Questions about all-terrain vehicle access and safety surfaced during the recent Wilton Select Board meeting as residents raised concerns and town officials confirmed there is currently no ordinance governing ATV use on local roads.

One resident said concerns about ATV use date back at least a year, when neighbors opposed sharing roads with the vehicles and questioned whether expanding access would conflict with safety efforts.

Board discussion during the meeting reflected uncertainty about how ATV rules would be developed and whether residents would have a direct vote in the process.

Vice Chair Keith Swett said authority over motor vehicle use on local roads, including ATVs, rests with the select board under state law.

“The only ones that govern motor vehicles on roads, (including) ATVs, is the select board,” Swett said, citing guidance from legal counsel.

Following the meeting, Town Manager Maria Greeley said the town currently has no active ATV policy in place. She noted that a previous ATV access route policy was rescinded in January by the select board.

Greeley said the board has discussed creating a formal ordinance but has not yet taken steps to create one.

“It has not been drafted, it doesn’t exist. Just a discussion,” she said.

In the absence of a policy, Greeley said local law enforcement continues to respond to complaints and monitor known problem areas.

“The police department does enforce,” she said. “Sometimes the part-timers will go up to areas we have heard complaints … periodically they have officers in some of the trouble areas.”

Greeley described ATV access as a divisive issue in the community.

“ATVs in Wilton is a touchy subject. There are people on both sides. Some want to shut it down completely,” Greeley said.

The issue is expected to continue into the next year, with the possibility of a public hearing to gather input from residents before the board determines whether to move forward with an ordinance, Greeley added.

“We’ll discuss a hearing to hear from residents about ATV to help guide the select board as to what their next steps are,” Greeley said.

No timeline has been set for when an ordinance might be drafted or considered.