Sedona Town Council Approves New Off-Road Vehicle Speed Limit

Some people in Arizona town are fed up with loud UTVs on their streets.

Noise complaints are a primary driver for the decision.Nigel Jarvis via Shutterstock

UTVs and off-road vehicles are so popular in Arizona that one municipality has had to crack down on riders’ speeds on public roads. According to the Sedona Red Rock News, the Sedona City Council recently voted unanimously on the proposal, which gives them the power to set speed limits specifically for off-highway vehicles (OHVs).

City attorney Kurt Christianson said Sedona is the first town in Arizona to implement such speed limits. The decision comes after noise complaints from some citizens, who requested the speed limits on parts of some roads in town.

The proposed limits drop the legal OHV speed from 25 to 15 mph, but the council appears to be considering imposing them on only one road so far. Police will help transition to the new rules with additional patrols, and the town’s public works department plans to add at least one sign alerting riders to the changes and prohibiting loud music in town.

Christianson said the town would monitor the changes with people in the neighborhood to determine if the new limits are effective. If successful, the initiative could expand to other streets, but town council members said they want citizens to drive the expansion, not the other way around. Despite that, the initial proposal passed in just nine minutes, indicating strong support for lower speed limits and reduced noise levels in Sedona.

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