There would be regulations, Brunet continued. Off-highway vehicles could only be used in daylight hours and must have lights and rubber tires. In addition, the driver would have to have a valid driver’s license and liability insurance.
“Ninety-nine-point-nine percent of all the OHVs are in compliance with those regulations,” Leimgruber said.
The county Board of Supervisors passed a resolution July 7 to designate Ted Kipf Road as a combined-use highway, according to a past board agenda.
The board chose to make the resolution in part because of camping located on the road and because of Boardmanville Trading Post, he said. In addition, it is important that the road receive the designation because of the economic impact of the Glamis visitors, he said.
“Winter visitors bring tourist money into our area,” Leimgruber said. “They eat at our restaurants and they utilize the services in our county, whether it be the am/pm or local medical service.”
Visitors to the dunes spent about $415 million between October 2005 and May 2006, according to an economic analysis made by United Desert Gateway.
The final decision will be made by the Highway Patrol commissioner’s office in Sacramento, and the board would like to have a decision by the end of September, Leimgruber said.
“We are optimistic that this road will have the designation,” he said.
Much of the dispute started when, for one day, off-highway vehicles were ticketed on the road.
People had been traveling down the road for 29 years, said Boardman, owner of the trading post in an interview in April. However, on President’s Day weekend, one of the major four-day weekends for the area, off-highway vehicles were being ticketed.
“I was down 60 percent that weekend, and not because of the economy,” Boardman said.
Despite how popular the trading post is, people were scared to drive down the road because of the ticketing, she said.
“I feel that they are land-locking me,” Boardman said.
>> Staff Writer Elizabeth Varin can be reached at 337-3441 or evarin@ivpressonline.com
>> Digital Media News Editor Brooke Ruth contributed to this article.
