Published: September 20, 2007 11:47 pm      

Lack of permits shuts ATV park

CENTRAL CITY — The state has ordered the closure of a popular ATV park, maintaining Mountain Ridge Trails Resort has not obtained mandatory erosion-control, storm-water discharge and stream-crossing permits despite months of warnings.

The Stonycreek Township resort closed Tuesday and is expected to remain dormant until at least Jan. 1, its Web site read.

“They’re not following the law,” said Keith Largent, erosion-control technician for the Somerset Conservation District, which administers permits for the state Department of Environmental Protection.

“It’s illegal to do what they’re doing without getting a permit first.”

Largent said park operators had been warned for months that they were prohibited from operating without the permits.

“I’ve actually been out there and warned them of the impending doom,” Largent said. “They did not comply. The law’s the law.”

Largent said the resort was shut down by DEP.

“At this point, the DEP has not received a permit application,” agency spokeswoman Helen Humphreys said.

Once the permits and erosion-control plan are submitted, the conservation district will have 20 days to review the plans to ensure they are complete. If the plans are found to be satisfactory, the permits will undergo a 30-day technical review.

“The DEP and ourselves still believe it’s a good location for the park,” Largent said. “But they need to follow the environmental rules and regulations.”

Jay Zimmerman, one of the park’s partners, did not immediately return telephone calls Thursday seeking comment.

On the Web site, the resort said it is “well into” the permitting process but must wait on a 60-day review period.

All season pass holders will have their passes extended for whatever period the resort is closed, the park added.

Stonycreek Township Supervisor Greg Walker said controlling dust and runoff into streams has been an ongoing issue.

“I know there were some issues with soil conservation and things were not completed,” Walker said.

“I know they weren’t done with some permits when they had Quad Fest earlier this summer. It’s a slow time of the year for them, anyway.”

Three weeks ago, the park hosted some of the world’s top off-road dirt bike and ATV riders at the Geico Mountain Ridge National Cross Country Race.

The ninth stop on a 13-stage national tour, the race attracted about 1,500 competitors and thousands of spectators.

Mountain Ridge, one of two large ATV parks in Somerset and Cambria counties, draws nearly 5,000 spectators to its annual Quad Fest in July.

The more than 2,500-acre park had been planning a fall-foliage ride for Oct. 6 and a turkey ride Nov. 17.