Talk about shooting oneself in the foot…
After spending $99,000 on a “scientific” study that the Sedona City Council hoped would show that OHVs (Off-Highway Vehicles) are harmful to the health of the community, it turns out they are not any more dangerous to Sedona than the vehicles we drive every day in town.
What a massive disappointment this had to have been for council members who thought the results of this study would bolster their arguments that indeed OHVs are dangerous, not just because of their potential for crashes, but also in terms of noise and air quality, and must be controlled or banned from the city — if owners of local OHV companies do not comply with council-created regulations.
Tentative agreements have been reached between operators and owners that would allow ATVs on city streets if certain equipment improvements are made.
If the operators do not comply, they have been warned that OHVs would be completely banned in the city, which would undoubtedly result in a battle that could only be settled in court.
Let’s say that happens. Imagine the bemusement of a judge reading that report by the consulting firm Kimley-Horn, which, of course, would be introduced as evidence by the plaintiff. The report rebukes the premise that these types of vehicles are a danger to public health.
The chances of the council prevailing are now even more bleak than they were before.
The council has rejected the findings of the consultant. There is no choice in this matter, given the repercussions admitting the study’s results were valid would have on its effort to regulate OHVs.
Except for one council member who just wants to move on, assuming there is a deal on the table between the council and operators—an agreement the council hopes would improve the safety of such vehicles.
But anything can happen now that the results of this study have emerged.
Would operators be emboldened and decide not to make the expensive modifications to their vehicles that the council wants? Decide to take their chances in court?
Hmmm. The plot thickens.
By Tommy Acosta
Editor
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4 Comments
Think the primary issue was the lack of highway approved tires and safety equipment as well as the enormous amount of environmental destruction they cause. The pollution issue was just a possible means of getting these un road safe vehicles off Sedona city limit roadways as a means of mitigating their ability to get out and destroy our peace and quiet out on the trails as they destroy our natural environment.
If people were only using them properly and respectfully driving them at posted speeds or below and they stayed on OHV specific roads then I think the matter would have been far less an issue.
Unfortunately anyone who can afford too can rent or buy one and drive them however they see fit and they ruin it for those who operate them responsibly as a means to explore nature.
Pay close attention. Data were collected the day after a rain when, the roads were wet. The 152/525 roads were closed during parts of the study because there were muddy. That doesn’t seem to be a good way to measure the effects of dust, traffic, and noise.
Good policies are informed by good science. Unfortunately, this OHV study was deeply flawed. The consultants hired by the City of Sedona to study the effects of dust kicked up by OHVs collected data under nearly the most inappropriate conditions possible – a wet day, on roads that were closed. That really happened, and it’s not good science. Sometimes no data is better than bad data, as bad data can so easily lead to incorrect conclusions that seem supported by facts.
Well, Tommy, if that “Science” is correct, then I must be living in a dream world! Why did I put 54 solar panels on my roof, so that solar power could charge my all-electric car? I should have saved all that money and just purchased an OHV to get around town in. On my way home from the Draft Community Plan Session at the Performing Arts Center, and after getting past the Schnebly Hill roundabout yesterday (Sunday), I discovered I was preceded by 4 OHV’s in line, and followed by another 5 OHV’s, also in line. They all turned turned at the Morgan Rd. roundabout, heading through the Broken Arrow to “Chicken Point” excursion. Wonderful!! Since there is no difference between these vehicles and private autos, environmentally wise, and they offer the option of going “where the timid dare not go”, maybe we should recommend them to ALL RESIDENTS, and join the fun!