The Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office has recently applied for a grant from the State of California Parks and Recreation Off-Highway Vehicle program, that would allow it to continue and expand patrols and response to ATV riding in riverbeds in the Santa Ynez Valley, near the cities of Lompoc and Santa Maria.
According to a release from the sheriff's office, the agency applied for the grant on March 3 in an effort to increase patrolling and enforcement of areas where illegal off-road vehicles are being used. The agency reported it is receiving calls from the community about riders in the area and said the riders are violating a number of state and county ordinances.
In addition to the potential of breaking laws and ordinances, the release states that riding in these areas leads to damage to private property and degradation of the environment.
