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Off-road proposal

Off-road utility vehicles could be allowed in FD; City Council to consider plan at tonight's meeting

-Messenger file photo
Steve Keigher comes down the county road outside Kennedy Park in his off-highway vehicle in May 2018. The Fort Dodge City Council will consider whether to allow off-road utility vehicles on Fort Dodge streets at tonight's meeting.

Off-road utility vehicles would be allowed on Fort Dodge streets under a proposal to come before the City Council tonight.

Drivers of those machines would have to take the shortest route to and from designated utility vehicle routes, much as big trucks have to take the shortest route to and from truck routes.

The proposal is in response to a law signed by Gov. Kim Reynolds in June which permits registered off-road utility vehicles to be operated on non-interstate highways and paved secondary roads.

According to the Fort Dodge proposal, only machines with four to eight wheels and bucket or bench seats would be allowed on the city streets. Off-highway vehicles that a rider must straddle to drive would remain illegal on city streets.

The council will discuss this proposal during a workshop to begin at 5:30 p.m. today in the Municipal Building, 819 First Ave. S.

The council’s regular business meeting will begin at 6 p.m. in the Municipal Building.

During that session, the council will consider the first of three required readings of the off-road utility vehicle ordinance.

The council will also consider buying property in the 200 block of South Eighth Street to create a new education area for the Blanden Memorial Art Museum.

The museum’s art classes have been held in a small basement room. Museum leaders have long wanted to move the classes out of that room.

The proposal before the council calls for the city to buy buildings at 222 S. Eighth St., 224 S. Eighth St., and 226 S. Eighth St. from Grell Properties LLC for $185,000.

The Blanden Charitable Foundation would then reimburse the city, paying back the $185,000 over 10 years.

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