Brakes on new laws

By Paul Dunlop
NEW rules regulating the riding of motorbikes and other recreational vehicles on private land have been put on hold.
Cardinia Shire councillors want more time to consider them.
The proposed rules form the latest bid to respond to a longrunning and controversial concern in the community.
They were expected to have been adopted by the council two weeks ago but councillors deferred their decision.
“We need more time to consider this. A lot of people are concerned about it,” Cr Brett Owen said.
Cr Doug Hamilton said: “A few ideas have been kicked around. We need to look at the full implications of what we’re doing.”
The recreational vehicle policy was developed so the council could assess permit applications.
Riding motorbikes on private property is prohibited without a permit but the council does not have a policy or guidelines to assess permit applications.
Councillors at their meeting on Monday, 18 September were told the proposed policy allowed the council to:
Control the number of vehicles used on a property;
Regulate the hours and days of operation of the vehicles;
Protect any commercial or business activity;
Control noise levels;
Seek feedback from concerned neighbours and;
Protect the environment.
The regulations propose to limit the number of recreational vehicles permitted to be ridden on a property to two.
Under the regulations, they can only be ridden between 4pm and 6pm from Monday to Friday and for an extra two hours a day during public or school holidays.
Saturdays and Sundays would see recreation vehicles allowed between 10am and noon and 3pm to 5pm.
The regulations propose that permits may not be issued to people wanting to ride within noise level of any business including restaurants, wineries, stud farm, medical centres or elderly retreats.
Vehicles must be noise emission tested by an authorised EPA control agent and must meet EPA regulations.
Under the proposed guidelines, people seeking permits must contact as many nearby landholders as possible to advise them of their plans.
The council has also flagged plans to designate preferred locations for the use of a recreation vehicle.
“This policy aims to provide a fair and transparent process when dealing with applications for recreational vehicle permits,” a report to the council’s meeting said.
Councillors will make their decision possibly in a month’s time.