ATKINSON -- For the past 18 years Valerie Zdrada has gone for walks on the trails behind her house on Crown Hill Road, on the conservation land of Pine Knoll.

But in the past five or six years, she has noticed an increase in noise and the walking trails have been deteriorating because of motorized vehicles.

"I like it quiet," Zdrada said. "I have two dogs and the most annoying thing is when someone is out there at midnight driving an ATV. Because its so dark the headlights shine into our house and wake me up."

Because Zdrada is concerned about how all-terrain vehicles are affecting the environment and creating noise in her neighborhood, she hopes selectmen at Monday night's public hearing will adopt an ordinance banning unauthorized motor vehicles. At that hearing, the Conservation Commission is expected to recommend authorizing a temporary ban on ATVs on town-owned land.

"I'm concerned because we can't undo the damage, and if we were to let Mother Nature come back and repair the trails it would take 10 to 15 years to do the work," Zdrada said. "It is beautiful out there. There are herons, turtles, ducks, geese, fox and deer. I'm hoping that we can take a proactive stance to protect the land."

Town Administrator Vic Richards said he has received complaints from residents about ATVs being on town-owned land off of Sawyer Avenue and Pine Knoll Road.

Since there is no ban in place, police can tell people riding ATVs to stay off the property, "But there is no enforcement until the town enacts a policy," said Police Chief Philip V. Consentino, a selectman.

Consentino said once a ban is enacted, if a person is riding an ATV on town-owned, conservation or private land, they could be summoned to court for criminal trespassing.

Already, state law requires written permission from a landowner in order to operate motorized vehicles on private property, and children under the age of 17 have to be with a parent or a licensed driver. There is also a $2,000 fine fro riding a motorized vehicle on wetlands.

Conservation Commission Chairman Scott Kukshtel said riders are already in violation because they do not have permission from property owners to ride on the land.

In the past, Kukshtel said, the town has experienced isolated problems ATV riders, which could be solved by placing logs or rocks in the way of the trail.

Today, however, "The machines are cheaper, (and) there seems to be more of them these days, which is causing more problems," Kukshtel said. "As private land gets developed, there are fewer places to ride and now they are going on public lands without permission."

Consentino said he expects Monday nights' discussion to be heated, as selectmen hear comment from landowners and riders, alike.

"The bottom line is that when people purchase ATVs for their child, there is no place to run them and they are now going onto conservation and town land and are causing damage to the property," he said. "The town is coming to the point where we don't want them going out there and tearing out the lawn and annoying neighbors."