Amended by Stats. 2002, Ch. 563, Sec. 2. Effective January 1, 2003.
This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation Act of 2003.
Article 1 - General Provisions
California Public Resources Code — §§ 5090.01-5090.14.1
Sections (14)
Amended by Stats. 2007, Ch. 541, Sec. 1. Effective January 1, 2008.
(a)The Legislature finds all of the following:
(1)Off-highway motor vehicles are enjoying an ever-increasing popularity in California.
(2)Off-highway recreation includes both motorized recreation and motorized off-highway access to nonmotorized recreation activities.
(3)The indiscriminate and uncontrolled use of those vehicles may have a deleterious impact on the environment, wildlife habitats, native wildlife, and native flora.
(b)The Legislature hereby declares that effectively managed areas and adequate facilities for the use of off-highway vehicles and conservation and enforcement are essential for ecologically balanced recreation.
(c)Accordingly, it is the intent of the Legislature that:
(1)Existing off-highway motor vehicle recreational areas, facilities, and opportunities should be expanded and managed in a manner consistent with this chapter, in particular to maintain sustained long-term use.
(2)New off-highway motor vehicle recreational areas, facilities, and opportunities should be provided and managed pursuant to this chapter in a manner that will sustain long-term use.
(3)The department should support both motorized recreation and motorized off-highway access to nonmotorized recreation.
(4)When areas or trails or portions thereof cannot be maintained to appropriate established standards for sustained long-term use, they should be closed to use and repaired, to prevent accelerated erosion. Those areas should remain closed until they can be managed within the soil conservation standard or should be closed and restored.
(5)Prompt and effective implementation of the Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation Program by the department and the Division of Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation should have an equal priority among other programs in the department.
(6)Off-highway motor vehicle recreation should be managed in accordance with this chapter through financial assistance to local governments and joint undertakings with agencies of the United States and with federally recognized Native American tribes.
Added by Stats. 1982, Ch. 994, Sec. 11.
Unless the context otherwise requires, the definitions in this article govern the construction of this chapter.
Added by Stats. 1982, Ch. 994, Sec. 11.
“Commission” means the Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation Commission.
Added by Stats. 1982, Ch. 994, Sec. 11.
“Division” means the Division of Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation of the Department of Parks and Recreation.
Amended by Stats. 2002, Ch. 563, Sec. 3. Effective January 1, 2003.
“Fund” means the Off-Highway Vehicle Trust Fund created by subdivision (c) of Section 38225 of the Vehicle Code.
Added by Stats. 1982, Ch. 994, Sec. 11.
“Off-highway motor vehicle” means an off-highway motor vehicle as defined in Section 38006 of the Vehicle Code.
Added by Stats. 1982, Ch. 994, Sec. 11.
“Program” means the Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation Program.
Amended by Stats. 2005, Ch. 270, Sec. 4. Effective January 1, 2006.
“System” means the state vehicular recreation areas, the California Statewide Motorized Trail, areas and trails within the state park system, and areas supported by the grant program.
Amended by Stats. 2017, Ch. 459, Sec. 1. (SB 249) Effective January 1, 2018.
“Conservation” and “conserve” mean activities, practices, and programs that protect and sustain soils, plants, wildlife, habitats, and cultural resources in accordance with the standards adopted pursuant to Section 5090.35.
Amended by Stats. 2017, Ch. 459, Sec. 2. (SB 249) Effective January 1, 2018.
“Restoration” and “restore” mean, upon closure of the unit or any portion thereof, the restoration of land to the contours, the plant communities, and the plant covers comparable to those on surrounding lands or at least those that existed prior to off-highway motor vehicle use.
Repealed (by Sec. 6) and added by Stats. 2002, Ch. 563, Sec. 5. Effective January 1, 2003.
“Grant program” means the local assistance grant program and the cooperative agreement program.
Added by Stats. 2017, Ch. 459, Sec. 3. (SB 249) Effective January 1, 2018.
“Monitoring program” means a program adopted by the department that provides periodic evaluations of the condition of resources and informs adaptive management within state vehicular recreation areas.
Added by Stats. 2017, Ch. 459, Sec. 4. (SB 249) Effective January 1, 2018.
“Adaptive management” means to use the results of information gathered through a monitoring program or scientific research to adjust management strategies and practices to conserve cultural resources and provide for the conservation and improvement of natural resources.