Dirt bikes will be front and center at Monday?s City Council meeting, as Councilman Jack “Bernard” Young will introduce a resolution calling for a dirt bike park in the city.
“We need to create a place were they can ride their bikes legally, Young said.
The resolution calls for the department of parks and recreation to report to the council on the possibility of turning city-owned land into a motor cross park. Young said the recent controversy over the arrest of 7-year-old Gerard Mungo Jr. for sitting on a dirt bike prompted him to act.
Currently, the city confiscates dirt bikes and sells them to licensed brokers, who then resell them overseas.
Mayoral spokesman Anthony McCarthy said the city has confiscated and auctioned 1,434 dirt bikes since July 2004. The sales have netted the city a total of $117,932 after expenses, McCarthy said.
All proceeds go to improving city streets and roads.
Police department spokesman Matt Jablow said owning a dirt bike is not illegal per se for city residents.
“It is illegal to operate, not own, a dirt bike in Baltimore city,” he said. “Our legal affairs section defines a dirt bike as an unregistered motorcycle designed for off-road use.”
Young said he hopes having a place people can ride dirt bikes legally will alleviate the temptation to ride them on city streets.
“This won?t solve the problem entirely of people riding bikes in city, but at least it will give people a legal alternative where they can enjoy them,” he said.
