Bulloch County residents speaking out for Savage Trails

BULLOCH COUNTY, Ga. (WTOC) - Controversy surrounding an ATV park has people speaking up in Bulloch County.

We first reported on Savage Trails when neighbors surrounding the ATV park were saying that the drunk driving and dangerous conditions were getting out of hand.

SEE: Bulloch County residents asking for help ‘before tragedy strikes’ in neighborhood

Now, after the park has been ordered a cease and desist and forced to close from the county, more than 1,800 people have signed a petition to fight back.

Alexis Waters is the one who started that petition.

As a member of Savage Trails, she says it’s one of the best things to happen to this community.

“I cried. When we got the phone call it literally broke my heart. When I tell you, this is our home away from home,” said Waters.

In September Waters and fellow members received notice that the park was closing.

County leaders tell us this was due to significant environmental and permit violations.

At a county commissioner meeting on October 7th, the county attorney said Savage Trails was “an illegal use from its inception,” having never obtained a conditional use permit required to operate a commercial recreation facility.

WTOC spoke with a Savage Trails representative who says that they are currently in the process of obtaining that permit while the park is closed.

However, the park members are fighting back.

“Where? Where were the warnings? Where was hey, this is what you got to do to fix this? I don’t see anything out there. Now I’m not the owners and all of them but I know that they jumped through hoops to get where they are at,” said Waters.

Bulloch County leaders tell me they are waiting on the permit applications from the park before any action can be taken.

The Savage Trails Representative tells me they plan on speaking to the board at the November 4th commissioner meeting.

In the meantime, Savage Trails riders will have to wait.

“I just want it back open. We just want a safe place to ride, you know,” said Waters.