PURPOSE AND NEED:
Communities need to provide safe,
quality opportunities for outdoor
recreation that meet the needs and
desires of their citizens. Traditionally,
communities have provided open
lands for sporting activities that we
would typically consider recreational in
nature, such as soccer, baseball,
swimming, and picnicking. As indicated
by the
growing popularity of
off-highway vehicle recreation, there is a
need to provide space and facilities for
off-road vehicle recreationists.
The goal of this off-highway vehicle
recreation area is to provide diverse and
challenging opportunities for off-road
enthusiasts. This will be accomplished
by providing trails, scramble and rally
areas, vehicle testing areas, and special
event
facilities
to
accommodate
Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV)
Feasibility Plan
August 2004 – page 2
motorcyclists, all-terrain vehicle (ATV)
riders, and bicyclists with varying skill
levels.
IDENTIFICATION OF DEMAND
Currently, there are no legal riding areas
for off-highway vehicles in St. Lucie
County. However, as evidenced by the
continuous trespassing on private and
public land, there is a definite need for
areas designated for off-highway vehicle
use. Population growth, specifically in
Port St. Lucie, has drawn attention to the
countywide shortage of appropriate and
legal areas to ride off-highway vehicles.
An OHV Park as defined by this
Feasibility Plan is a place for family and
community based recreational activities.
As identified by the Steering Committee,
the OHV Park can also provide
educational
programs,
and
environmentally enhancing activities.
While some may consider OHV and
other recreational vehicle sports a small
phenomenon, the statistics prove
otherwise. There are more than 529,000
off-highway vehicle clubs worldwide,
and a local Florida off-highway vehicle
organization’s website receives more
than 32,000 hits annually to their
website listing safety and consumer tips,
as well as locations for families and
individuals to ride.
In 2002, the State Legislature passed
legislation to require all OHVs that are
used on public property be registered.
The following table depicts the
registered OHV through June 2004.
The OHV Park, as outlined by the
Steering Committee, must be developed
and managed as a highly regulated
recreational area that provides for a
variety
of
off-highway
driving
experiences.
St. Lucie County
Treasure Coast
Within 100 miles
Within 200 miles
STATEWIDE
Registered OHVs
1627
4,555
30,331
88,076
102,455
ILLEGAL ACTIVITY
Crossroads Commerce Park, the
Savannahs, FEC, the Gatlin Boulevard
area and many other formerly remote
areas have long been used as riding areas
for off-highway vehicles. However, as
development pressures have caused offhighway enthusiasts to clash with
homeowners. These unregulated riding
areas have never been able to adequately
address environmental and social
concerns.
By providing a site that can be
developed with environmental and social
concerns, the OHV Park could serve an
affluent, educated community that would
naturally lend itself to communitybuilding and educational and ecological
activities including nature conservation
and education, rider training and safety,
multi-use
trails,
camping,
and
picnicking. This OHV Park would also
provide opportunities for comfortable
collaboration between government,
private citizens, and special-interest
groups. For example, County Extension
educators would find the facility a
perfect location for safety education and
an awesome teaching tool to help new
and transitional residents understand the
ecological and natural beauty of Florida
and how to maintain and appreciate
both.
Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV)
Feasibility Plan
August 2004 – page 3
COMMUNITY BENEFITS
The community benefits of creating an
OHV Park are numerous. Any familyoriented activity a community provides
helps to improve the quality of life in
that area. A good quality of life is one of
the top priorities of professionals and job
seekers considering a move to any area,
and is often the deciding factor when a
position is offered. A strong, familyoriented community provides multiple
opportunities to its members to spend
time together in the outdoors, and offers
safety and environmental educational
venues to help raise community and
environmental
awareness.
Familyfriendly communities see a significantly
lower rate of crime, substance abuse, and
vandalism, all of which are attributed to
the positive opportunities provided by
the community to its members. While an
OHV facility would provide a fun place
for families to stay and grow together, it
would also help enhance the quality of
living in St. Lucie County for
community members of all ages.
Also to be considered is the possibility
of this OHV Park being created as a
mixed-use facility, wherein hikers,
mountain bikers, and other nonmotorized users could enjoy the
facilities, or a portion thereof. This
would also benefit the area and provide
one more outlet for physical activity,
family-oriented use, and economic
benefit to St. Lucie County.
ECONOMIC BENEFIT
The economic benefits of a familyoriented facility are tremendous. In
addition to bringing families closer
together and providing recreational and
tourism opportunities for individuals and
groups to visit the area, the potential for
additional income to the area is
substantial.
Providing
safe,
family-friendly
opportunities for recreation is a high
priority for many Americans, and
addressing this priority is a proven
financial boom for areas, which have
done so in the past. The State of
California brings in more than $2 billion
each year from OHV facilities, which
provide structured riding for individuals
and families.
St. Lucie County could be on the cutting
edge by addressing this need;
particularly since the State of Florida is
interested in exploring and creating new
OHV facilities to meet the growing need
in the State.
With the implementation of the T. Mark
Schmidt Safety and Recreation Act of
2002, all new OHVs sold in the State of
Florida and used on public lands must be
titled by the Department of Highway
Safety and Motor Vehicles. A
percentage of the titling fees go into a
trust fund to help develop new OHV
areas. Florida Statutes, Chapter 261 of
this act speaks to OHV safety and
recreation and attempts to provide new
areas for OHV’s in order to sustain longterm
use
and
minimize
the
environmental impact of OHV’s.
The number of OHV’s in Florida has
more than doubled in the last ten years,
and the State of Florida is very actively
attempting to develop a system of OHV
recreational areas and trails on public
lands within the state.
Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV)
Feasibility Plan
August 2004 – page 4
To this end, Chris Reed, the Off
Highway Vehicle Coordinator for the
State, is working with the University of
Florida on an Economic Impact Study,
which should be initiated during the
month of August. This study will look
into the economic benefits and pitfalls of
an OHV facility in Florida. This
information will help add credibility to
what St. Lucie County’s Steering
Committee already knows, that the
addition of an OHV Facility would be a
tremendous economic impact to the area,
both directly, through use fees, and
indirectly, through trailside businesses,
hotels, restaurants, repair, customization
and parts suppliers, and other
recreational activities in the area.
The results of the Feasibility Study being
prepared by St. Lucie County and the
Economic
Impact
Study
being
coordinated by Chris Reed and the
University of Florida should help bolster
a case for tourism dollars to be funneled
into these efforts in St. Lucie County.
An example of the benefits of creating
such a facility follows:
Tom and Mary Jones and their three
kids (10, 12, and 14) are heading north
from Miami to Fort Pierce for a
weekend of riding. When they exit the
turnpike at Okeechobee Road, they stop
in to grab a bite to eat at a nearby
restaurant, and fill their tank with fuel.
Mary picks up a couple of bags of
oranges to toss in the cooler for snacks,
and the crew is on their way to check in
at their hotel. The kids share the room
adjoining to their parents, so two more
hotel rooms are now booked for the
weekend.
The five catch a movie on Friday
evening at the NOVA Cinemas, and stop
for an ice cream cone afterwards. The
fourteen-year-old son dashes into Publix
because he’s forgotten to pack his hair
gel, and while there, the crew grabs
some juice boxes and deli meats for
tomorrow’s picnic.
After a great night’s sleep, the crew
grabs a bite to eat at a nearby coffee
shop, and heads to the Airport OHV
Park, where they pay their entrance fee,
don their helmets, and head out for a few
hours of fun and thrills. The ten year old
enrolls in and takes a morning safety
education class provided by local
Cooperative
Extension
staff
in
cooperation with the St. Lucie County
Sheriff’s Department, while the rest of
the group rides through the morning.
Dinner after a great day of riding is a
super experience, and the whole family
enjoys a walk on the beach at sunset,
before playing a round of miniature golf
at the new place that just opened near
the OHV park, and the family retires
early, but not until they’ve brushed their
teeth after the post-golf ice cream cone.
Tomorrow they’ll enjoy a planned
activity/special event at the OHV Park,
which will offer riding, and special
activities to help learn about other
things going on in the area. Mary
already wants to come back to visit
Heathcote Botanical Garden, and Tom
has heard that Fairwinds is a great
place for a round of golf. Meanwhile, the
kids are doing their own planning, trying
to figure out when the next three-day
weekend off is, so they can grab some
friends and do a multi-family riding
weekend next time.
Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV)
Feasibility Plan
August 2004 – page 5
No less than 14 businesses benefited
from the Jones family’s weekend of fun
in St. Lucie County. That’s not including
any maintenance, repair, or upgrades the
family may have chosen to include while
they were in the area.
And you can be certain that the Jones
family will share the experience with
other members of their OHV club and
friends from work and school, which is
the kind of tourism advertising that
money simply cannot buy.
The
economic benefits for pre-existing
businesses are tremendous, and the
opportunity for new trailside businesses
and special events, including charitable
and
community
fundraisers,
is
phenomenal!
Examples of other possible special
events that could be planned for the new
facility include:








Pumpkin Run
Scavenger Hunts
Eco-Educational Rides
Trail Clean Up
o Coordinated by Users and
OHV Clubs
Halloween Haunted Family Trail
Ride
o Featuring
safety
education,
o Free vehicle and helmet
checks,
o Low/reduced cost helmet
replacement sponsored by
OHV clubs.
Fundraiser for Area Scholarships
o Sponsored by clubs and
local businesses
Ice cream socials and community
picnics
Moonlight rides




Community dances/block parties
Hot Air Balloon Festival
Conservation Day
o Sponsored and staffed by
OHV enthusiasts and
clubs
Senior Citizen Days
o Including
rides
and
special activities for
community seniors
SOCIAL BENEFITS
The social benefits of any familyoriented, community activity are
obvious. In addition to individuals and
families utilizing the facility, the OHV
Park could also be used for other familyoriented activities, including: picnics,
reunions, business outings, special
events, educational venues, fundraisers,
conservation opportunities, teambuilding
exercises. OHV riding is a familyoriented recreation. OHV’s are designed
and built for all ages.
Because a structured, sanctioned
location for riding will have been made
available, the residents of St. Lucie
County would be pleased to welcome:





More controlled riding
A decrease in 911 calls
A proven activity to help prevent
and
decrease
juvenile
delinquency
Opportunities to help educate,
and raise awareness of situations,
which provoke road rage. OHV
facilities and structured riding
opportunities have been shown to
consistently help prevent road
rage
A reduction in the inmate
population, since the delinquency
Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV)
Feasibility Plan
August 2004 – page 6
rate
would
decrease
and
economic benefits would provide
less reason for criminal activity.
ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS
All recreational park’s, in particular,
OHV Park's must address environmental
concerns. OHV Park's typically come
under greater scrutiny than most projects
to
ensure
that
they
address
environmental protection. The most
critical environmental and social issues
that must be addressed are wetlands, air
and sound quality, threatened and
endangered species, and cultural
resources. Every effort should be made
to avoid development in environmentally
sensitive areas.
An OHV park would…




Help prevent the spread of less
desirous grasses in the area
Decrease the incidence of illegal
riding
on
environmental
properties
Increase the safety and pristine
quality of important environmental wetlands
Provide a natural firebreak to
help eliminate dangerous and
land-threatening brush fires.
By creating a separate, legal facility for
OHV enthusiasts, trespassing and illegal
riding
activities
would
decrease
considerably, helping to preserve the
delicate and pristine natural beauty of
this area.
EDUCATIONAL BENEFITS
Because an OHV is a powerful piece of
motorized equipment, it would be
irresponsible to offer an OHV park
without also including important safety
education and training opportunities.
Historically, all-terrain vehicles are sold
with little or no training provided to
anyone but the person actually making
the purchase. Manufacturers of these
vehicles place the responsibility of
training and safety education on the
buyer, typically a parent or guardian.
This is a recipe for danger and can lead
to the incidence of serious physical and
property damage. While parents and
guardians should obviously be the main
source of data and education for
children, the reality is that many adults
are not in complete control of their
vehicles. By offering a safe, structured
place to educate, train, and ride OHV’s,
St. Lucie County would also be placing
itself at the forefront in the state as an
OHV Training Ground.
Grants and funding are available through
safety education, government, and
manufacturers to help provide training
and safety education, all of which lead to
more responsible drivers both on and
off-road. This has the potential to help
decrease insurance costs for motorists in
the area, something, which everyone
would welcome.
Fine educational institutions like Indian
River Community College (IRCC) and
the community educators at Cooperative
Extension, and Environmental Resources
would be a natural collaborator on such
a program of safety, and environmental
education, as would local and state law
enforcement officials. Because OHV’s
are also used in agricultural settings,
Cooperative Extension would be the
most likely coordinator of agricultural
training, and could partner with the
County to write and receive grants and
Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV)
Feasibility Plan
August 2004 – page 7
funding to help implement training and
safe driver programs.
There are also opportunities for
environmental and cultural education,
particularly involving this region, which
is rich in history and natural beauty.
Collaborations with local museums,
botanical gardens, organizations, and
clubs are a natural outcropping of this
ambitious venture.
LEGAL ISSUES
There are always legal concerns when
considering this type of venture.
However, according to the Off Highway
Vehicle Coordinator for the State of
Florida, the largest concern is, as
expected, an issue of liability.
Pursuant to Section 768.28, Florida
Statutes, the County’s tort liability is
limited to $100,000 per individual claim
with an aggregate of $200,000 for all
claims arising from a single incident. In
the event a judgment exceeds this
amount, the plaintiff does have the
option of seeking a claims bill through
the Legislature for payment in excess of
these limits.
in the Croom riding area. See Exhibit III
for sample copies of liability waivers
and rules and regulations
Mr. Reed also mentioned that the State
Legislature has recognized that there are
inherent risks associated with equestrian
related activities.
According to the State Legislature, these
inherent risks may result in injury, harm,
or death to persons on or around horses.
As a result, the State Legislature has
granted protection to those entities
involved in equestrian activities. As a
result, no participant shall have any
claim for injury, loss, damage, or death
of the participant resulting from any of
the inherent risks of equestrian activities.
Mr. Reed mentioned that there is an
effort in the legislative system to pass
laws similar to equestrian laws that
would limit the liability of agencies and
managers of public OHV sites.
As a remedy, a public agency may need
to promulgate rules for an OHV area to
help limit liability and ensure adequate
law-enforcement capability.
INJURY REPORT
However, the State is currently working
hard to deal with the issue of liability
and hopes to have additional information
in the very near future.
Chris Reed suggested that the Steering
Committee and St. Lucie County might
want to consider contracting out the
maintenance and daily operation of any
OHV/OHV facility, including law
enforcement, site maintenance, and
wildlife officers, which might also take
some of the liability burden away. Reed
also stated that liability waivers are used
In 2001, the U.S. Consumer Product
Safety Commission (CPSC) and
members of the OHV industry
conducted studies related to injuries and
exposure with regard to OHV riding.
Since 1997 there has been an increase in
injuries associated with ATV's. In 1997
there were an estimated 54,700 injuries
treated in hospital emergency rooms.
2001 the number had risen by over 100
percent to 111,700.
Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV)
Feasibility Plan
August 2004 – page 8
A copy of the All-terrain Vehicle 2001
Injury and Exposure Studies dated 2003
produced by the Consumer Product
Safety Commission is included as
Exhibit IV.
SITE SELECTION
According to the Off-Highway Vehicle
Safety and Recreation Act Report
prepared by the Florida Department of
Agriculture and Consumer Services, four
more regional OHV recreation areas are
needed. Croom Motorcycle Area and
Ocala, Osceola and Apalachicola
National Forests currently provide the
only current significant public land base
for OHV riding opportunities in Florida.
There are several geographic regions
where the OHV riding public does not
have readily accessible riding, and they
must drive a minimum two or three
hours to reach one of the existing areas.
Ideally, there should be public OHV
recreational area within one hours
driving distance of most Floridians.
This would be the case if the four new
areas were established.
According to the report, these OHV
riding areas should be located as
follows:




The Panhandle – at a location
between Panama City and
Pensacola
Southwest Florida – at a location
between Sarasota and Naples
Southeast Florida – at a location
in the St. Lucie / Martin Counties
Southeast Florida – at a location
in the Miami-Dade / Broward
County area.
ENVIRONMENTAL LANDS
Since many of the off-road vehicle
enthusiasts have targeted environmenttally sensitive areas for off-road vehicle
riding, the Steering Committee discussed
the use of environmental areas as open
trails for use by OHV enthusiasts.
As presented to the Steering Committee
by Steve Fousek, Environmental Land
Specialist, the use of environmental
areas for use by off-road enthusiasts
causes significant changes to the natural
environment and to the species
composition.
Additionally, due to many of the grant
assurances associated with acquisition of
these environmentally sensitive areas,
the use of these properties as off-road
vehicle riding areas would be strictly
prohibited.
As indicated in a
Memorandum dated August 13, 2004
from Environmental Resources, a
discussion with Grant Gelhadt, Florida
Communities Trust (FCT) discusses the
possibility of utilizing any FCT land for
OHV use. According to Mr. Gelhadt,
unless OHV use was specifically
identified in the grant application and
management plan, it would be highly
unlikely that it would be authorized for
such use, now or any time in the future.
Furthermore, any OHV use identified in
the grant application, would only be
allowed in areas that have been totally
impacted by man altering activities such
as mining, where the mine cannot be
reasonably restored. Management plans
may be revised for OHV use, again only
those areas that have been totally
impacted and cannot be restored, may be
designated for that use. Conversion of
natural communities to non-native
vegetation, such as bahia pasture, is
Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV)
Feasibility Plan
August 2004 – page 9
considered to be temporary and
restorable. In reviewing any proposed
grant applications or proposed revisions
to existing management plans, SCT
would determine if the overall purpose
of this site would be compatible with
OHV use. (i.e. can the active use be part
of, or a combination of the passive
use/intent of the project?)
Of the many projects acquired with the
assistance of FCT, Indrio Savannahs is
the only site that contains an abandoned
mine that may or may not be restorable.
This approximately five acres surrounds
the excavated lake that is currently used
for recreational fishing. OHV use at this
site is not desirable due to the minimal
size of impacted area, surrounding
residential use, location of primary
access, and overall use of the site for
preservation purposes.
As a result, it was the consensus of
the Steering Committee that all
properties designated as environmentally
sensitive would be eliminated from
further consideration for an off-highway
vehicle park.
PARK LANDS
Another discussion by the OHV Steering
Committee was for the possible use of
parks currently owned by St. Lucie
County. The Parks Manager Paul Julin
responded by explaining that the
designed use of most parks are passive
in nature, and other parks are for sports
activities such as football, baseball, or
soccer and that an OHV would destroy
the field, thus eliminating the use for
these sports. In addition, the parks are
too small for OHV activity. It was the
Steering Committee’s consensus that
parks properties be eliminated from
possible use for OHV activity.
AIRPORT
St. Lucie County International Airport is
located three miles north of the city of
Fort Pierce on St. Lucie Boulevard. The
airport sits on approximately 3660 acres
of land. The Airport is bordered by
Indrio Road on the north, St. Lucie
Boulevard on the south, Kings Highway
on the west, and U.S. 1 on the East. The
Airport is owned and operated by St.
Lucie County. See Exhibit V for a copy
of the proposed site plan.
NATURAL FEATURES
There are three key factors to be
considered when determining the
feasibility of an OHV facility on public
lands.
1. Degree of ground disturbance or
land alteration
2. Noise
3. Keeping riders on the trails
The site being considered is already
disturbed, and has great access through
Fairwinds Golf Course Road.
The
Airport has plenty of property to act as
noise buffers and the size of the
proposed site would allow for at least 30
miles of trails within the property.
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
According to Chris Reed, Off-Highway
Vehicle Coordinator for the State of
Florida, the creation of OHV trails has
actually been proven to positively
impact the environment by taking away
negative impacts being brought into
Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV)
Feasibility Plan
August 2004 – page 10
pristine areas by
unacceptable use.
unlawful
and
The land currently being considered at
the Airport is already heavy in Brazilian
Pepper and Melaluca, which is nonnative vegetation. Because this type of
vegetation is not native to the area, the
land being considered is already
considered as a “disturbed area” by the
State of Florida with regard to
environmental consideration and makes
it an excellent candidate for an OHV
riding area.
NOISE QUALITY
Noise pollution issues with regard to
OHV and ATV trails are primarily a
problem prior to the creation of such
trails. A trail being created in the
physical location of the Airport is not
likely to create additional adverse affects
on the community with regard to noise.
During a recent presentation to the
Steering Committee, Chris Reed also
suggested that noise limitations might be
worth discussing and implementing in
any OHV or ATV trail being considered
in St. Lucie County. His suggestion was
that vehicles must fall in the 96 decibel
and below range in order to be allowed
access to the trails. This fits into the
standards of most OHVs, and would
eliminate noise concerns by ensuring
that altered OHVs would not have access
to the facility. Chris Reed spoke to the
fact that most riders are very accepting
of this limitation, feeling that “less
sound, more ground” is worth the trade,
and the more miles of trails they have to
ride, the less important the loudness of
the OHV is to its owner/rider.
There are also standards that exist that
establish
the
test
procedures,
environment, and instrumentation for
determining the sound levels of motor
vehicles under stationary conditions.
These tests measure primarily exhaust
noise and well be incorporated into the
operations manual developed for this
ATV trail riding area. The tests comply
with Society of Automotive Engineers,
Inc. (SAE) standards and are included as
Exhibit VI.
On August 21, 2004, the airport in
conjunction with St. Lucie County Code
Enforcement
conducted
noise
evaluations of the impacts from OHV's
on the adjacent residential neighborhood
and Fairwinds Golf Course.
Thirty-nine OHV's participated in the
test. The following table depicts a
breakdown of OHV's between 2wheeled and 4-wheeled ATVs that
participated in the noise test. The
information is also broken down into
two-stroke and four stroke vehicles.
TYPE
2 stroke
4
3
wheelers
2
7
wheelers
TOTAL
10
4 stroke
TOTAL
24
27
5
12
29
39
On August 21st, at 9 AM, Code
Enforcement recorded the ambient noise
at the intersection of Indrio Road and
Southwind
Trail.
Immediately
following, Code Enforcement recorded
the ambient noise at 300 feet north of the
intersection of Indrio Road and
Southwind Trail.
Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV)
Feasibility Plan
August 2004 – page 11
After the ambient noise was recorded for
both locations, the 39 OHVs proceeded
to run their vehicles at a location
approximately 1000 feet south of the test
location.
At that time, Code
Enforcement conducted a noise test
using their equipment at the same two
locations.
After the two noise tests were complete
at Indrio Road, Code Enforcement
relocated to a location just north of Hole
#2 at Fairwinds Golf Course. At that
time, Code Enforcement conducted an
ambient noise test and immediately
following a noise test with the 39 OHV's
operating at approximately 1000 feet
north of the test site.
The following table depicts the results of
the noise test. The top figure is the
ambient noise test for each of the
locations. For the noise test, the Code
Enforcement Officer records the decibel
readings for each of the octave ban
frequencies (hertz) and compares the
result with a dBA level established in the
County’s Noise Ordinance.
The bold numbers (in shaded boxes) are
the test readings that exceed the ambient
noise levels for each test location. The
italicized bold numbers are the test
readings that would exceed the Industrial
to Residential noise levels established in
the
County’s
Noise
Ordinance.
However, the County’s Noise Ordinance
exempts the noise resulting from the
operation of any motor vehicle.
It should be noted that the
Enforcement equipment does
segregate the source of the noise.
result, aircraft and vehicle noise
included in each of the ambient
tests and OHV noise tests.
Code
not
As a
were
noise
Ambient
dBA
31.5 hertz
63 hertz
125 hertz
250 hertz
500 hertz
1000 hertz
2000 hertz
4000 hertz
8000 hertz
Indrio
Rd &
Southwind
Trail
300’
North of
Indrio Rd
& Southwind Trail
Fairwinds
Golf
Course
#2 green
67
48.4
47.1
27.8
45.7
51.6
52
60.2
62.4
55.8
54.8
48
31.6
44.4
48.4
46.6
48.3
51.2
41.7
37.7
53.7
30.9
44.6
48.2
46.3
47.6
51.1
45.4
35.9
34.4
Information from the noise test is
included as Exhibit VII.
FAIRWINDS GOLF COURSE
Located approximately 1000 feet to the
south of the proposed OHV trail-riding
area is Fairwinds Golf Course.
The impacts on Fairwinds Golf Course
can be mitigated. The proposed OHV
trail riding area will be sharing the main
entrance to the Golf course.
The
Steering Committee has estimated that
approximately 300 vehicles per weekend
day will use the OHV Park. To avoid
conflicts with weekend events at
Fairwinds Golf Course, (for example a
golf scramble) the OHV Park could open
at 9 AM, which will allow the heavy
traffic for the Golf Course to already
park.
As demonstrated in the noise test
conducted on August 21, 2004, the noise
generated from the 39 OHV's caused a
slight noise impact to Fairwinds golf
hole # 2 green only. As depicted in the
Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV)
Feasibility Plan
August 2004 – page 12
table, the noise impacts to Fairwinds # 2
green slightly exceeded the ambient on
two of the 10 two minute segments.
ACCESS ROUTE
Due to the sensitivity of the residential
neighborhoods surrounding the Airport,
access to the proposed OHV property
was an important issue for the Steering
Committee.
Although the property
borders on Indrio Road, the willingness
to use Indrio Road as the primary access
point for the OHV Park was quickly
dismissed because of the physical
limitations of Indrio Road. Indrio Road
is a two lane, east-west corridor
bordering the northern boundary of the
Airport property.
Because of the
proposed uses of the OHV Park, the
projected traffic into the OHV Park
would consist mainly of vehicles towing
trailers and would cause congestion on
an already busy roadway.
As a result, the Steering Committee
recommended that access to the OHV
Park be provided through the Fairwinds
Golf Course access road. The Fairwinds
Golf Course Road is a two-lane road that
intersects U.S. 1 with adequate
intersection improvements including
turn lanes and a median cut.
FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION (FAA)
St. Lucie County International Airport is
a general surplus airport conveyed to St.
Lucie
County by the
Federal
Government under the authority of the
Surplus Property Act. As such, the
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
imposes certain continuing obligations
as part of the covenants and conditions
for the Airport under the Act.
The FAA insists that surplus properties
associated with a public airport
including revenue generated from those
properties be used to support the
development, maintenance and operation
of the aeronautical facilities. The FAA
further requires that if the property is not
needed to directly support an aviation
use that it be made available and used to
produce income for the airport. This
means that any lease or rental
arrangement covering the use of the
surplus property at the Airport must
assure that the fair rental of the property
will accrue to the Airport and be
available to meet Airport expenses.
Such property may not be rented at a
discount to support community nonprofit
organizations or to subsidize non-airport
objectives.
The area being proposed for the OHV
Park is currently being leased for cattle
grazing operations. In 1998, the highest
and best use of the vacant 750-acre
property was for a cattle lease. As a
result of the bid, the Airport receives
$15,330 annually for the use of the 750
acres of property for cattle grazing
operations.
The Airport Layout Plan (ALP) Update
approved by the St. Lucie Board of
County Commissioners (Board) in June
of 2002 depicts the proposed OHV Park
as an area slated for future industrial/
commercial development. Based on
timeframes associated with industrial/
commercial development, and the
realistic expectations of obtaining the
funding necessary to develop the
northern 1000 acres of the airport, the
Airport would expect that funding
availability and demand would dictate
that
the
industrial/
commercial
Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV)
Feasibility Plan
August 2004 – page 13
development of this property is outside
of the Airport’s current ten-year
planning horizon. Hence, development
of this property into an OHV Park would
provide the highest and best use for
revenue enhancement to the Airport in
the interim.
EXISTING LAND USE
The existing Airport property consists of
various zoning designations that have
followed the property since St. Lucie
County acquired the property. The
primary zoning for the property
proposed as the OHV Park is Utilities
(U) and light industrial (IL). The zoning
designations are consistent with Airport
use but currently do not allow for OHV
riding.
PROPOSED LAND USE
To allow for OHV riding, County staff
has prepared a draft ordinance (04-021)
amending the St. Lucie County Land
Development
Code,
specifically
3.01.03(W)(7) to add OHV Parks as a
conditional use to the utility and light
industrial zoning designations.
The
approval of this draft ordinance would
allow the Airport to apply for permission
to develop trails for use by off-highway
vehicles provided that a minimum of 100
acres is available for the sport. Exhibit
VIII depicts the Ordinance and the
meeting minutes for the Planning and
Zoning Meeting with regard to this
issue. At the Planning and Zoning
Meeting, the members voted to deny the
proposed ordinance.
WETLAND
Based on the experience of the OHV
user, different riding opportunities can
be provided through a system of
designated trails or a designated
scramble area. On the trail riding areas,
the OHV's are prohibited from leaving
the trails, while on the scramble area the
OHV's can be ridden anywhere within
the designated boundaries of the site.
The scramble areas would be designated
on relatively disturbed lands.
The
designation of trails would limit the
destruction and degradation of natural
systems and wildlife. The Steering
Committee has recommended a buffer
around the wetlands.
OTHER OHV SITES
OHV sites on public lands are limited in
the State of Florida.
There are
essentially four places where an OHV
enthusiast can ride anytime in the year
without controls that limit the number of
rides or periodically close an area to
riding. These are the three large national
forests (Apalachicola, Osceola and
Ocala, and the Croom Motorcycle Area
in Withlacoochee State Forest. All four
of these areas are open to OHV riding
every day the year.
One example of an ideal OHV/ATV
facility is Croom. The facility offers
campsites, trails of varying degrees of
difficulty to cater to every level of skill,
and encourages family use. It is not
uncommon to see three or four
generations of a family riding and
enjoying a weekend of camping and
riding at the Croom facility.
Another site being considered for OHV
is Tate’s Hell State Forest in Franklin
County, Florida. The proposed OHV
area is approximately 4500 acres.
Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV)
Feasibility Plan
August 2004 – page 14
Several
Florida
counties
are
investigating
the
possibility
of
establishing OHV riding areas. To date,
no official County owned or operated
OHV riding area is known to exist in
Florida. A County owned OHV riding
area would become a welcomed addition
to the statewide system and will
ultimately be a prime candidate for
obtaining funds from state and federal
grant programs that specifically promote
OHV trail riding.
SITE DESIGN
trail is currently on private property. St.
Lucie County is trying to acquire this
trail known as Crossroads.
In May of 2002, St. Lucie County held a
charrette on North County Greenways &
Trails. The purpose of this charrette was
to identify needs of the north county
residents as it relates to trail systems. It
was identified in the charrette that there
was a need for multi-use trail systems,
both paved and unpaved. It was also
mentioned by members of the charrette
to provide a BMX (bicycle motocross)
facility in the area.
MINIMUM AMENITIES
In planning an OHV Park, local
conditions, primarily visitor demands
dictate how many people and activities
the Park can accommodate.
The
Steering Committee focused on the
initial feasibility of an OHV riding area
in St. Lucie County. As a result, the
expectations are that site related
constraints will be addressed after
approval by the Board of the Feasibility
Plan.
BICYCLING FACILITIES
Approximately sixty million Americans
ride bicycles either for transportation or
recreational purposes. They ride in the
bike lanes on the street; they ride on side
paths adjacent to the street as well as offroad trail systems. In St. Lucie County
there are currently only a handful of
designated off road areas to ride. There
are numerous single-track trails on the
County’s environmentally sensitive
lands (ESL) that allow for users to enjoy
Florida’s scenic views through hiking
and biking. There is also a mountain
biking trail that has more challenging
features than the ESL properties, but this
The proposal of the airport cattle lease
property as an off highway vehicle
(OHV) park has lead to discussions of
trying to incorporate some of the north
county charrette bicycling facilities into
the park plan. This includes mountain
biking trails and the potential of a BMX
facility.
The bike trails and BMX facilities would
be for non-motorized vehicles only.
These facilities will most likely be in the
noise buffer areas and the northeastern
portion of the property. The bike trails
would be built using grant recreational
trail funds in conjunction with the
Treasure Coast Airborne Mountain Bike
Club. The location of bike trails will be
site specific.
BMX FACILITIES
Staff has already researched the
construction and operations of a BMX
facility. These facilities can be
constructed for approximately $25,000;
however, most of the materials can be
acquired or donated from local vendors.
There are twenty BMX tracks in Florida
that are sanctioned with the National
Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV)
Feasibility Plan
August 2004 – page 15
Bike League (NBL). The closest track to
riders on Treasure Coast is Okeeheelee
BMX in West Palm Beach. Existing
local tracks (Okeeheelee, Orlando and
Miami South) are averaging 80 to 200
riders for local events and 650 to 1100
for national events. These events are
NBL sanctioned. BMX is a fast growing
sport. The International Olympic
Committee has approved to add BMX to
the 2008 Olympics.
Safety is taken extremely seriously in the
sport of BMX. The following was
quoted on the website for Okeeheelee
BMX Park in West Palm Beach:
“Statistics have proven that BMX racing
is one of the safest of all youth sports
today. Part of this is due to the
mandatory requirement of safety
equipment every time a rider is on the
track. Riders MUST wear long sleeves,
long pants and a helmet. Gloves are
optional, but always a good idea. As
riders get more involved in racing, so
does the safety gear; with padded elbow
jerseys and padded (on the knee, hips
and shins) racing pants. BMX is a sport
catering to the individual. Every rider
gets to participate and compete. No one
sits on the bench and no one gets cut
from the team.” (www.okeebmx.com)
OFF ROAD TRAIL FACILITIES
The majority of the current County
owned ESL properties provide two track
trails for the riders. A two-track trail
allows for more than single file riding. In
general the ESL lands provide trails that
are five feet wide. Mountain bikers
enjoy what’s known as a single track;
the track is only 12 to 18 inches wide to
keep the riders in single file. Singletrack trails tend to wind around obstacles
such as trees, large rocks and bushes.
Compared to roads, single-track blends
into the surrounding environment,
disturbs much less ground, and is easier
to maintain. The tread of single-track is
almost always natural surface, in
contrast to the gravel or pavement of
roads. There are two single-track trails
on the Treasure Coast: Crossroads and
Jonathan Dickenson State Park.
It is proposed to include a single track in
the northeastern quadrant of the existing
cattle lease property of the airport. This
trail can be built utilizing recreational
grant trail funds and help from the
Treasure Coast Airborne Mountain Bike
Club
SUPPORT FACILITIES
Many members of the Steering
Committee were able to secure
commitments for the donation of
materials and time for the infrastructure
improvements at the OHV Park. As a
result, the Financial Feasibility of the
OHV Park is based on the donation of
much of the infrastructure costs.
The Steering Committee briefly
discussed additional amenities that may
be desired as a result of the successful
development of an OHV riding area.
Some of the support facilities that may
co-exist with the development of this
facility are as follows:







Camping
Picnicking
Play areas
Concessions
Competitive training venues
Control tower
Shelters
Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV)
Feasibility Plan
August 2004 – page 16

Utilities
MAINTENANCE
OHV/ATV riders are active when it
comes to volunteering to help maintain
and keep the trails in good condition,
which helps lower maintenance costs.
Further, it has become clear that
OHV/ATV riders are interested in
keeping their sport and its facility safe
and available for all. According to Chris
Reed, riders at the Croom facility are
quick to “self-police” and ensure that all
riders are following the rules of the offroad, so to speak, and not taking
advantage of the facility or the
environment.
The
Steering
Committee
has
recommended that the OHV riding area
be operated seven days a week. During
the weekdays the hours could be limited
to a single eight-hour shift, for example
12 PM to 8 PM. During the weekend
and holidays, the hour should be
extended to include the mornings. The
payroll estimates included in the
financial feasibility reports (Exhibit IX)
account for seven paid employees. The
employees would consist of a
gatekeeper, ranger, and a supervisor
each working a 40-hour shift with
overlay on the heaviest days.
FINANCIAL ANALYSIS
FEES
MANAGEMENT PLAN
Management and operations are the key
to the long-term success of an OHV
riding area.
A comprehensive
management plan will be developed to
address
planning,
operations,
maintenance, and activity programming
into one integrated document.
This document will also address any
rules and regulations needed for the
successful programming of the OHV
riding area.
An emergency response plan will be
developed for the site. The plan will
outline the action that will need to be
taken in the event of an accident, injury,
illness, fire, or other emergency. Once
developed, this plan will need to be
posted in high visibility areas and all
staff will need to be trained and familiar
with actions to be taken.
STAFFING
The Steering Committee with the help of
Chris Reed established conservative
estimates for membership in the
proposed OHV Park. As proposed, the
Airport OHV Park would require annual
memberships for entrance into the Park.
The annual membership fee for St. Lucie
County residents would be $50, and $60
for non St. Lucie County members. In
addition to the annual membership
required per OHV, the Steering
Committee proposed that there be a daily
parking fee for each vehicle entering the
OHV parking lot. Additionally, the
Steering Committee proposed special
events that would generate additional
revenues.
The OHV Financial Feasibility Plan is
included in Exhibit IX. As depicted in
the Plan, the proposed revenue
generation for the first year is $922,100.
After deducting payroll of $319,238 and
fair market value rental for the property
Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV)
Feasibility Plan
August 2004 – page 17
of $593,240, there is a first-year profit of
approximately $2,100.
The fair market value was determined
using the appraisal prepared May 17,
2004 for Fairwinds Golf Course. The
appraisal determined a fair rental value
of $345,000 annually for 228.78 acres of
property or $1,508 per acre. The OHV
riding area is projected to encompass
approximately 393.4 acres multiplied by
$1,508 per acre equals $593,240 per year
fair rental value for use of the Airport
property.
As indicated in page 3 of the Financial
Feasibility Plan, the accumulative profit
through the 10th year of operation is
approximately $950,000. While this is a
significant amount of excess profit, the
Steering Committee’s expectations are
that this amount of money would be
inadequate to purchase 1000 acres in the
future.
INFRASTRUCTURE
At the August 11, 2004 Steering
Committee Meeting, for Committee
discussed the minimum required
infrastructure necessary to open this
facility.
The following is a list of items that will
be donated:
Item
Ticket Facility
Restrooms (temporary)
Fencing
Landscaping
ATVs for Rangers
Parking Area
Trails Construction
Cost
Donated
Donated
Donated
Donated
Donated
Unimproved
Volunteers
The following is a list of items that can
be made available from surplus St. Lucie
County equipment. As a result, the
equipment listed in the following table is
not reflected in the Financials in Exhibit
IX.
Item
Pick-up truck (4 x 4)
Trail grooming
equipment (box blade)
Office Equipment
Copier, computer, fax
One Time Cost
Used $5,000
Used $10,000
Used $5,000
The following are items that must be
budgeted on an annual basis and are
therefore included in the Financials
presented in Exhibit IX.
Items
Office Supplies
Communications
Fuel
Misc
TOTAL
Annual Costs
$600
$1,200
$1,200
$4,500
$7,500
GRANTS
There are a number of grant programs
for outdoor recreation that are potential
sources of funds for an OHV Park. The
Recreation Trails Program (RTP) is a
federally funded competitive grant
program
that
provides
financial
assistance to agencies such as counties
that are approved by the State for the
development of recreational trails and
facilities. Currently, the maximum grant
amount is $250,000 for motorized
projects. It is a matching grant program
that can be used for development of the
OHV Park.
With the passage of the T. Mark Schmidt
Off-highway Vehicles Safety and
Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV)
Feasibility Plan
August 2004 – page 18
Recreation Act (Chapter 261, Florida
Statutes), the Legislature declared that
effectively managed areas and adequate
facilities for the use of OHV's are
compatible with Florida's overall
recreation plan and the underlying goal
of multiple use. This Act provides funds
to create, operate, managed, or improve
OHV recreation areas or trails within the
State. The primary source for these
designated OHV funds will come from
fees paid to the Department of Highway
Safety and Motor Vehicles for the titling
of off-highway vehicles.
The fund
currently has over $1,400,000 in funds
available for OHV development.
The Florida Recreation Development
Assistance Program (FRDAP) is a
competitive grant program that provides
a funding source for acquisition or
development of land for public outdoor
recreation use or to construct or renovate
recreational trails.
CONCLUSION
OPTIONS
On July 23rd, the Feasibility Plan
Steering Committee held a meeting to
make a recommendation regarding the
operation of an OHV riding area in St.
Lucie County. Because of the Airport’s
requirement to receive fair market value
for property leased, several options were
presented.
OPTION 1:
OUTSIDE MANAGEMENT
The first option presented to the Steering
Committee was for the Airport to lease a
net 390 acres of property to an OHV
Management Group that would make
payments toward the annual lease
requirements and escrow all profits into
a fund to purchase 1000 acres of
available property in the future. As
depicted in the previous section, at the
end of ten years there would be
approximately $950,000 available for
this land purchase.
However, the
Steering Committee felt that because of
the inability of private companies access
to insurance coverage for this type of
activity, the Steering Committee quickly
dismissed this Option.
OPTION 2: COUNTY
DEPARTMENT MANAGED
The second option that was presented to
the Steering Committee was for the
Airport to lease the property to another
County Department. This option would
insure that the Airport receive fair
market rental value for the property used
for the OHV riding area. Any funds
generated in excess of the rental and
payroll requirements to operate the OHV
riding area, could be escrowed by the
County Department and used as an
initial payment for relocation of the
OHV riding area to another area of St.
Lucie County.
If the OHV riding area is operated by
another County department and the
revenues received from the members do
not provide for excess revenues in an
amount needed to purchase property
elsewhere, then after the interim trial
period, the OHV riding area will be
closed.
If the fair market rental value and the
payroll requirements are not generated
by the fees, than the OHV riding area
would probably be closed by the Airport.
Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV)
Feasibility Plan
August 2004 – page 19
This Option was discounted by the
Steering Committee because of the risk
of closure in the short term if the
revenue estimates are not met. The
Steering Committee felt that the Airport
would have more flexibility to keep the
OHV riding area open if the revenue
estimates were not met.
OPTION 3: BOND ISSUANCE
The Steering Committee also discussed
the possibility of a bond issuance for the
express purpose of purchasing property
specifically for an OHV riding area. The
Steering Committee dismissed this idea
as a very costly and burdensome process
for the County to undertake to provide
an OHV riding area.
OPTION 4: AIRPORT MANAGED
OHV RIDING AREA
The Steering Committee recommended
that the Airport own and operate the
OHV riding area as a Recreation
Division in the Aviation Department at
St. Lucie County International Airport.
This Option assumes that all revenues
including any excess profit after
expenses will accrue directly to the
Airport.
This Option was preferred because the
Steering Committee felt that the revenue
estimates indicated in the Financial
Feasibility Plan would not support the
rapidly rising cost of available property
and that finding 1000 acres of
contiguous property 10 years in the
future would be extremely difficult.
This Option was also preferred by the
Steering Committee because it was
assumed that the Airport would have the
most flexibility with revenue generation.
By operating the OHV riding area as a
Recreation Division of the Aviation
Department, the Airport will have the
most flexibility to keep the OHV riding
area open.
The Steering Committee also felt that
because of the significant acreage owned
by the Airport, the future development
of industrial/commercial property could
still exist. There is approximately 1000
acres of available property north of the
proposed parallel runway. With 390
acres being proposed for the OHV riding
area, an additional 500 to 600 acres is
still available for future industrial/
commercial development.
It was agreed upon by the Steering
Committee Members that if the revenue
projections depicted in the OHV
Financial Feasibility Plan were not met
and that there were not profits to the
Airport, then the OHV riding area
should be closed.
FREQUENTLY ASKED
QUESTIONS
What types of vehicles will be allowed
at this OHV Park?
The
Steering
Committee
has
recommended that only 2-wheeled
motorbikes,
4-wheeled
all-terrain
vehicles (ATV), and non-motorized
bicycles be allowed at this Park. No
trucks or swamp buggies are being
considered for this property.
Will sanctioned racing events occur at
the OHV Park?
The
Steering
Committee
has
recommended that the OHV Park be
designed for trail riding, scramble areas,
Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV)
Feasibility Plan
August 2004 – page 20
and training venues only.
No
competitive events are being considered
for this site.
Is the United States Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) considering
banning OHV's?
According
to
EPA
Regulatory
Announcement (EPA 420-F-02-038
dated September 2002), the EPA has
adopted
emission
standards
for
recreational vehicles, including offhighway motorcycles and ATVs. The
new standards apply only to new ATVs
produced in 2006 or later. Anything
manufactured before that model year
will not be affected. New emission
standards for ATVs won't affect an ATV
you own now or any ATVs you bought
before 2006.
Are there too many liabilities
associated with an OHV trail riding
area?
The State Legislature has recognized
that there are inherent risks associated
with various recreational activities. The
Legislature
has
recognized
that
equestrian related activities may result in
injury, harm, or death to persons on or
around horses. As a result, the State
Legislature has granted legislative
protection to those entities involved in
equestrian activities. As a result, no
participant shall have any claim for
injury, loss, damage, or death of the
participant resulting from any of the
inherent risks of equestrian activities.
There is currently an effort in the
legislative system to pass laws similar to
equestrian laws that would limit the
liability of agencies and managers of
public OHV sites.
Why was a noise level of 96 DB
selected as the criteria for allowing
OHV's into the proposed OHV riding
area?
Some of the other OHV riding areas in
the State have adopted the 96 DB as the
standard.
The Steering Committee
concurred with this standard, however as
indicated by a member of the public if
noise limits would be set at 94db the
sound could be lessened. By reducing
this recommended sound level by two
decibels, actual sound heard is roughly
two-thirds less (every three decibels
increase sound vibrations is equal to
about twice the sound level).
By
adhering to this level, the more invasive
and obnoxious machines will be
excluded from operation on this site.
This will severely limit impacts to
wildlife and local landowners. Most
stock ATVs and dirt bikes will be able to
pass a sound test provided their mufflers
are well maintained.
How was a 1500 ft. radius from the
bald eagles nest determined?
The required protection zones for a bald
eagles nest are 750 ft. and 1500 ft. After
consultation with this State, the Steering
Committee agreed that the 1500 ft.
buffer
would
provide
adequate
protection.
Will any of the agencies that regulate
the Airport object to using this
property for recreation use?
The proposed property is currently
zoned light industrial and utility and is
designated in the Airport Master Plan
Update
for
future
industrial
development.
The Federal Aviation
Administration (FAA) and the Florida
Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV)
Feasibility Plan
August 2004 – page 21
Department of Transportation (FDOT)
helped to purchase this aviation surplus
property with the understanding that the
property will be used to obtain fair
market rental to financially assist with
airport operations.
The regulatory
agencies insist that any use of the
property generate fair market rental
value. This requirement extends to the
proposed Fairwinds Golf Course
expansion, any proposed use by St.
Lucie County Utilities, a proposed OHV
trail riding area, or any commercial/
industrial development.
What about using the fair grounds as
an OHV trail riding area?
According to the Parks Department, the
County
Fairgrounds
consist
of
approximately 250 acres. Much of this
property has been developed with
buildings and infrastructure and would
not accommodate OHV trail riding.
Additionally, the Fairgrounds has been
designed to accommodate equestrian
activities.
These activities are not
compatible with OHV use.
What about using Bluefield Ranch as
an OHV trail riding area?
According to Environmental Resources,
the property was purchased with
Environmentally Sensitive Lands (ESL)
bond
funds
and
with
Florida
Communities Trust funds. The Bluefield
Ranch Property was purchased with
preservation funding.
These funds
prohibit the use of OHV riding on the
property.
Were
any
investigated?
alternative
sites
Staff contacted Hoyt C. Murphy Realtors
to determine the availability of large
tracts of property. They were able to
locate nine tracts of property over 100
acres that were currently for sale. The
prices ranged from $1.2 million for 201
acres to $16 million for 400 acres. Due
to the acres required for this type of
recreation and the financial resources
needed for acquisition, this Feasibility
Report focuses primarily on the Airport
as the proposed OHV Trail Riding area.
See Exhibit X for available property.
How will bicyclists and OHVs use the
same property?
The BMX and mountain bikers will be
segregated from the OHVs through
signage and fencing. The bikers will use
areas that are off limits to OHVs,
specifically the eagle’s protection zone
and the noise buffer areas.
Can additional conditions be placed
on the use of the property?
Additional conditions can be placed on
the use of this property. To satisfy the
speculative nature of the proposed
Airport use in the future, an additional
condition may be granted that requires
this Conditional Use Permit to be
renewed at specified intervals. For
example, this Conditional Use Permit
may be granted for a period of five years
and subject to review to continue as an
OHV Park on Airport property.
Can infrastructure improvements be
conditionally granted?
A one-year test period is necessary to
determine the viability of the estimated
ridership and financial feasibility of this
plan. In that time the development of
Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV)
Feasibility Plan
August 2004 – page 22
fixed infrastructure will be kept to a
minimum to minimize costs associated
with this project.
All fixed infrastructure development can
begin in year two of operations using
proceeds from the OHV Park’s revenues.
What if the OHV trail riding area
does not meet the revenue estimates
and cannot cover its expenses?
The Profit and Loss Statements should
be
reviewed
annually
and
a
determination as to the renewal of this
OHV Park should be reviewed on an
annual basis.
What if the OHV is extremely
successful and exceeds the Feasibility
Plans
expectations,
can
the
recommendations be changed?
If all revenue estimates are understated
in the Feasibility Plan, and the OHV
Park is extremely successful, including
the generation of excess profits, then the
Feasibility Plan should be revisited.
If the excess profits generated by the
users of the OHV Park can support the
debt service for another property, then
the recommendations included in the
Feasibility Plan should be adjusted.