DANVILLE -- Selectmen last night held firm on their intention to limit ATV use on town-owned land to residents only, despite pleas from local ATV riders.

Those riders are in the process of starting an ATV (all-terrain vehicle) club in town and told selectmen that, while they're happy the board isn't suggesting a total ban of ATVs on town-owned land, putting restrictions on who can ride and where will prevent the Danville ATV club from receiving state aid for trail maintenance.

Joe Reynolds, who moved to Danville three years ago -- in part, he said, because of the many trails in town -- said he's starting a club as a way to educate people about the sport and to develop a safe trail system for the 178 registered ATV users in Danville. He said he fears that any restriction selectmen place on ATV use could someday turn into an all-out ban on four-wheelers.

"As far as locals only, I don't like it," Reynolds said. "It's a form of discrimination and if the town goes locals only, eventually (ATVs) will be banned, period."

With more and more southern New Hampshire towns cracking down on off-road recreation, selectmen earlier this month announced that they're drafting a new ordinance that would prohibit non-Danville residents from riding on town-owned land.

Selectmen Chairman Michael B. Asselin said it's just a matter of time before the riders who used to take to the trails in Plaistow or Atkinson zoom into Danville, which now doesn't restrict ATV use.

Plaistow, Atkinson and Hampstead have recently banned ATVs from all town-owned land.

"We didn't feel right banning 100 percent ATV use," Asselin explained, adding that the Conservation Commission has noted areas along some town-owned trails that have been damaged due to ATV use. "But we do want to protect ourselves against nonresident use of (town-owned) trails ... We already know for a fact there are Massachusetts people who use our trail system and it's only going to get worse as the towns south of us enforce their ATV ordinances."

Asselin said while selectmen may move forward and impose restrictions on ATV use in the near future, residents would have their say on the new law at the upcoming Town Meeting in March. To help enforce the proposed restrictions, Asselin said he would support increasing the Police Department's budget so they'd be able to crack down on scofflaws.

He also suggested the new ATV club work with the Conservation Commission, Forestry Committee and the Heritage Commission on what trails should have restricted use. Asselin also urged the new club to limit its membership to Danville residents only.

But Reynolds said he'd hoped to get grant money from the state to fix some of the town-owned trails, but that any trails that are classified as "private" are not awarded state funds. Those monies for trail maintenance are collected from ATV registration fees.

"Everybody registers their (off-highway road vehicles), so the money should be used by everyone," he argued. He added that he's contacted private residents who welcome the idea of ATVs using a portion of their land.

Reynolds also asked selectmen if they would allow Danville ATV riders to bring "guests" onto town-owned trails.

Asselin said the ordinance could include provisions for an occasional "guest pass."

Grant money is available for local police departments to help pay officers to crack down on negligent ATV riders -- regardless if the trail is considered private. Plus, most clubs conduct a trail patrol service as a way to self-police the trails and crack down on riders who are giving the sport a bad name.

Londonderry resident Chris Oliverio, trail patrol coordinator for the Granite State ATV Association, explained that the trail patrol program "uses peer pressure to encourage people to do right."

"In most cases they abide by the laws," he said. He said trail patrol riders wear a bright-orange vest and confront either destructive riders or those who don't have proper registration stickers. Oliverio added that at times, he's gone to people's homes to let them know that either they or their children were riding irresponsibly.

"We tell them to please stay on the trail, or go home," he said.

Selectman Ron Peddle said over the past several years ATVs have "exploded" with just about every teen having one. He said it's lack of education and parental supervision that have contributed to the negative perception of ATV riders and he said an ATV club in town is a step in the right direction toward educating kids and parents.

Selectmen argue that it's easier to educate riders in Danville because they can't reach out to ATV users in other towns.

"It's not grown men who are creating the problems," Peddle said. "A lot of kids should be supervised. They're getting injured, getting killed. It's those things that have brought the problem out." Asselin noted that he's received many calls from residents who wish the town ban ATVs entirely, but that he doesn't think the board would be willing to take that additional step.