Bylaw Services is going to start policing ATVs driving on city roads and through city greenbelts.

In an interview this morning, Robert Fendrick, the city's director of administrative services, said in line with a Bylaw Services departmental review, bylaw officers were going to start cracking down on ATV riders driving in places they shouldn't be.

The review, Fendrick added, has been adopted by the current council and it will lead to a change in Bylaw Services priorities.

'Well, we've had the evaluation brought forward to council and adopted as a guiding document,' Fendrick said.

Fendrick said as a result of the document, bylaw 'will definitely' be looking at the way people drive ATVs and snowmobiles within city limits more carefully.

'We're going to be enhancing the enforcement on ATV vehicles.

'What this means is we'll get the direction from council to come back with our plans. If we can re-allocate our current resources, great. If we need more resources, that will have to come forward at budget time,' he said.

According to a summary of the review tabled at council, ATV enforcement issues have gone from one of the lowest bylaw priorities to one of the highest.

Other priorities, according to the report, include:

• conducting a cost/benefit analysis on implementing department driven versus complaint driven activities;

• assessing the costs of extending the hours of bylaw services;

• implementing a training program to explain the rational behind bylaws;

• creation of a traffic task force between the RCMP, bylaw and other stakeholders;

• creating graffiti legislation;

• reviewing phone call procedures of the bylaw department.

In an interview this morning, John Taylor, the city's manager of Bylaw Services said the report was compiled following interviews and consultations with community groups and other interested stakeholders.

Taylor said the ATV issue was a consistent theme in the process.

'The ATV issue was the shining star, if you will, of the Bylaw Services review.

'(Citizens) wanted a greater bylaw presence in the greenbelts,' Taylor said.

Taylor said action has already been taken.

'In fact, we've upped our patrols in green areas already.'

Taylor said he believes a lot of the discontent with ATV activity stemmed from a 2004 incident which saw an ATV rider assault a Takhini resident.

The 40-year-old Takhini resident was out walking in the area of a pond off Casino Street when she spotted two four-wheelers roaring through a green area she and her neighbours were trying to regenerate.

The resident, according to the RCMP, flagged down the two male ATV riders and asked them not to drive in the area.

One rider, sporting a black helmet, red windbreaker and dark pants, got off his ATV and swore at the woman before punching her in the stomach.