It's one of the stories you wanted to know about! We asked Local 2 viewers for story suggestions and ideas, and you wanted to know why off-roading is illegal in the Coachella Valley.
Just this week, the Riverside County Sheriff's Department applied for $123,000 in grant money to help pay for enforcement, through their "R.O.V.E" program, which stands for Riverside County Sheriff's Department Off-Highway Vehicle Enforcement. From 2007-2009, nearly 2,300 citations were handed out, across the County, according to R.O.V.E.
The Sheriff's Department says off-roading isn't allowed on open, public land in the Valley due to environmental damage, threat to endangered species and safety concerns. However, off-roading is allowed on private property, as long as you're carrying written permission from the property owner, according to the County Supervisor's District 4 Office.
The County is also looking into the possibility of opening a legal riding park on land near Northshore, but that still could be several years out, if approved.
"There's gotta be some happy medium," said David Harris of Off-Road Rentals, who says he's doesn't agree with the current ordinance.
Right now, the closet place to ride off-highway vehicles is in Johnson Valley, off the 247 in San Bernardino County or in Western Riverside County. For a complete list of locations, visit:
http://www.riversidesheriff.org/rove/
