SB2492 93RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB093 20559 RAS 46368 b

93RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2003 and 2004
SB2492

Introduced 2/3/2004, by John J. Cullerton

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

20 ILCS 862/30 new

Amends the Vehicle Recreational Trails of Illinois Act. Provides that the State Off-Highway Vehicle Trails Advisory Board shall publish notice of all proposals to issue a grant for the construction of a new off-highway vehicle recreational trail in a regional newspaper reaching the proposed trail area. Provides that the Board must mail written notice of a proposal to owners of land within a one mile radius of the proposed trail location. Provides that a mandatory 30-day public comment period shall begin after notice of the proposal has been published. Provides that during the 30-day public comment period, interested persons may petition the Board to submit a request to the Department of Natural Resources for an informational meeting. Grants the Department the authority to determine if and when an informational meeting shall be granted and in what manner the meeting shall be conducted.

FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning recreation.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 5. The Recreational Trails of Illinois Act is amended by adding Section 30 as follows:

(20 ILCS 862/30 new)

Sec. 30. Public comment period required; public hearing. The Board shall publish notice of any proposal to issue a grant for the construction of a new off-highway vehicle recreational trail in a regional newspaper of general circulation in the proposed recreational trail area. The Board shall also mail written notice of any proposal to persons owning land within a one mile radius of the proposed trail location. Upon publication of notice in a regional newspaper, a mandatory 30-day public comment period shall commence. All interested persons may submit comment concerning the proposed grant for the new off-highway vehicle recreational trail to the Board during the public comment period. Interested persons may also petition the Board during the 30-day period to submit a request to the Department asking that the Department conduct an informational meeting on the proposed off-highway vehicle recreational trail grant. The Board may, at its discretion, request that the Department conduct the informational meeting to address the concerns of petitioners. The Department shall, by administrative rule, establish rules and regulations concerning under what circumstances an informational meeting shall be held, time periods within which the meeting shall be held, and the manner in which the meeting shall be conducted.