Monona Council considering ordinance change regarding off-road utility vehicle use
By Audrey Posten, North Iowa Times Editor
At its regular meeting June 5, the Monona Council said it will consider an ordinance change to allow off-road utility vehicle usage in the community, following a request by a resident to use city streets to reach a nearby county secondary road, where off-road utility vehicle usage is now permitted.
The city, explained city administrator Dan Canton, could not simply give permission to certain residents; an ordinance adjustment would be required.
Any change, Canton said, would allow people to take a direct route to a county secondary road. They would not be able to drive all over town, he noted.
“[The ordinance] was just updated a few years ago, but now the county is doing stuff,” said councilman Dan Havlicek. “We need to catch up with the times.”
The council will discuss the topic further at its next meeting.
REAP grant application
The council approved an agreement with Northeast Iowa Resource Conservation & Development for help in completing a Resource Enhancement and Protection (REAP) grant application. The application will seek funding for a proposed recreation trail from the Butterfly Garden to Gateway Park.
“I think this has a great opportunity to get funded,” said Lora Friest, executive director of Northeast Iowa RC&D, who spoke at the meeting. “It looks like a great project. It’s visually showy, and will draw people in, but it will also be functional.”
Friest said Northeast Iowa RC&D will require $1,000 to write the grant application, as well as a small percentage if the city is awarded funding. Any written information, though, can be used again by the city when pursuing future grants or funding opportunities, she noted.