UNITY TOWNSHIP, Pa. (KDKA) – A Westmoreland County family is arguing with their neighbors about what they are doing on their property.
It all started with a homeowner’s noise complaint and later resulted in thousands of dollars in legal fees for a family, multiple community meetings, and hostility between neighbors over ATV driving.
“It’s definitely frustrating that the government or anyone else can dictate what you can and can’t do on your own property,” said Keith Fulton.
The Fulton family bought a farm in Unity Township several years ago so their four boys would have a place to “be kids,” Fulton said. That includes riding their ATVs on the trails that run through the 34-acre property.
“People buy a farm in the country to, as a friend of ours said, do things that you do in the country,” Fulton said. “And I think that means riding bikes, having a campfire at night and just being a kid and getting dirty.”
The Fultons live in a residential area about 15 minutes away, and their farm is where they find peace and quiet. That was until one day last fall when they received a citation because their neighbor, Jackie Lindsey, had complained about noise without their knowledge.
“They want to be able to ride their dirt bikes from sunrise to sunset,” Lindsey said.
“I understand that everyone has the right to do what they want on their property,” he added. “But you can’t harass anyone while doing so.”
Since there was no noise ordinance in the community, the Fultons’ only option was to ignore the ban on “pleasure riding.”
Since then, the family has requested meetings with officials and asked the municipality to relax regulations on riding dirt bikes in an area designated for agriculture.
“The ordinance was passed several years ago in response to a local highway that actually creates some noise,” Fulton said.
“The municipality has inserted the word ‘private’. In this way they are attacking the residents of the municipality,” he added.
Lindsey stressed that his goal is not to ban off-road driving, just to limit it to certain times of day. The Fultons said they are open to suggestions.
“Nobody is saying they can’t ride their bikes,” Lindsey said. “But if they only do it for a few hours a day, it’s OK.”
The Fultons say they will be notified by mail once superiors make a decision.
Shelley Bortz
