HomeMy Public PortalAboutPKT-CC-2020-11-10NOVEMBER 10, 2020
PRE -COUNCIL WORKSHOP -6:00 P.M.
REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING 7:00 P.M.
Consistent with provisions of the Utah Open and Public Meetings Act, Utah Code
Ann. § 54 -2 -207(4), the Moab City Council Chair has issued written determinations
supporting the decision to convene electronic meetings of the Council without a
physical anchor location. Due to the health and safety risks related to the ongoing
COVID -19 pandemic and considering public health orders limiting in -person
gatherings, the Moab City Council will continue to hold meetings by electronic
means. The public is invited and encouraged to view and participate in the
Council ’s electronic meetings by viewing the City ’s YouTube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCl00z0Zgdmz4y1FoI0l7CJA .
Pre -Council Workshop - 6:00 pm
Update on UDOT Regional Transportation Plan
The UDOT Regional Transportation Plan is approximately 60% completed. The
workshop will be presented by UDOT's consultant Project Manager John Nepstad
of Fehr & Peers. He will present on efforts to date and it will be an opportunity for
Council to provide input regarding the Plan.
Moab & Spanish Valley Regional Transportation
Plan :http://www.moabspanishvalleyrtp.org/
Community Survey link:https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/c8cwf59
workshop to discuss the udot regional transportation plan
agenda summary.pdf
Regular City Council Meeting - 7:00 p.m.
Call to Order and Roll Call Attendance
Citizens to Be Heard
We are receiving public comments by phone and online through
Zoom. Citizens are limited to three (3) minutes for comments.
Dial: 669 -900 -9128 Meeting ID: 861 8339 5991 Passcode (if
needed): 548514
Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86183395991?
pwd=tgdubdrrn3zqunborendndbqwgt0qt09
Please note that when joining the meeting, you will be placed in
a waiting room and will be added to the meeting by the
moderator. Your comments will be recorded and on YouTube.
To have your written comments considered for the Citizens to
Be Heard portion of the electronic meeting, please fill out the
form found here: http://bit.ly/publiccommentform
You must submit your comments by 7:00 pm on November 10,
2020. Please limit your comments to 400 words.
Administrative Reports
COVID -19 Updates
Finance Department Update
Public Works Department Update
Engineering Department Update
Mayor and Council Reports
Presentation
CARES Act Funding
Approval of Minutes
Minutes: October 13, 2020, Regular Meeting
min -cc -2020 -10 -13 draft.pdf
Minutes: October 20, 2020, Special Joint Grand County Commission/City
Council Meeting
min -cc -2020 -10 -20 draft.pdf
Minutes: October 27, 2020, Regular Meeting
min -cc -2020 -10 -27 draft.pdf
Minutes: October 30, 2020, Special Moab City Council/Grand County
Commission/Arches Hotspot Region Coordinating Committee Meeting
min -cc -2020 -10 -30 draft.pdf
Minutes: November 4, 2020, Special Meeting
min -cc -2020 -11 -04 draft.pdf
Old Business
Walnut Lane IFB Award
Briefing and possible action
walnut lane est schedule.pdf
walnut lane pro forma - pad_11 -4 -20_2.pdf
2020 11 02 walnut lane site plan phasing a.pdf
as - walnut lane ifb award - 11 -10 -20.pdf
ifb scoring sheet - total.pdf
final bid_indiedwell.pdf
Proposed Resolution 44 -2020: A Resolution Regarding the City of Moab's
Commitment to Funding Years Four and Five of a "Recreational Hotspot" Transit
Shuttle Pilot Program
Briefing and possible action
transit funding resolution agenda summary.pdf
resolution 44.2020 committing funding for transit pilot.pdf
Approval of Bills Against the City of Moab
Executive (Closed) Session
Strategy Session to Discuss Reasonably Imminent and/or Pending Litigation
Discussion of the Character, Professional Competence, or Physical or Mental
Health of an Individual or Individuals
Adjournment
Special Accommodations:
In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, individuals needing special
accommodations during this meeting should notify the Recorder ’s Office at 217 East Center
Street, Moab, Utah 84532; or phone (435) 259 -5121 at least three (3) working days prior to
the meeting.
Check our website for updates at: www.moabcity.org
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NOVEMBER 10, 2020PRE-COUNCIL WORKSHOP -6:00 P.M.REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING 7:00 P.M.Consistent with provisions of the Utah Open and Public Meetings Act, Utah Code Ann. § 54 -2 -207(4), the Moab City Council Chair has issued written determinations supporting the decision to convene electronic meetings of the Council without a physical anchor location. Due to the health and safety risks related to the ongoing COVID -19 pandemic and considering public health orders limiting in -person gatherings, the Moab City Council will continue to hold meetings by electronic means. The public is invited and encouraged to view and participate in the Council ’s electronic meetings by viewing the City ’s YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCl00z0Zgdmz4y1FoI0l7CJA . Pre -Council Workshop - 6:00 pmUpdate on UDOT Regional Transportation PlanThe UDOT Regional Transportation Plan is approximately 60% completed. The workshop will be presented by UDOT's consultant Project Manager John Nepstad of Fehr & Peers. He will present on efforts to date and it will be an opportunity for Council to provide input regarding the Plan.Moab & Spanish Valley Regional Transportation Plan :http://www.moabspanishvalleyrtp.org/Community Survey link:https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/c8cwf59workshop to discuss the udot regional transportation plan agenda summary.pdfRegular City Council Meeting - 7:00 p.m.Call to Order and Roll Call AttendanceCitizens to Be Heard We are receiving public comments by phone and online through Zoom. Citizens are limited to three (3) minutes for comments. Dial: 669 -900 -9128 Meeting ID: 861 8339 5991 Passcode (if needed): 548514Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86183395991?
pwd=tgdubdrrn3zqunborendndbqwgt0qt09
Please note that when joining the meeting, you will be placed in
a waiting room and will be added to the meeting by the
moderator. Your comments will be recorded and on YouTube.
To have your written comments considered for the Citizens to
Be Heard portion of the electronic meeting, please fill out the
form found here: http://bit.ly/publiccommentform
You must submit your comments by 7:00 pm on November 10,
2020. Please limit your comments to 400 words.
Administrative Reports
COVID -19 Updates
Finance Department Update
Public Works Department Update
Engineering Department Update
Mayor and Council Reports
Presentation
CARES Act Funding
Approval of Minutes
Minutes: October 13, 2020, Regular Meeting
min -cc -2020 -10 -13 draft.pdf
Minutes: October 20, 2020, Special Joint Grand County Commission/City
Council Meeting
min -cc -2020 -10 -20 draft.pdf
Minutes: October 27, 2020, Regular Meeting
min -cc -2020 -10 -27 draft.pdf
Minutes: October 30, 2020, Special Moab City Council/Grand County
Commission/Arches Hotspot Region Coordinating Committee Meeting
min -cc -2020 -10 -30 draft.pdf
Minutes: November 4, 2020, Special Meeting
min -cc -2020 -11 -04 draft.pdf
Old Business
Walnut Lane IFB Award
Briefing and possible action
walnut lane est schedule.pdf
walnut lane pro forma - pad_11 -4 -20_2.pdf
2020 11 02 walnut lane site plan phasing a.pdf
as - walnut lane ifb award - 11 -10 -20.pdf
ifb scoring sheet - total.pdf
final bid_indiedwell.pdf
Proposed Resolution 44 -2020: A Resolution Regarding the City of Moab's
Commitment to Funding Years Four and Five of a "Recreational Hotspot" Transit
Shuttle Pilot Program
Briefing and possible action
transit funding resolution agenda summary.pdf
resolution 44.2020 committing funding for transit pilot.pdf
Approval of Bills Against the City of Moab
Executive (Closed) Session
Strategy Session to Discuss Reasonably Imminent and/or Pending Litigation
Discussion of the Character, Professional Competence, or Physical or Mental
Health of an Individual or Individuals
Adjournment
Special Accommodations:
In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, individuals needing special
accommodations during this meeting should notify the Recorder ’s Office at 217 East Center
Street, Moab, Utah 84532; or phone (435) 259 -5121 at least three (3) working days prior to
the meeting.
Check our website for updates at: www.moabcity.org
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NOVEMBER 10, 2020PRE-COUNCIL WORKSHOP -6:00 P.M.REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING 7:00 P.M.Consistent with provisions of the Utah Open and Public Meetings Act, Utah Code Ann. § 54 -2 -207(4), the Moab City Council Chair has issued written determinations supporting the decision to convene electronic meetings of the Council without a physical anchor location. Due to the health and safety risks related to the ongoing COVID -19 pandemic and considering public health orders limiting in -person gatherings, the Moab City Council will continue to hold meetings by electronic means. The public is invited and encouraged to view and participate in the Council ’s electronic meetings by viewing the City ’s YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCl00z0Zgdmz4y1FoI0l7CJA . Pre -Council Workshop - 6:00 pmUpdate on UDOT Regional Transportation PlanThe UDOT Regional Transportation Plan is approximately 60% completed. The workshop will be presented by UDOT's consultant Project Manager John Nepstad of Fehr & Peers. He will present on efforts to date and it will be an opportunity for Council to provide input regarding the Plan.Moab & Spanish Valley Regional Transportation Plan :http://www.moabspanishvalleyrtp.org/Community Survey link:https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/c8cwf59workshop to discuss the udot regional transportation plan agenda summary.pdfRegular City Council Meeting - 7:00 p.m.Call to Order and Roll Call AttendanceCitizens to Be Heard We are receiving public comments by phone and online through Zoom. Citizens are limited to three (3) minutes for comments. Dial: 669 -900 -9128 Meeting ID: 861 8339 5991 Passcode (if needed): 548514Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86183395991?pwd=tgdubdrrn3zqunborendndbqwgt0qt09Please note that when joining the meeting, you will be placed in a waiting room and will be added to the meeting by the moderator. Your comments will be recorded and on YouTube. To have your written comments considered for the Citizens to Be Heard portion of the electronic meeting, please fill out the form found here: http://bit.ly/publiccommentformYou must submit your comments by 7:00 pm on November 10, 2020. Please limit your comments to 400 words.Administrative ReportsCOVID-19 UpdatesFinance Department UpdatePublic Works Department UpdateEngineering Department UpdateMayor and Council ReportsPresentationCARES Act FundingApproval of MinutesMinutes: October 13, 2020, Regular Meetingmin-cc -2020 -10 -13 draft.pdfMinutes: October 20, 2020, Special Joint Grand County Commission/City Council Meeting min -cc -2020 -10 -20 draft.pdfMinutes: October 27, 2020, Regular Meetingmin-cc -2020 -10 -27 draft.pdfMinutes: October 30, 2020, Special Moab City Council/Grand County Commission/Arches Hotspot Region Coordinating Committee Meetingmin-cc -2020 -10 -30 draft.pdfMinutes: November 4, 2020, Special Meetingmin-cc -2020 -11 -04 draft.pdf
Old Business
Walnut Lane IFB Award
Briefing and possible action
walnut lane est schedule.pdf
walnut lane pro forma - pad_11 -4 -20_2.pdf
2020 11 02 walnut lane site plan phasing a.pdf
as - walnut lane ifb award - 11 -10 -20.pdf
ifb scoring sheet - total.pdf
final bid_indiedwell.pdf
Proposed Resolution 44 -2020: A Resolution Regarding the City of Moab's
Commitment to Funding Years Four and Five of a "Recreational Hotspot" Transit
Shuttle Pilot Program
Briefing and possible action
transit funding resolution agenda summary.pdf
resolution 44.2020 committing funding for transit pilot.pdf
Approval of Bills Against the City of Moab
Executive (Closed) Session
Strategy Session to Discuss Reasonably Imminent and/or Pending Litigation
Discussion of the Character, Professional Competence, or Physical or Mental
Health of an Individual or Individuals
Adjournment
Special Accommodations:
In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, individuals needing special
accommodations during this meeting should notify the Recorder ’s Office at 217 East Center
Street, Moab, Utah 84532; or phone (435) 259 -5121 at least three (3) working days prior to
the meeting.
Check our website for updates at: www.moabcity.org
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Moab City Council Agenda Item
Meeting Date: November 10, 2020
Title: Workshop to Discuss UDOT Regional Transportation Plan
Disposition: Discussion and possible action
Staff Presenter: Chuck Williams, City Engineer
Attachment(s): None
Recommended Motion: None
Background/Summary:
The UDOT Regional Transportation Plan is approximately 60% complete. The
workshop will be presented by UDOT’s consultant project manager, Jon
Nepstad of Fehr & Peers. He will present on efforts to date and it will be an
opportunity for the City Council to provide input regarding the Plan.
Page 1 of 20
October 13, 2020
MOAB CITY COUNCIL MINUTES
REGULAR MEETING
October 13, 2020
The Moab City Council held its Regular Meeting on the above date. Consistent with provisions of
the Utah Open and Public Meetings Act, Utah Code Ann. § 54-2-207(4), the Moab City Council
Chair has issued written determinations supporting the decision to convene electronic meetings
of the Council without a physical anchor location. Due to the health and safety risks related to
the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and considering public health orders limiting in-person
gatherings, the Moab City Council will continue to hold meetings by electronic means. An audio
recording of the meeting is archived at http://www.utah.gov/pmn/index.html. A video
recording is archived at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AACRrkJp4BQ&t=2852s.
PRE-COUNCIL WORKSHOP 6:00 P.M.
Mayor Emily Niehaus called the Workshop to order at 6:02 p.m. Participating remotely were
Councilmembers Rani Derasary, Mike Duncan, Karen Guzman-Newton, Tawny Knuteson-Boyd,
and Kalen Jones. City staff participating remotely were City Manager Joel Linares, Assistant
City Manager Carly Castle, City Attorney Laurie Simonson, Senior Projects Manager Kaitlin
Myers, and City Recorder Sommar Johnson. Jenna Whetzel from the Housing Authority of
Southeastern Utah joined the meeting at 6:02 p.m. to present the Moab Area Housing Overview
& MAHTF Recommendations. Assistant Planner Cory Shurtleff and Courtney G. Flint, Natural
Resource and Community Sociologist at Utah State University joined the meeting at 6:30 p.m.
to present the Wellbeing Survey Project.
Joint City Council/Grand County Council Workshop Presentation
Moab Area Housing Overview & MAHTF Recommendations - Presentation
Jenna Whetzel with the Housing Authority of Southeastern Utah and Senior Projects Manager
Kaitlin Myers made a presentation to the City Council about goals and recommendations for
affordable housing. 0:06
Presentation on the participation of Moab and Grand County in the Utah
Wellbeing Survey Project, by Dr. Courtney G. Flint, Natural Resource and
Community Sociologist at Utah State University – Presentation
Courtney Flint with Utah State University and Assistant Planner Cory Shurtleff made a
presentation to the City Council about the Wellbeing Survey Project. 29:29
REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING 7:00 P.M.
Regular Meeting—Call to Order and Attendance: Mayor Niehaus called the Regular City
Council Meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. Participating remotely were Councilmembers Karen
Guzman-Newton, Tawny Knuteson-Boyd, Rani Derasary, Mike Duncan, and Kalen Jones. City
staff participating remotely were City Manager Joel Linares, Assistant City Manager Carly
Castle, City Attorney Laurie Simonson, and City Recorder Sommar Johnson. Senior Projects
Manager Kaitlin Myer joined the meeting at p.m. Police Chief Bret Edge joined the meeting at
p.m. Planning Director Nora Shepard and Assistant Planner Cory Shurtleff joined the meeting at
10:23 p.m.
Citizens to be Heard:
Brett Stewart with Utah OHV advocates said he did not have a comment but requested to listen
in on the meeting due to limited internet service. 9:53
Jess O’Leary stated she wrote a letter regarding OHV noise and wanted to focus her attention on
Page 2 of 20
October 13, 2020
OHV safety. She stated House Bill 82, passed in 2017, requires an OHV to have a windshield or
for occupants to wear eye protection and those can be enforced. She said she saw an OHV with a
dad and toddler without a windshield and eye protection and those safety issues should be
strictly enforced. 11:00
Margie/Grandma stated she sent in comments and said her comments were related to the OHV
noise. She said she lives on 100 South and the noise is outrageous and asked if there was really a
chance that something will be done because many of her neighbors have complained. She said
many of her neighbors have been complaining and hopes the council will do something to help
them all. 14:26
Dave Hellman stated he owns one of the tour companies in town and wanted to speak about
noise and curfew. He believed implementing a curfew would be difficult because it was
somewhat of profiling by putting a curfew on certain vehicles and not others. He also spoke
about aftermarket exhausts and said he owns multiple side-by-sides and none of them have
aftermarket exhausts because of the noise. He believed the main focus should be on law
enforcement noting that every muffler has a DOT-approved muffler number and street legal
OHV’s should have the number and meet the decibel requirements. He said enforcement should
be focused on illegal exhaust systems because they are what cause a lot of the noise. 17:52
Trish Hawkins, Lori Taylor, Dal Taylor, Eve Tallman, Shane (last name not identified), and
Jaylyn Hawks joined during Citizens to be Heard but did not comment and opted to watch the
YouTube stream.
Allison VonLonkhuyzen - I think Moab should opt out of the state that allows OHV’s on
residential roads. We should NOT allow OHV’s on our residential roads. The noise is excessive
and maddening. If this can’t happen OHV’s should be required to have mufflers. Companies
would have to COMPLY and law-enforcement would have to ENFORCE.
Sheri Simmons - The noise from OHV and other trucks and cars with excessively loud mufflers
is extremely disruptive to our community. Please enforce a noise limit. It is unacceptable to
allow rental companies to rent OHV without mufflers to drive thru town and it is unacceptable
to let them disturb our backcountry as well.
Sallie Hodges - I see the noise from UTV’s in Moab as a mental health issue.
https://www.brainfacts.org/thinking-sensing-and-behaving/diet-and-lifestyle/2018/noise-
pollution-isnt-just-annoying-its-bad-for-your-health-062718
Robin Straub - My husband and I are VERY overwhelmed and STRESSED OUT every day with
utv/atv traffic noise on 100 N and 400 E and would like better silencing mufflers required of
these vehicles, NO utvs allowed through our residential neighborhoods and fewer utv rental
businesses in town. It is our opinion that the shear number and noise pollution produced by
atvs is ruining our ability to enjoy a peaceful life here in Moab. We believe the noise ordinance is
being constantly violated because these machines have to run at high rpms constantly. Atvs are
not designed to drive through cities and could be trailered to all trail heads. Since Salt Lake City
does not allow atv/utv traffic through their neighborhoods it seems to us Moab has the right to
require the same. Noise pollution from atvs has definitely made our life here in our home and
back yard a nightmare and unlivable if new noise pollution rules and regulations are not quickly
put in place. Also, we feel Rally on the Rocks is contributing to the already severe noise
pollution and their permit should NOT be renewed! Thank you for your attention to this very
serious problem, Robin Straub Phil Wagner.
Page 3 of 20
October 13, 2020
Stefanie Biron - I hope the city considers how limiting noise pollution in regards to OHV will
continue to benefit lives and well being of residents. My hope is that less emphasis is brought on
expanding this tourist user group and more effort is put into actually improving quality of life
for individuals living here.
Bill Groff - Some suggestions to ponder. Trailer UTV’s to trailheads. No more new utv rental or
tour businesses. All utv rental & tour business must have quiet mufflers installed. More
enforcement, such as more police officers & Sherif Deputy’s. Speed & noise traps on the most
active roads. Ban all UTV’s in Grand County. Make fines for unlicensed UTV’s extremely
expensive. I realize some are almost impossible, but..........Sorry these are random, but ideas for
you to ponder. Thank you
Bruce Condie - I live just outside the Moab city limits on Murphy Lane. For years I have been
assaulted by the incredible noise coming from ATV's and UTV's. Each year the din has become
noticably worse. I am strongly in favor of strict enforcement of existing vehicle regulations
relating to noise, speed limits, vehicle registration, vehicle insurance, and inspections. It seems
to me that revenues for more law enforcement could easily be generated by issuing citations to
violators. Businesses in town should not be allowed to rent machines that violate noise rules or
other ordinances. I am STRONGLY OPPOSED to designating routes through town. Defacto
routes already exist on the main roads and the resisdents living near them are already suffering
from the racket. To designate these routes would only make things worse. In my opinion, Moab
should break from state law and require trailering these machines to trailheads, just like every
civilized city in the world requires. Thank you for considering my comments.
Tom - The noise and air pollution of these UTVs is intolerable, and is unacceptable in a time of
drastic and escalating climate change. The noise pollution both in town and out on our fragile
landscapes is annoying to humans, and detrimental to the habitat for the wildlife in the region.
The carbon dioxide emissions from these UTVs is contributing needlessly to climate change. We
should not be burning fuel for recreation. The damage to cryptobiotic soils is uncontainable. Ban
these useless nuisances from our town, from public roads, from our wilderness, and from our
lives. The only acceptable use for UTVs should be for legitimate ranching and farming activities,
where vehicles of this nature are needed for operations.
Kaki Hunter - I encourage and applaud the City Council for taking action with the excessive
noise from OHVs on public streets. I support all the tactics listed on the agenda with an
emphasis on self regulating the use of OHVs within City limits. I think we need to tackle this
issue from all angles to make it known that Moab residents deserve to maintain their quality of
life as well as support the many visitors that come here. MAKE MOAB QUIET needs to be a
campaign slogan that the Travel Council urgently supports. Unregulated sound pollution caused
by one special interest group is a demonstration of favoritism at the expense and welfare of the
rest of the community. OHVs DISTURB THE PEACE / GET THEM OFF OUR PUBLIC
STREETS! The State Legislature outlawed smoking in public places to protect the health of its
citizens. Noise pollution needs to be treated with as much concern for public health. Noise
pollution degrades the quality of life and lowers property values. The State Legislature has
turned our public streets and neighborhoods into highways for commercial exploitation for one
special interest group. OFF ROAD VEHICLES should be BANNED from PUBLIC STREETS.
Just as smoking has been banned from public spaces. Require all UTVs / ORVs / Side x Sides /
personal 4x4 ATVs be electric by 2022. No exceptions.
Sarah Topp - I live on Murphy Lane, just outside the city limits. Excessive noise has been
Page 4 of 20
October 13, 2020
PROVEN to cause health problems, so this issue goes beyond mere annoyance. I am strongly in
favor of strict enforcement of existing vehicle regulations relating to noise, speed limits, and
vehicle compliance. It isn't just UTV's, there are incredibly noisy pickup trucks roaring up and
down the streets too. Noise ordinances and speed limits are in place and need to be enforced.
Suggesting that people obey the law is not good enough. Revenues for more law enforcement
could be generated by issuing citations to violators. I don't think we're in any danger of losing
tourists if we start enforcing the laws. Businesses in town should not be allowed to rent
machines that violate noise rules, and should only be allowed to rent machines that are
mufflered. I am opposed to allowing new UTV rental businesses unless they are renting
mufflered machines. I am very strongly opposed to designating routes through town. This will
only make it unbearable for those living along designated routes and it won't lessen the
background roar that you can hear from miles away. In my opinion, Moab should break from
state law and require trailering these machines to trailheads, just like they used to do. This
should be top priority for our mayor and city council to address the state. Our town is becoming
a motorized free-for-all, and this is unacceptable to those of us who live here. Also, if the city has
the power to regulate what type of businesses operate here, you need to pull the plug on the
flying motorized parachutes. It's bad enough we have noisy streets, but to have them flying low
over people's back yards is atrocious. Thank you for considering my comments.
Bobbie Day - I’m respectfully asking that GC stop all commercials from the travel council
regarding a destination for ORV and or any other obnoxious vehicle use. We are over ran, and
fed up. How much more do you think we can take? There are no noise enforcement whatsoever.
Ppl camp wherever they want. Something needs to be done before it’s too late.
Barbara Zinn - The UTV noise in Moab is intolerable. As a long-time resident, I am angry that I
cannot sit on my porch or in my backyard without being continually blasted by roars and
squeals. Although I installed expensive windows that have always blocked most sounds, these
days the UTV noise penetrates these. Even inside my home I am now bombarded by this racket.
I support all five of the proposed options, but additionally, and I believe most importantly, the
Travel Council needs to stop promoting Moab as a motorized destination. We have always had
lots of visitors who come for our peace and quiet. I have spoken to many people who say they
have stopped visiting Moab because it is overrun by unbearably loud motorized recreationists.
Please make strong noise ordinances, institute metering, and do not permit large OHV events or
issue business licenses to OHV rental businesses. We need to show the Utah legislature that we
have done our local due diligence in addressing the noise issue, to encourage them to change
their laws.
Carol Mayer - I think we know how hard it is to put the "genie" of OHV Tourism back in the
bottle once its giant bottle cap got unscrewed. So now that it has manifested into a gargantuan
problem for residents that are not directly and financially benefiting from pre-dawn to pre-dawn
OHVtraffic noise in our rock-lined valley, what can we do to mitigate the horrible unintended
consequences of the State allowing them to be everywhere in Moab and Grand County? You
have several choices in front of you enabling the start to change the status-quo. But how about
discussing the end result we are trying to achieve? We don't want to STOP tourism (I personally
wish we could reduce it by at least 50% but since we are still building hotels and overnight
rentals at a dizzying pace the effective date for that wish was 2018) but we want QUIETER
tourism. I propose your item numbers 1 and 3 TO BEGIN with followed by a huge (maybe TRT
funded) campaign that would make the END RESULT an ordinance that only electric engines on
OHV's and muffled Dirt Bikes would be allowed to be driven on streets in town and in the
county. Otherwise they must be trailered. Your Item #4 would then take care of itself, the genie
doesn't get screwed and residents will maybe, hopefully, finally have some relief.
Page 5 of 20
October 13, 2020
Serena Supplee - The noise in Moab is an untolerable high. The big groups of side by sides going
down the street stifles life, & the thoughts in my head. They are even out at 2am now. If we can't
get them off the streets can we make the groups smaller or give them a curfew for the streets of
Moab, some kind of new boundary so we can have hours that are quieter?
Nissa Holleman - I am very happy to see you are discussing UTV's and noise in Moab. The noise
is becoming too much for our town. It's making living in town unbearable and stressful. Though
aside from the noise, UTV drivers are also seeming to be very disrespectful of traffic rules. It
seems people driving UTV's think they can do whatever they want here because they're in their
special little dune buggy. I would like to see tourism go back to hikers, mountain bikers,
photographers, nature lovers and people with quieter interests. If we are going to have UTV's on
the street, they need to be as quiet as an ordinary vehicle. The quality of our town is being
ruined. I often think our town just looks trashy like we don't care about anything except money.
Janet Buckingham - I am writing to voice my concerns with what has happened to Moab in the
past 5-10 years. None of it has been good. The noise, the traffic, the motels, the out of control
tourism and finally the unbearable presence of UTVs has ruined Moab. I have lived here for 30
years. I raised my son here. It is not only home physically, but in my heart, yet every day I think
about moving away because of what an unlivable place it has become. And it's not just those of
us who moved here in the last few decades, it's "old Moab" too. In my husband's work, he talks
with the old timers all the time, those born and raised in Moab, and they hate UTVs and
everything they bring with them as well. The most pressing issue (although it's hard to separate
them) is the noise. Grand County MUST STOP advertising Moab as the motorized adventure
capitol of the world. The state should certainly stop advertising Moab as a "Covid Vacation"
spot. Looking at the options you listed for discussion, I would say "almost all of the above."
Instruct the PD to write more tickets (and make them hurt) which will generate more revenue so
you can hire additional officers who can help control the mayhem. Fight the state! Go against
state law and write an ordinance restricting UTVs from ALL of our roadways. Be the bold,
extraordinary town we've always been known to be. Definitely put a moratorium in place on any
new UTV rentals. There are enough! I do not like the option of designating a UTV route through
town. That is simply going to push the problem into one area of town, which is unfair to
residences and/or businesses on that route. You might as well declare that route a sacrifice zone
or disaster zone because every business and home owner would move out! As far as new noise
ordinances or decibel measurements, I feel like both of those would be a waste of time and
resources, especially if they are not going to be enforced. I really encourage you to do whatever
you can to reclaim Moab. I would support anything that would make UTV tourists feel
unwelcome here. If they threaten to move their events and "fun pig" style recreation to St.
George or Kanab, tell them bye, bye! Thank you for listening. Best of luck.
Josephine Kovash - Specific comments on Agenda Item 8.1, in addition to my letter already sent
to the Council, addressing each possible option for mitigation of OHV noise. 1.) With noise
metering, is it possible that the revenue from citations could pay for the expense of
enforcement? This would be a good option if combined with others. 2.) I live on Locust Lane,
and anyone like myself who lives on or adjacent to a main trailhead access point (Sand Flats and
Kane Creek) would continue to suffer even with designated routes. You cannot get around the
fact that these trails have to be accessed THROUGH residential neighborhoods. 3.) This would
be good in combination with option #1, even if it would have to wait until next June to take
effect. (Perhaps companies would begin earlier if option #1 was implemented speedily.) 4.) This
needs to happen yesterday! But good in combination with options 1 & 3. 5.) Yes! In conclusion,
all options minus option 2 should be done in tandem, with the hope of eventually achieving the
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ability to locally opt out. And lastly, on the idea of a curfew, I strongly advocate that this is not
just a nighttime issue. I am a stay at home parent and also there is a pandemic keeping many of
us home more than usual, and we deserve to have this mitigated during ALL hours of the day for
our health, sanity, and that of our children as well. Thank you.
Mary Weingarden - I have been a resident here for thirty years. This is not the Moab I fell in love
with and moved to. I'm weighing in about the incessant noise which is decaying our quality of
life. The silverlineing to this Springs pandemic shutdown was the reminder of what a noise free
Spring in Moab is like. It was lovely! I could hear the birds singing. What we have here is
bordering on unhealthy. I just read an article on how continuous noise negatively affects
children's learning. This is science. Please help draft policy to address this continuous incessant
noise. It is not good for any living beings. Also, I live on a dead end street. This year there has
been a constant parade of big rigs with toy hauler trailers coming down to the end and trying to
turn around, some end up backing up past five residents to turn around. This is after passing
three signs stating there's no through street and big trailers are not recommend. I love the Moab
I moved to, not what it's devolved to now in 2020. Please help us restore some quality to our
lives. Thank you MaryW
Kiley Miller - My friends who have lived here some for decades are moving away. They can no
longer deal with what Moab has become, so loud from utvs and so overrun with tourists. We
can’t escape the roar of motors in our home because it comes through the walls, we can’t find a
parking spot at our small neighborhood market or post office because the tourists have taken
them all. We can’t get away from the roar of motors in the backcountry because there’s
thousands of utvs out there. It takes twice as long to get home on 191 because utvs and tourists
are holding all the traffic up. The list goes on and on. I feel so sad for the residents of this region
I feel so sad for the land and wildlife because we’re all being terrorized by the astronomical
increase of utvs as well as tourists. I lost my mind a few weeks ago when Area Bfe had a utv
racing event, I did literally lose my shit. I started screaming the roar of engines all day and
through the nite for 3 days. Then I go to town and get triggered because there they are in our
neighborhoods roaring around. It’s wrong it’s got to stop. Sue the state, start enforcing noise
ordinances, we need to have a reputation like Wellington. You don’t speed through Wellington
or Richfield. Get the utvs off the street, ban any new proposed utv rental businesses. Our home
our community our beautiful backcountry is being destroyed. It’s unacceptable. Time for drastic
measures. Oh yeah and stop advertising us to the world. Just stop. Ban them on our streets,
let’s see what the state does. Our reps make excuse after excuse blaming us for being a tourist
town and saying our local govt deal with it. Ok then we take matters into our own hands and we
make the rules. At my wits end- Kiley Miller 23 year resident of this place
Sheila Strahan - The noise from traffic, particularly from off road vehicles and particularly on
the weekends, has become seemingly out of control. I hear the noise from them very late at
night (sometimes past 11pm), and very early in the morning (sometimes earlier than 6am). My
house is 2 blocks off Kane Creek, but on weekends, I hear and see a constant parade of hundreds
of side by sides that lasts for hours and hours: the sounds of their motors fills the entire
neighborhood and is VERY loud. I am hoping that there is a way out community can help
mitigate this as it is greatly decreasing the quality of life for myself and my neighbors. I have
heard that some places require off road vehicles be trailered to the trails instead of driving
through town. Perhaps this is something we can do? Or maybe come up with an arrangement
where local companies that rent them out can park them at the most popular trailheads,
refueling them and re-renting them there, so that they aren’t constantly being driven through
town. Any change would be helpful to cutting out the crazy amount of noise that is plaguing our
town. Thank you.
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October 13, 2020
Leann - When you see pictures of famous Moab in calendars do you envision hearing the horrific
noise that goes wit it? It’s terrible and constant nowadays, constant. When I push my children in
the stroller along the sidewalk we stop conversations so many times to wait for them to pass,
when we do the pledge of aegiance at my children’s school and it’s interrupted by the parade of
atv noise it’s saddening. Leaving Chicago to come here for the calm nature slower life to raise a
family was what we desired but what’s quieter...the hustle bustle Big city noise, or the constant
roaring of ATV’s? I wonder. I really do. If it’s not handled, we are leaving. The noise and crowd.
Our favorite hikes are now like a busy city street. It’s not an escape anymore, it’s a crowded big
city on rocks.
Spencer Finch - As a non-resident of Moab, I find it highly concerning that you are taking
actions against the UTV community. As an owner of a recreational vehicle rental company
myself, I understand the off road industry and the struggles that come with it. The benefits far
outweigh the struggle. I would propose ways to invite more people to the community so it can
thrive. I personally don’t see what Moab can offer tourists besides the off road trails it has. I
know many business owners that have left your community because of the depressing political
structure that is crippling your town. They come to Southern Utah to escape the struggle of what
Moab has become and we welcome them with open arms because we know the value they can
add to our community. Fix the problem before everyone is talking about how crappy Moab has
become. Because that’s exactly what they are all saying. I heard that phrase countless times at
the Tail Hero event last weekend. Fix it now and you’ll be surprised at how forgiving the off road
community can be.
Bud Bruening - As a resident of Utah and President to Utah’s largest UTV group we understand
the issue Moab is faced with. We want to help. UTV owners pay various taxes and fees to ensure
their right to drive their street legal machine on the roads in Utah. The fees paid go towards
maintenance and the building of these very roads. I would encourage Moab City and Council to
work on solutions to address the noise problem that doesn’t involve discriminating (via
legislation) against an entire user group made up of more than 200,000 Utahns. Solutions I
would strong encourage be considered: Lower the speed limit for UTV’s on residential roads.
Lowering the speed drastically decreases the sound from a UTV. This would have a huge impact
on the noise in town. Posting “preferred routes” in town and rerouting people through areas that
are less dense. Encouraging specific routes after dark to mitigate noise in targeted areas. Our
group at UTV Utah would be willing to pay for additional signage, education, etc, to help
accomplish these goals for Moab residents. Let me say, as a UTV group we understand the issues
the Moab residents are faced with and we’d like to help you solve them. Let’s work on solutions
that target the key issues and the key offenders first and fix that problem. What we don’t
support is all out ban or legislation that targets all UTV owners and strips away rights from law
abiding citizens. Curfews and legislation prohibiting law abiding citizens and targeting a specific
user group is bad public policy. If we can be of assistance please reach out. Thank you for your
time.
Marsha Marshall - I have lived in Moab for 67 years. I have spent my life in four different
locations and my husband and I worked hard to purchase our home. I have some serious
concerns that the value of our home will be affected by the quality of life along our street due to
noise and speeding. We need at least one more City Officer assigned to Moab. Looking at this
past Spring and Summer, we can do better, and must. I have lived at my present 500 W. location
for around 20 years and I would estimate at least half of the traffic the past popular weekends
this season were speeding (if not more). I and other family have experienced not being able to
get into the driveway without honking, bumper riding, and insults for driving the speed limit.
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October 13, 2020
Please do not consider changing it because there are many more visitors, dog walkers, bikers,
and law abiding vehicles, busses, ambulances, businesses, and children all just trying to
contribute to the neighborhood. Please don’t go for the “A few bad apples” Excuse me, but give
them a damn ticket so we can get this under control. San Juan County must work together with
Moab and Grand. Let’s not blame, but tame this situation. The signs are flashing and posted. We
are over crowded and need to clean this mess up, before some more people are run down or
hurt. Sincerely, Marsha Marshall
Eric - When Hard working Moab locals can’t get rest in their home during the incredibly loud rzr
noise season which is more and more constant, or get out of the driveway for 15 minutes due to
so many rxrs in a pack not obeying pubic safety regulations, it’s gone to far. Take them off the
roads, highway and Pavement, make a noise ordinance, because it’s not going to get louder if not
done NOW!
Chloe Hedden - I currently live on 100 South. I have lived in the area since 1979 when I was
born here. I've seen this place in a lot of other incarnations. The current Moab is not a place I
want to be. The UTVs roar past my home all day every day. They do not obey the speed limits or
any norms of common decency. Revving their engines and generally behaving as if they own the
place (often driving on the wrong side of the road for fun or speeding up if a pet or deer is
crossing the road,) they make my blood boil and our town less wonderful. Silence is one of the
great commodities we used to have. It's what brought many of us to live in this wild red desert.
It's also what brings visitors from around the world: a chance to reconnect with some deep part
of themselves in the silence of the canyon country. Our town has catered to the interests of a few
and sold our town to the off-road crowd. I personally know many hikers and bikers who used to
come here who don't anymore. The crowds and UTV noise are just too much. Not only in town
but also out in the desert. I also know plenty of locals, good people who have dedicated their
lives to this place, who are selling their properties and leaving because of what this place has
become. Is this really the Moab we want? Run by Fun Pigs for Fun Pigs? (for those of you who
remember that old sign up on I-70) Do these type of tourists really make our town and the
surrounding desert so much better? Do we have to tolerate this? Or can we use our local
authority to heavily regulate and perhaps outlaw them entirely? Please, I beg you, as a
concerned citizen who loves this place, represent the people who elected you and get rid of these
noisy monsters. Also take note of the new 'flying razors' that are noise polluting our skies
recently and deal with that problem before it gets out of hand. Helicopters, low flying planes, jet
boats and any other noise makers should also be heavily regulated. Thank you!
Gregory J Child - I reside in Castle Valley and own a home in Moab. UTV noise and recklessness
and damage is out of control county-wide. I support city/county opt out of law permitting UTVs
to drive around as if they are cars, on residential streets. I support slapping high user fees/taxes
on UTV use.
Colin Heasman - Colin Heasman - "Excerpt of Post on FB - sorry no photo.." New Member of
'Make Moab Quiet Again' "...'Mama' and I enjoying the 'peace & quiet' on our first hike together.
She's from Underdog and her last pup was adopted this morning - I'm a recovering Brit and we
are helping each other heal - no pun intended. The point is being able to pick your silence unlike
down in Moab. I'm sure not so long ago, as it was in England - that at the very least there were a
few hours on Sunday Morning for a chance at Serenity. I left New York State four months ago
and have spent the last three in Moab, I left a plague of leafblowers emitting toxic fumes at
obnoxious decibels and now reveled in the Silence of these Magnificent Magic Canyons that
surround us here. However I can no longer ignore the 'noise pollution', it's everywhere - parades
of atvs, trucks bellowing on the '191 Drag Strip' one way, 'Ninja 4cyl Turbo Warriors' the other
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October 13, 2020
(where are the cops). As in NY the few can disturb the many (some are selfish - most oblivious).
However in NY many municipalities passed ordinances that governed hours, areas of use and
decibel levels. We had State Troopers testing and diverting 'modified' Harleys away from nesting
areas. It can be done, the response here from politicians is predictable and pathetic - they
obviously have drifted away from 'quality of life' concerns of the many. Make your voices heard
above the din!
Liz Ballenger - Dear Council- I know you're getting a lot of email on this topic, so I'll keep this
short if not sweet. PLEASE do everything you legally can to lower the noise from UTVs in our
community. It's gotten noticeably worse this season, and with UTV rental businesses popping up
like weeds in every vacant lot (it seems), it will keep getting worse. Please consider that this
recreational user group affects our community like none other with their noise, emissions,
degrading off-road trail conditions, increasing dust, and not to mention excessive use of fossil
fuels while we're in the midst of a climate crisis. Is this really what we want Moab to be known
for-- Motorhead Capitol, where even hotels hand out earplugs to their guests so they're not kept
up at night by the UTV noise?? Although I would love to see UTV's completely OFF our city
streets, I know that's probably not realistic at this point. Of the options I've heard so far to
mitigate the noise issue, requiring mufflers for any UTVs driven in town makes the most sense.
And if they don't have mufflers, they need to be trailered, just like they used to be. Thanks for
listening, Liz Ballenger
Nancy Orr - Last Friday at 11am, an old friend stopped by on his way through town. We stood in
my backyard to converse, but were constantly interrupted by UTVs going by on 400 North,
making it impossible to hear while all passed (I counted 11 in one pack.) He commented that he
is very glad to have moved away, to Texas, no less. That evening, I had a Zoom meeting where I
had to keep the microphone muted to prevent other attendees from being punished by the noise.
This was just a regular day in the life of a 400 North resident. I must take my phone calls and
meetings in my bathroom or back garage in order to escape the noise. I must keep my windows
closed on the front of my house to reduce (but not eliminate) the noise and fumes; no cross-
ventilation possible any more. No longer is the noise confined to weekends, and it is not unusual
for it to happen late at night. The 25 mph speed limit sign right at my property line must be
invisible to most. In fairness, not all are obnoxious. Yesterday two side x sides quietly putted by
at 15 mph. I wanted to chase them down and thank them - that feels backward and creepy. I
moved to Utah in 1977 and was warned by many that Wellington was a speed trap. I doubt
they’ve bothered with a speed trap there for decades, since their reputation is firmly established.
Moab could achieve a similar reputation for noise ordinance enforcement. We are not going to
suffer economically if the extremists boycott our town. There are plenty of well-behaved tourists
who will spend their money here, especially if we are reputed to be quieter. It will also help with
congestion, since there will be fewer gigantic trailers crammed with Razrs (I have seen two
instances of double trailers, which makes my head explode! Is that even legal?) I am willing to
pony up the funds for one of the Soundtrax LXT N/Forcer meters (at $3233) mentioned in the
council packet, if the city will set up a regular checkpoint on 400 N. I suspect others would also
be willing to donate $ or time to an effort to set up checkpoints throughout town. If enough
citations are handed out, word will get around.
Derek Schumann - UTV's are not the only vehicles causing excessive noise on Moab streets (e.g.
Harley motorcycles, other off-road vehicles). To single out UTV's in these complaints is
discriminatory to the owners and the UTV community as a whole. The first step should always
be education and awareness campaigns; not bans and/or access restrictions.
Larry Van Slyke - The UTV use and noise, from that use, with the city limits of Moab is
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October 13, 2020
ludicrous. The racket started at 0630 this morning. Those units that have some semblance of
muffler system are reasonable for driving the streets within town. Require UTVs to have a
factory muffler if driven within the city limits. Set decibel limits. Surely a city government can
do that!
Justin Rosenthal - Even if 1 RZR doesn't violate the noise ordinance, how about 6, or 10? I live
on 1st South and during high season I can have dozens of caravans of 6-30 RZRs cruise by. Even
if they're going the speed limit, which they often are, the noise is unbearable. I work at home
and this frequently interrupts my conference calls. I have to apologize to the other professionals
on the call and explain that I don't work in a hot rod garage... it looks very unprofessional. I
support: 1) Designated RZR routes through town - NOT in residential areas, fine for violations.
2) Local regulation of RZR rental companies, but MORE IMPORTANTLY of visitors. Most of the
noise isn't the local rental companies, it's the large caravans of people from out of town with
their own modified RZRs, many of which have been modified to be MORE LOUD, not less. This
is hard to enforce though, and I don't really expect it to be enforced, so 1 and 4 are more
important. 4) ****Local opt-out of state law**** - how about we manage Moab for the people
who live, work, and pay taxes here, and not the tourists who are here for maybe a few days?
Finally, how about a public awareness campaign with signs all over town?
Carrie Bailey - Thank you Council and Mayor for addressing the UTV traffic and noise issues
that are so negative for our community: I have communicated with our Utah state
representatives, Watkins and Albrecht and others in the last few days, about the problems I
think we face by allowing UTV vehicles on our city streets. The say they are unwilling to address
state law until our local leaders, elected and law enforcement, take a stand by enacting law and
enforcing existing municipal law. Your proactive agenda tonight is welcomed and supported by
many of us citizens who feel we have been ignored and are frustrated by the lack of response to
the out-of-control traffic on our streets. The community group "Throttle Down In Town", while
a positive idea with sincere effort in the beginning, turned out to be nothing but signs and talk.
Our local Travel Council continues to focus on advertising and promotion of motor vehicle off
road/trail "adventuring" without reasonable planning and thought about the consequences for
the community. UTV rental businesses are set-up on temporary sites in town without
reasonable thought or planning. Law enforcement seems over-whelmed. Meanwhile the
community finds their homes and public areas bombarded with noise, trash, over-night street
campers, unsafe conditions for pedestrians and children, dangerous speeding vehicles and the
blatant disregard for motor vehicle laws. We are stressed and over-whelmed. There are always
those who want to dampen criticism of any aspect of our local economy, and promote fear-
mongering... "we will kill the goose that lays the golden egg".. if we restrict any of the activity
that calls itself tourism. I disagree. If Grand County and Moab don't establish a quality
visitation experience soon, one that has common respect for all visitors, the environment, and
community alike, the resulting negative reaction and publicity will only hurt us. Surely a
continuation of the loud crazy chaos that Moab and Spanish Valley have been experiencing for
the last few years will eventually affect home and property values, and the economic well-being
of the lodging industry too.. This is our home, not a poorly-run factory.
I agree that the 5 options presented on the agenda should all be considered. Thanks again so
much for listening and making efforts to take action. Carrie Bailey
Shane Firestack - I am a resident of Grand county, just outside of the city limits of Moab. I abide
by and respect all traffic laws and drive my OHV as respectfully as possible anywhere I am at. I
understand that some residents are frustrated with noise and traffic. They also come down my
street at high rates of speed which creates additional noise and dangers. We don't have
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October 13, 2020
sidewalks, so there are additional issues. Do not misunderstand, I am not asking for sidewalks,
most locals who drive by when you are walking are very respectful and move over and slow
down especially if you have animals with you. I would like to disagree with section 4. c. ii.of the
agenda item, that the "Perception" mentioned about the rental companies not being at fault is
quite the opposite. When we are out on trails and in town, I witness more carless operation of
OHV's from rental companies machines and their users (they are easy to recognize) than I do
personally owned machines. That does not imply that personally owned machines do not create
problems, just that the majority in my opinion, come from the rental companies. Disrespectful
owners and renters alike typically press hard on the accelerator which in turn creates extra noise
that is avoidable by gently accelerating instead. Another issue, the disrespect of our trails and
back country by rental users is high. I stopped once to ask a user this year to please stay on the
trail, and their reply was "I paid X amount of money for this, I can do what I want".
My suggestion, be more proactive at speed checks on the local streets. I find we have way more
abuse of this element than anything. Not only would you help reduce folks creating additional
noise, you will increase awareness that we as a town do not accept disrespectful drivers in
general. Their are lots of people in all vehicles creating these issues and poor driving habits
create more problems than just noise. I would like to mention if you do make OHV only routes,
how do you expect the locals who do abide by the laws, to maneuver their OHV's from their
neighborhoods? If you set a time limit, how do you expect drivers to get back to their camp,
hotel, house, if they were stuck on a trail or started later in the afternoon/evening especially
when temps are hot? I feel the Off Road community is being unfairly singled out because a few
locals can't stand the sight of these vehicles. In contrast, I see people of every sport, hobby,
passion who are poor stewards of our town.
Alayne - We bought a home on Murphy Lane in 2010 and thought we were buying in a quite
rural neighborhood. It was, until about five years ago. Some days the noise from ATV's is
unbearable. This is clearly disturbing the peace! If we had barking dogs making this kind of
noise, we would surely get a visit from the local enforcement. I don't believe the law was
intended for these machines to be racing up and down neighborhood streets, but for farmers to
use in rural areas. We feel they should be required to trailer their machines to the trailheads.
Please consider the residents of Moab. We pay our taxes and contribute to the economy as well!!
Thank You
Ben Rizner - Outside of an assertive, consistent plan to enforce noise restrictions, I believe the
only viable option of these 5 is to advocate for an exemption from the law and adopt something
similar to Ouray where vehicles cannot be driven within city limits. In the meantime; I don't
think rental companies are particularly large source of OHVs being driven through residential
areas, I think the large majority of vehicles seen are privately owned. Also, I don't see a lot of
good in limiting traffic to the main roads, such as 500W, 300S, 400N, Mill Creek, etc. The issue
is too many in these residential areas in the first place, designated routes doesn't change that at
all. Moab should explore creating a simple permit system, in which OHVs would have to pass
inspection first and driver sign off on the rules of courteous conduct in town in order to be
allowed to drive on city streets. Part of the permit terms would be respecting noise restrictions
or other traffic laws, and if not followed they could be revoked/cited. Permits could be capped at
a specified amount per week, to regulate group size, and could be displayed on the vehicle for
easy enforcement. Please take substantive actions on this issue, it's affecting both property
values and quality of life for those of us on the main thoroughfares in town.
Ariel Atkins - I currently reside on Park Road and am so grateful for my location while raising a
family, I have close access to schools, parks, pools and fantastic neighbors. Unfortunately, I've
been having more and more experiences in my neighborhood that have diminished these
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October 13, 2020
amenities. My family and I are often on foot, stroller or bike and because of the minimal
sidewalks we are often on the side of the street. I'm constantly on high alert for speeding
vehicles, distracted drivers, large vans and motorhomes backing out of parking spaces at the
park, folks running stop signs and I'm rarely given the right of way in the crosswalk (yes, the one
in the school zone of HMK). I'd expect more traffic and parking enforcement in a school, park
and residential zone, but rarely see any. In addition to the actual safety concerns are the noise
pollution concerns. I suspect with the Entrada Development (45 unit vacation rental touting
large spaces and 2 car garages), 400 North has become the main throughout fare for those
coming to Moab where they can operate their otherwise street illegal vehicles. There is a
constant humm in my backyard of traffic noise, this I can live with. But what really starts to
impact me is when the noise cranks up between 9pm-11pm as I'm trying to go to sleep or get a
restless toddler back to sleep. I'd love to be able to sleep with my window open for some fresh
cool air, but it sounds like a freeway is going through my house. Even with them shut, I have to
use whitenoise makers to help my family sleep. I know that many complain about the UTV's
being the problem but I often hear and see regular vehicles driving at extraordinary speeds in
my neighborhood, this is not only agitating but makes me feel like my families safety is
jeopardized and disrespected. I'm also a small business owner and operate a tent-only
campground 2 blocks off Main Street. The amount of noise and traffic has been a topic of
complaint among our guests, many of them here for human powered sports feel impacted by the
ever-presence of loud motors, particularly in town. Numerous long-time patrons have been
appalled to see how Moab has transformed, particularly around the UTV's and noise pollution. I
implore those within local government to make strong noise ordinances, enforce traffic laws
including speed limits, enforce parking and ideally work with the UT legislator to trailer UTVs to
the trails so we can have some sanity in our neighborhoods.
Lucy Wallingford - The noise issue in Moab City is unbearable. I live on First North between 3rd
and 4th East. Some days the noise is almost constant, all day long, starting early and well past
dark. Because big groups of people who travel together each want their own Razor, they travel in
packs of 4, 6, 8. You can hear them coming a long time. Then as each one passes it sounds like a
dirt bike race as they pass by, which lasts several minutes. Then you can hear them receding for
a long time. If you are standing in your front yard or driveway visiting with a friend, you cannot
communicate as they pass, you can’t even yell at each other and be heard. And a few minutes
later, it starts all over again. 1.Stop advertising Moab, completely! We don’t need any
more visitors. We can’t even get into town without an hour wait. Moab is over-run. 2.Do
NOT designate OHV routes, as that simply funnels all of the noise by one set of houses. There is
no street in Moab except the highway that does not have people living on it. 3.Require
mufflers, no exceptions. 4.No more rental companies! 5.Set up a curfew, no OHVs on the
streets except after 8 am and before 8 pm. The rest of the time people are trying to sleep. 6.
Ultimately lobby the state to allow us to get them off our streets completely. I have friends that
are moving away because of this. Please, please, PLEASE deal with this issue. This is the second
go round of asking for comment. I dutifully commented last time (four years or so ago) and zero
come of it. Don’t send the message that we are wasting our time by commenting. I know it’s not
easy. Thank you.
Fritz Bachman - The suggested solutions seem good except for designated routes. That would
subject the same people to repeated assaults of noise.
Lauren - There can be tourism without terrorism. ATVs and UTVs should not be street legal.
Mandate that their rental companies and owners tow them to the recreational sites where they
are approved. In addition, they should aim to become electric- at bare minimum they need
better mufflers. A COVID spring without noise has reminded us all what our town could be.
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October 13, 2020
Reminded us of warm days where we can have a conversation on our porches without getting
constantly interrupted by blaring engines. Tourism will live on. The businesses that rent and
people who own these vehicles will adapt to a new system that respects local residents. We have
had enough with the noise terrorism. Give us back our town where we can put our babies down
to nap, listen to the birds, call our family while walking to the library. Give us back a town that
listens to residents, not to blaring motors.
Serena Supplee (2) - I have lived in Moab for almost 40 years. As many long term residents, I
have witnessed the drastic increase in noise. It is not just the OHVs, it is an increase of trucks,
and it is worth noting that not only are they loud but usually driving much too fast. I believe it is
well-worth the cost to establish noise-metering and citations. We should also lobby to opt-out of
the state law; our noise situation in Moab is unique. Local regulation of OHV companies and a
moratorium on new local companies seem like a given that should have already been put in
place. The only option that does not seem as if it would have a beneficial effect is the designated
routes; visitors are not going to follow the suggested signs.
John Johnson - I think we need to treat these visitors a lot better than we do. They come here
and spend way more for accommodations, food and other purchases than they do in many other
areas. Moab is recognized now as a city full of UTV haters (ATVs Jeeps and trucks suffered the
same scrutiny until UTVs took the stage). I know there is some bad behavior from some in this
group (as in every group) but for the most part I see them going overboard to keep resident
annoyances at a minimum. Find the bad ones in the group and reprimand. Don’t target the
whole group and practice some tolerance towards the ones trying to do the right thing.
Colin Evans - I live on millcreek, and the ohv noise is seemingly endless. It scares my toddler,
keeps him up and wakes him up as they continue well into the night. I tried reading a book to
him at 7 pm on our back deck the other night and we couldn't it was so loud for so long. We
couldn't get through a 12 page book about a bunny without going inside. I have lived here for 15
years and the noise pollution of these machines is unbearable. Jeep week is one week, not every
god damn day. Do something!!!!!
Bret Blosser - The Council's document for OHV Noise Mitigation presents five approaches for
consideration. Unfortunately, of the five approaches, only the fifth can solve this problem. Even
more unfortunately, the fifth option, "Lobby the state Legislature to allow Moab an opt-out of
the state law allowing street-legal OHVs on City streets" will not receive a sympathetic hearing
from State legislators. Therefore the Council should focus on mounting an effective campaign to
sway legislators. I'm guessing arguments based on defending our tourism economy will be
better received than arguments based on alleviating residents' misery. The following points
contribute to an economic argument: 1. The strength and resilience of Moab's tourism
industry has historically been founded on welcoming visitors to experience our extraordinary
landscape in an exceptional range of modalities. Anecdotal evidence from Moab businesses
which interact daily with all sorts of visitors indicates that ATV tourism has curtailed visitation
by non-ATV tourists distressed by ATV noise and pollution. Business staff report that visitors
not uncommonly say they enjoy vacationing here but will never return because of ATVs. Our
economy will become weaker and less resilient if one recreational modalities reduces the
viability of the others. We should design and conduct surveys to determine if these anecdotes
reflect an actual trend. If so, this represents a challenge to the continuity of our tourism sector
which deserves serious attention by State legislators. 2. Win-win. Since State legislators
support ATV tourism and ATV-based business in Moab our pitch cannot be framed as "getting
rid of ATVs". We need a solution which eliminates ATV noise and pollution from town without
knee-capping our five licensed ATV rental and tour businesses. Existing infrastructure is not
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October 13, 2020
sufficient to accommodate trailering ATVs from business locations to trailheads. Our plan
needs to include construction of large trailer lots at all designated ATV trailheads. This should
enable ATV businesses to thrive after opt-out. 3. There are financial and spatial constraints
on how much trailer space can be constructed at trialheads. Therefore we should not accept
applications for additional ATV business licenses until trailhead parking for existing businesses
is assured. Bret Blosser
Bruce Dissel - I support all 5 of the options regarding UTV noise listed on the City Council
agenda. For me the added tax revenue is in no way equal to the loss of quality of life.
Erin Groves - The OHV noise issue in Moab City is unbearable. I live in Mulberry Grove, on the
north boundary, across the creek from the Mill Creek route to Sand Flats. Some days the noise is
almost constant, all day long, starting early and well past dark. Because big groups of people
who travel together each want their own Razor, they travel in packs of 4, 6, 8. You can hear them
coming a long ways away. Then as each one passes it sounds like a dirt bike race as they pass by,
which lasts several minutes. From inside my home, which is brand new and has high quality
insulated windows, I can see but not hear vehicles of all sizes off in the distance, through the
trees, as they travel along Mill Creek. I don’t hear a sound when other vehicles go by. In contrast,
I can hear and even FEEL the rumble of OHVs (in groups or alone) as they go by, as if they were
in my front yard. The worst disruption is at night, when they come down from Sandflats at all
hours, waking me (and often waking my 9 month old) at 2am, 3am, etc. Here is what I ask: 1.
Stop advertising Moab, completely! We don’t need any more visitors. We can’t even get into
town without an hour wait. Moab is over-run. 2. Do NOT designate OHV routes, as that simply
funnels all of the noise by one set of houses. There is no street in Moab except the highway that
does not have people living on it. 3. Require mufflers, no exceptions. 4. No more rental
companies! 5. Set up a curfew, no OHVs on the streets except after 8 am and before 8 pm. The
rest of the time people are trying to sleep. 6. Ultimately lobby the state to allow us to get them
off our streets completely. I have friends that are moving away because of this and have even
considered this personally. Please, please, PLEASE deal with this issue. It’s not fair that one
industry can solely destroy the quality of life for an entire community.
Brandy Bowmaster - I am heartened to see on the agenda for tonight's meeting several possible
options that will be discussed to mitigate vehicle noise in the city. Thank you for bringing this
issue to the table! As a years-long resident of downtown Moab, it has become almost shocking
how loud it can be, especially after that gloriously quiet spring we had this year. I've tolerated
the noise downtown as partial payment of my ridiculously convenient location, but it has gone
too far! Despite my love for the community, I am now seriously considering a permanent move
away from Moab as the constant stress and anxiety brought on by the exceptional noise and
mayhem is no longer worth it for me. Therefore, I strongly support any effort to reduce noise
from OHVs and other loud vehicles. Aside from the longer term strategy of working at the state
level for legislative change to the law allowing OHVs on our streets (which I think we should
definitely be doing despite the strong opposition we will surely face) I feel that creating stronger
noise ordinances and actually enforcing them would be the most effective route to reducing
noise in town. I would also support not permitting new OHV rental companies, but focusing on
a noise ordinance would also include other excessively loud vehicles and motorcycles, such as
the many painfully loud cars that cruise Main Street most nights of the week (painful to my ears
at least, should I be unlucky enough to be passed by one while on my evening dog walk, shall I
need to start wearing earplugs when I leave my house??) Please, PLEASE, PLEASE!! take strong
and swift action on this issue. It is truly a major quality of life issue for me, and for almost
everyone else I know in town with whom I have spoken about this. Again, I thank you all for
bringing this issue to the forefront, let us get back some of our peace and quiet!!
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October 13, 2020
Eve Tallman - UTVs: Carl Albrecht's recent comments belie a disingenuous lack of
accountability regarding his role in prohibiting local control. It appears the utv lobby is more
powerful than our local governments. Strict enforcement of noise limits 24 hours plus strict
enforcement of other "street legal" issues such as noncompliant fenders is worth extra leo costs.
Nate Rydman - When it comes to OHV noise in our community, the only real solution based on
what is mentioned in the packet is to invest in noise measuring equipment and enough
enforcement officers to accomplish enough checkpoints to make a serious difference- and it has
to apply to everybody. I would avoid singling out local businesses to comply with harsher
restrictions than the regular visitor. I would encourage the design and sale of quieter mufflers
too- we do have the technology for that in this world. The only way any of this succeeds is if we
have the community support and political will to make the rules, and a police force staffed well
enough that they have the time and comparative luxury to enforce those rules. At best right now
we have two of the three. Our current force currently is spread pretty thin on higher priorities. I
know budgets are stressed, but at some point we have to acknowledge that although we are only
about 10,000 (city and county) tax paying community residents, we have the problems of a
25,000 population much of the time. The goal should be to generate enough revenue through
noise violations to pay for the additional law enforcement resources. We get what we pay for.
Over time our community may gain the reputation of being hard on noise abusers and this may
dissuade some visitors. So be it. Discouraging the more negligent visitors in this way should be
the goal as well. When we look across town at crowded restaurants etc, it’s obvious we don’t
need the negligent niche of clientele. It would improve our quality of life as residents, and
improve the experience of the tourists that do come here, and those are good things.
Bonnie Anderson - I have lived in the same house on Spanish Valley Drive for 22 years, and been
a resident of Moab for 30. The first decade was wonderful. This last, not so much. These past
several years have been FULL of heartbreak and devastation that our beloved, remote, peaceful
and QUIET Moab is no longer. ALL HELL BROKE LOOSE FOR ME when side by sides were
allowed on pavement. I AM STILL GOBSMACKED that this was allowed! The noise is beyond
anything I could’ve imagined. It is ALL DAY, EVERYDAY. And they are EVERYWHERE! I can
hear them coming from all the way down Spanish valley, they roar past, then hear them going,
and they’re almost always in packs, so it never ends. I am not in a position to just sell out and
leave, nor do I want to, I have roots here. But my MENTAL HEALTH IS AT STAKE. THEY
SHOULD BE TRAILERED TO THE TRAILHEAD. I AM BEGGING YOU AS A LONG TIME
HOME OWNER AND CITIZEN OF MOAB, TO PLEASE TAKE THIS NOISE OFF OUR
STREETS. Thank you for hearing me and for your time. Bonnie Anderson
Travis Nauman - I live across the street from city limits (Hecla neighborhood near recycle
center). Noise from OHVs and other loud vehicles has a large impact on my quality of life. I
highly support any legal regulation of noise we have available. I also would like no further
permitting or expansion of local OHV rental business or organized events like Jeep week or
Rally on the Rocks. These vehicles have disproportionate impacts on everyone via noise, dust
emissions (multiple recent scientific studies in this region), erosion, vegetation damage,
infrastructure, and climate (burning fossil fuels all day). We should focus on diversifying our
economy in general and trying to appeal to the various less impactful forms of tourism that
Moab has appeal for (hiking, biking, climbing, rafting, eco-tourism, etc). Our quality of life is
threatened by these vehicles and ultimately we need to lobby to fix the state laws that allow them
to run around our streets keeping everyone awake at night.
Ben Burr - I am the policy director for BlueRibbon Coalition/ShareTrails. We champion
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October 13, 2020
responsible recreation and support efforts to protect and increase access to recreation resources.
We have worked with elected officials in Moab on a continuing basis to ensure that the millions
of recreationists who visit Moab and the surrounding area create great experiences for
themselves and for the community where they are a guest. Outdoor recreation is an explosive
industry where new markets for experiences and products emerge suddenly. This provides
challenges for policymakers to accommodate new users. This growth also creates significant
economic opportunities that have benefitted Moab greatly. We are aware that the recent surge in
UTV use in Moab is leading to noise nuisance complaints. Utah state law allows street legal
UTVs and ATVs to use public roads, and we support these protections. Street legal access
increases access for these users and eliminates problems such as trail-head congestion. We
recognize the challenges that come with abating noise nuisances, and we are willing to work
with the City of Moab to educate our users in ways they can minimize noise impacts while riding
on public roads. We wouldn't support the codification of any policy that would unfairly
discriminate against street-legal OHV users. We believe the city should find ways to enforce
violations of ordinances in a way that targets wrongdoers instead of trying to find ways to
categorically deny use of roads to street-legal OHV users. We look forward to finding common-
ground solutions to these challenges at the same time we recognize that a categorical denial of
use of a public benefit by a specific group is discriminatory by nature and can't be the starting
point for authentic compromise.
Ashley Bunton - Dear Moab City Council, Please accept my comments regarding the new
business on the agenda for today regarding off-highway vehicle (OHV) noise. In addition to
what you have outlined in your agenda docs, I urge you to consider implementing a city-wide
speed limit that is consistent. Right now you have a 30 mph speed limit on Main Street, that
turns to a 20 mph speed limit on 300 S, that turns to a 25 mph on 400 E, all within 1-mile. If
you could agree to a 20 mph speed limit on all roads, I think this would make Moab quieter and
also safer. I was awakened at 1:00 a.m. the other night by a racket. Partly because the store had
no women's earplugs in stock so I had settled for the regular sized ones that are a bit too large
and they tend to fall out during the night. I have gone through two boxes of earplugs this
summer. I believe the noise is made worse from speeding traffic. Almost daily I have seen ATVs
drive 40-60 mph on residential streets. Please make it your priority to change the speed limits to
a safe speed that is consistent across town. Let's not expect vacationers to be consistent in
reading and looking for the signs that go from 30 mph to 20 mph to 25 mph as they roar off
toward Sand Flats. My octogenarian neighbor screamed at tourists to stop trying to run the deer
over in town, and this saddened me. It seems truthful to say we have seen the deer enforce the
city speed limit more than the city council because the deer are making drivers slow down.
I would like to request that you honor this community, its inhabitants including the deer, and
have some respect for yourself as a city by changing the speed limit so that vacationers
reciprocate that respect in a way that is simple for them to understand. We all want to get along
and coexist and I want to sleep at night without earplugs, and without thinking about how my
neighbors are moving away to escape the sound of the speeding traffic. Thank you for
considering my comments. Please take action. Truly, Ashley
James King - I have been enjoying Moab for at least 20 years. I am a US Army veteran. We
spend each Valentines Day in Moab as HQ for hiking the area and parks. We spend Spring &
Fall either ATV'ing or Jeep'ing the various trails. We usually rent an AirBnB in Spanish Valley,
though we'd prefer to be in Moab proper. We spend much $ in the various restaurants and
stores in town for the ~4-5 days per trip we spend. Of late, we're finding Moab not so ATV/SxS
friendly, save for the rental places taking massive groups out to run the Sand Flats area (Hells
Revenge, etc). Seems to me as an Army transplant to Utah that out-of-state folks have a larger
voice in Moab that Utahns.
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October 13, 2020
Rebecca Every - Noise pollution isn't just annoying, it's bad for your health! Moab is
inundated....with tourists of all types, those seeking to run the river, off-road 4x trails, skydive,
base jump, mountain bike, ride motorbikes, also to hike, dine, shop, attend Music festivals,
Jeeping Jamboree's, old car shows, running trail races, new events of all kinds popping up each
and every year to take place in this area. And, with off-road vehicles of every kind, but most
notably of those are the OHV/Razor type vehicles. These type that do not have a muffler, omit
the most horrendous noise that is considerably disturbing to our person, and one that is also
detrimental our health. It has been shown that exposure to prolonged or excessive noise cause a
range of health problems, ranging from stress, poor concentration, communication difficulties
and fatigue from lack of sleep, to more serious issues such as cardiovascular disease, cognitive
impairment, tinnitus, hypertension, etc. I have lived in Moab for 25 yrs, in that time have seen
much change, and HUGE growth. Not the best planned out growth at that, leading to much
congestion on our streets from the hoards of folks and traffic they bring. We as a community
have been doing our best to adapt the changed Moab, but are reaching a boiling point when it
comes to the issue of OHV/razors, and the noise pollution they bring with them. It is down right
unbearable. I must say, in addition to the noise, it is the rude and entitled behavior coming
from many of them that is driving many of us to the edge. Many are choosing to move for the
loss of quality of life this new Moab has brought with it. It is one of the hardest things to witness,
and to endure day in and day out, with the constant droning buzz that comes from those
vehicles. Not to mention, many don't like to follow the laws, like stopping at stop signs for
example. When there is a group riding together, often they bypass the stop sign for the sake of
staying together as a group. They are up and down our neighborhood streets, they are
EVERYWHERE. Noisy, stinky, rude. And we Moab residents are tired of it. I do not believe it is
fair to all of us tax paying residents to have to endure this kind of torture year after year. I don't
want to have to move. But how much more can I or we take? Not much. Please, let's bring SOME
peace back to Moab. Thank you, Becka Every
Laura Hines - The UTV noise has been hard to deal with as long as I have lived in Moab (8
years). I used to live on Spanish valley drive and the UTV noise would wake me and my babies in
the middle of the night and at nap times. I now live on Murphy Lane and I regularly hear UTVs
buzz by at late night hours 11pm, 12 am, 2 am etc. The noise wakes me and my children and it
seems to happen more and more. Additionally the UTVs race so fast on the Sand Flats road and
on the Geyser Pass road. The washboards created by them makes it hard to drive my 4x4 truck
comfortably. Any changes to reduce the constant noise in town will help. I worry that a curfew
will not be enforced. Could traffic cameras that send tickets be used? Of course only if the UTVs
are licensed. Lastly, in the Sun News article interviewing the Rally on the Rocks organizer, he
mentions that the tires are the significant source of noise. Yes, tires make noise but the idling
UTVs sure are noisier than any vehicle with a muffler. The engine is also a major source of noise.
Kristen Hayes and Mike Bassett - As longtime Moab city residents and home owners, we feel our
lives have been negatively impacted by the overwhelming number of UTV’s on our streets and
public lands in the last few years. These impacts seem to increase exponentially each year. It is
time for our City’s lobbyist, along with our city and county government, to stand up to the state
legislature and demand local control regarding the use of UTV’s on our streets. The intent
behind the initial state bill that made them street legal, which claimed rural and agricultural use,
was clearly driven by dollar signs from the UTV lobby. The abundance of recreational use of
UTV’s, from both private owners and rental companies, has made Moab’s streets loud and
crowded, even uninhabitable for residents. Noise in town is a significant bipartisan and
economic issue, affecting the viability of local businesses, the experience of visitors, and the
wellbeing and even property values of residents. Not only are noise and traffic from UTV’s an
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October 13, 2020
issue in town, but the noise and resource destruction on public lands overwhelms the
experiences of visitors who seek a non-motorized experience such as hiking, boating on the
river, biking, climbing, base jumping, photography, etc. not to mention impacts on wildlife.
Even some members of the Jeep community express frustration with their impact. There is no
reprieve from the noise and lights of these vehicles riding trails at night and driving the city
streets at all hours. We plead for our city and county representatives to advocate at the state
level for local choice over UTV’s on our streets. In the meantime, we advocate for implementing
other solutions as follows: 1. Quiet hour curfews on streets and public trail systems (Sand Flats
would be a start) 2. Requiring rentals to add mufflers and pay fees towards education and
resource rehabilitation 3. Moratorium on licensing new rental companies 4. Follow through
from law enforcement on noise, speed limits, and street legal registration 5. Encouraging rental
companies to use trailers and guided tours to maintain slower speeds and reduce resource
damage 6. Establishing a permit system/ quota for commercial and private trail users. Given the
growing impacts we’ve seen in UTV use each year, the near future for our community’s
wellbeing is terrifying. Please consider taking a strong stand on managing these issues.
Sincerely, Kristen Hayes and Mike Bassett
Administrative Reports:
Mayor Niehaus provided a COVID-19 update based on information from Jen Sadoff, CEO of
Moab Regional Hospital. She said that Ms. Sadoff reported that the University of Utah and
Intermountain Health ICU are the transfer hospitals for Moab COVID-19 patients and the U of
U is out of beds and Intermountain Health is at 92% capacity. She said they are seeing huge
spikes happening in rural towns around the state and we are considered in the moderate
transmission category. She said social gatherings are limited to 10 or fewer people for the next
two weeks and masks are required in areas of high transmission. 27:29
City Manager Linares reported that city hall is open for business after a COVID-19 incident in
the buildings and thanked facilities staff for their quick response. He reported on the visit from
the legislators and said they had an eye-opening experience and thanked them for their visit. He
reported on the salt shed repair, illegal dumping along Kane Creek, bike thefts, and Proposition
8. 30:04
Chief Edge provided an update on the status of their investigation into the series of bike thefts.
34:21
Finance Director York provided an update on the budget and sales tax numbers. 37:51
Mayor and Council Reports:
Mayor Niehaus reported meeting with legislators, attending the League of Cities and Towns
annual convention and board meeting, meeting with students of the month, attending the
Market on Center, attending Walnut Lane meetings, attending the Rural Summit and the
Governor’s Rural Partnership board meeting, participating in a two and a half-hour phone call
with Bud Bruening, Director of UTV Utah, and Ben Burr, Director for the Blue Ribbon Coalition,
and participating in meetings with Congressman Curtis in Moab this afternoon.
47:32
Councilmember Derasary reported attending meetings of the Southeast Utah Riparian
Partnership and provided details of the participating groups and the work they are doing on
riparian areas throughout the community. 56:40
Councilmember Duncan reported speaking with Phil Gardner, USGS hydrologist, regarding
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October 13, 2020
water chemistry work on our aquifer and conducting UTV noise research on Sand Flats. 1:00:26
Councilmember Knuteson-Boyd reported attending the candlelight vigil for suicide awareness,
two Canyonlands Healthcare Special Service District meetings, a webinar on the
intersectionality of race and gender, a webinar with Utah Women in Leadership on Utah
Women in 2020- challenges, opportunities, and next steps, and bias training from Utah Local
Government’s Trust, and plans to attend a museum meeting later in the week. 1:02:55
Councilmember Guzman-Newton reported attending two airport board meetings, a Chamber
board meeting, participating in discussions with UDOT and consultants regarding transit and
off-Main Street parking, and two Arches Hotspot Committee meetings. 1:08:17
Councilmember Jones reported attending multiple Arches Hotspot meetings, a Housing Task
Force meeting, a small City, County, and Solid Waste district meeting, and having conversations
to prepare for the City’s comments on the Manti-Lasal forest plan pre-scoping period. 1:11:44
Approval of Minutes: September 8, 2020, Regular Meeting, September 17, 2020,
Special Meeting, September 22, 2020, Regular Meeting, September 30, 2020,
Special Meeting — Approved
Motion: Councilmember Guzman-Newton moved to approve the minutes for September 8,
2020, September 17, 2020, September 22, 2020, and September 30, 2020. Councilmember
Duncan seconded the motion.
Discussion: There was no discussion.
Vote: The motion passed with 5-0 Councilmembers Derasary, Jones, Guzman-Newton,
Knuteson-Boyd, and Duncan voting aye in a roll call vote.
Old Business:
Overview of Invitation for Bids (IFB) for Manufactured Units at Walnut Lane
Senior Projects Manager Kaitlin Myers provided an overview of the bids and the selection
process for the recommended bid for the Walnut Lane project. 1:15:24
Motion: Councilmember Jones moved to direct staff to bring more information regarding the
specific additional equity needs and how that would fit into the city budget. Councilmember
Knuteson-Boyd seconded the motion.
Discussion: Councilmembers expressed concern about the cost of the development and other
city infrastructure needs and felt the financial information was necessary in order to prioritize
projects and see how the development fits into the overall budget. City Manager Linares
suggested either having staff present financial information based on discussions with Zions
Bank or arranging for a member of the Zions Bank team to present financial information during
a Council meeting. Councilmembers asked about the Architectural Squared contract and how
this IFB fits with the master planning, how many residents are affected, and where the funding
is coming from for the project. 1:34:56
Vote: The motion passed 5-0 with Councilmembers Derasary, Knuteson-Boyd, Guzman-
Newton, Duncan, and Jones voting aye in a roll call vote.
Update on Progress of the Arches Hotspot Region Coordinating Committee
Discussion: Assistant City Manager Carly Castle provided an update on the progress of the
Arches Hotspot Region Coordinating Committee. She explained that the Committee will be
forwarding a concept package to the City Council and Grand County Commission for approval
during a joint meeting to send to UDOT. She said the final three projects include off-Main Street
and dispersed parking, a transit shuttle pilot program, and the Spanish Valley Trail. 1:50:43
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October 13, 2020
New Business:
Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV) Noise Mitigation Options
Discussion: City Attorney Laurie Simonson and Police Chief Bret Edge presented information
about noise mitigation options for OHV’s within the City limits. The options discussed were
noise-metering devices and citations, designated OHV routes, local regulation of OHV
companies including muffler/noise mitigation requirements, a moratorium on new local rental
OHV companies, and local opt-out of state law. Councilmembers discussed the pros and cons of
the options presented. 2:21:26
Proposed Resolution 38-2020: A Resolution Approving the Lot Consolidation of
properties located at 1315 and 1317 Dream Drive, Moab UT 84532
Motion: Councilmember Guzman-Newton moved to approve Moab City Resolution 38-2020, a
resolution approving the lot consolidation of properties located at 1315 and 1317 Dream Drive,
Moab, UT. Councilmember Duncan seconded the motion.
Discussion: Councilmember Derasary thanked Assistant Planner Shurtleff for explaining the
role of the HOA with zoning.
Vote: The motion passed 5-0 with Councilmembers Knuteson-Boyd, Guzman-Newton, Jones,
Duncan, and Derasary voting aye in a roll call vote.
Sidewalk Inventory – Discussion for future policy considerations
Discussion: Mayor Niehaus requested two Councilmembers volunteers to work on a sidewalk
inventory in order to make policy suggestions. Councilmembers Jones and Duncan volunteered
to work on this project. 3:22:48
Appointment of Aaron Nielson as the City’s Employee Discipline (Disciplinary
Transfer and Discharge) Hearing Officer pursuant to Utah Code Annotated 10-3-
1106 and the City’s Employee Handbook
Motion: Councilmember Derasary moved to approve the appointment of Aaron Nielson as the
City’s employee discipline hearing officer pursuant to Utah Code Annotated 10-3-1106 and the
City’s Employee Handbook. Councilmember Duncan seconded the motion.
Discussion: There was no discussion.
Vote: The motion passed 5-0 with Councilmembers Duncan, Guzman-Newton, Derasary,
Knuteson-Boyd, and Jones voting aye in a roll call vote.
Approval of Bills Against the City of Moab:
Motion and vote: Councilmember Knuteson-Boyd moved to approve the bills against the City
of Moab in the amount of $1,879,071.50. Councilmember Jones seconded the motion. The
motion passed 5-0 with Councilmembers Jones, Duncan, Guzman-Newton, Derasary, and
Knuteson-Boyd voting aye in a roll call vote.
Adjournment: Councilmember Knuteson-Boyd moved to adjourn the meeting.
Councilmember Jones seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously. Mayor Niehaus
adjourned the meeting at 10:30 p.m.
APPROVED: __________________ ATTEST: ___________________
Emily S. Niehaus, Mayor Sommar Johnson, City Recorder
Page 1 of 5
October 20, 2020
MOAB CITY COUNCIL MINUTES
JOINT GRAND COUNTY COMMISSION/MOAB CITY COUNCIL SPECIAL
MEETING
OCTOBER 20, 2020
The Grand County Commission and Moab City Council held a Special City Council Meeting on
the above date. Consistent with provisions of the Utah Open and Public Meetings Act, Utah
Code Ann. § 54-2-207(4), the Moab City Council Chair has issued written determinations
supporting the decision to convene electronic meetings of the Council without a physical anchor
location. Due to the health and safety risks related to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and
considering public health orders limiting in-person gatherings, the Moab City Council will
continue to hold meetings by electronic means. An audio recording of the meeting is archived at
https://www.utah.gov/pmn/index.html. A video recording is archived at
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uHp9ZWnaUaM&t=6311s.
Special Meeting—Call to Order and Attendance: Grand County Commission Chair Mary
McGann and Mayor Emily Niehaus called the Special Joint Grand County Commission/Moab
City Council Meeting to order at 2:01 p.m. Grand County Commission members participating
remotely were Evan Clapper, Gabriel Woytek, Rory Paxman, Greg Halliday, and Curtis Wells
(joined at 2:19 p.m.). Moab City Council members participating remotely were Kalen Jones,
Mike Duncan, Rani Derasary, Tawny Knuteson-Boyd, and Karen Guzman-Newton (joined at
2:03 p.m.). Grand County staff participating remotely were County Attorney Christina Sloan,
Council Administrator Chris Baird, and Assistant Commission Administrator Mallory Nassau.
City staff participating remotely were City Manager Joel Linares, Assistant City Manager Carly
Castle, City Attorney Laurie Simonson, and City Recorder Sommar Johnson.
Citizens to be Heard (Until 2:10 p.m.)
Grand County Commission Chair McGann noted the number and type of email comments
received and related a brief history of the issue at hand. She suggested only people having not
communicated via email speak during the “Citizens to be Heard” portion of the meeting and
suggested only locals’ comment and keep comments to a 2-minute time limit.
Written comments received before the meeting:
Comments received before the meeting are attached as “Exhibit 1”.
Comments received during the meeting:
Sara Melnicoff suggested a parallel with drug abuse and tourism dollars. The never-ending quest
for more is destroying the community and no good will come of overuse.
Bret Stewart – helped with legislation for street legal utility vehicles (UTV’s), willing to answer
questions
Michael Skarda commented he’s had some interest in setting up a dealership for UTV’s and
suggested there may be an electric off-highway vehicle (OHV) that offers a middle-ground.
City Attorney Laurie Simonson noted all emails have been included – whether they use the form
on the website or not.
Chair McGann noted emails opposing a “ban” on UTV’s are perhaps misguided as neither the
city nor the county was ever considering a ban on UTV’s.
Page 2 of 5
October 20, 2020
General Business – Action Items – Discussion and Consideration of:
• Approving joint resolution to formally initiate proceedings to amend the
Grand County Land Use Code and the Moab Municipal Code to amend
those relevant portions permitting vehicle sales, rentals, or leasing,
commercial outdoor recreation uses, and outfitter, guide services and
facilities and to impose a moratorium on issuing new business licenses for
the sale, rental, or leasing of all-terrain vehicles (ATV), commercial
outdoor recreational uses involving an ATV, and ATV outfitting, guiding,
and touring and to impose a moratorium on issuing new special events
permits for ATV vendors, associations, and groups (Laurie Simonson, City
of Moab Attorney and Christina Sloan, Grand County Attorney):
City Attorney Laurie Simonson described this as an option to address the noise issue in
the city/county. She discussed the temporary nature of the moratorium; the city or the
county can end the moratorium at will. She suggested that ATV users are not a protected
group therefore this does not constitute discrimination.
Grand County Commission member Jaylyn Hawks noted public comments that
suggested current business owners not be allowed to increase current fleet size.
Grand County Commission Chair Mary McGann noted there is no part of the current
licensing procedure limiting the number of vehicles allowed.
Grand County Attorney Christina Sloan described how business licenses are not able to
be transferred right now, but that perhaps in the future that could change. Business
owners would be allowed to relocate, and this action would not limit any existing ATV
related businesses.
Hotels are not generally offering rentals but using a local third party.
Moab City Councilmember Karen Guzman-Newton supports having an early discussion
with San Juan County – so we don’t encourage businesses to move across the county line
while still operating in Moab.
Grand County Commission member Greg Halliday suggested that better mufflers could
make a difference and noted that perhaps businesses could modify existing machines so
they’re quieter.
Grand County Commission member Evan Clapper noted the evolution of electric vehicles
and expressed appreciation to current businesses and outfitters encouraging visitors to
keep the noise down. Noted the importance of guides involved in tours to educate ATV
users.
• Grand County Commission Motion: Commission member Evan Clapper moved to
approve a joint resolution to formally initiate proceedings to amend the Grand County
Land Use Code and the Moab Municipal Code to amend those relevant portions
permitting vehicle sales, rentals, or leasing, commercial outdoor recreational uses, and
outfitter, guide services and facilities and to impose a moratorium on issuing new
business licenses for the sale, rental, or leasing of all-terrain vehicles (ATV), commercial
outdoor recreational uses involving an ATV, and ATV outfitting, guiding, and touring
and to impose a moratorium on issuing new special events permits for ATV vendors,
associations, and groups. Commission member Jaylyn Hawks seconded the motion.
Page 3 of 5
October 20, 2020
Commission member Curtis Wells asked about the timeframe for the moratorium and
expressed concern the moratorium may morph into something different and suggested
intentions be made clearer. He noted discomfort with the current resolution and would
like to see a firm end to the moratorium. Commission member Rory Paxman disclosed
that he is an employee of Red Rock UTV’s and will recuse himself.
• Moab City Council Motion: Councilmember Kalen Jones moved to approve a joint
resolution to formally initiate proceedings to amend the Grand County Land Use Code
and the Moab Municipal Code to amend those relevant portions permitting vehicle sales,
rentals, or leasing, commercial outdoor recreational uses, and outfitter, guide services
and facilities and to impose a moratorium on issuing new business licenses for the sale,
rental, or leasing of all-terrain vehicles (ATV), commercial outdoor recreational uses
involving an ATV, and ATV outfitting, guiding, and touring and to impose a moratorium
on issuing new special events permits for ATV vendors, associations, and groups.
Councilmember Rani Derasary seconded the motion.
• Discussion: Councilmember Kalen Jones asked about terminating the moratorium.
Grand County Attorney Christina Sloan noted either body would be able to terminate at
will.
Councilmember Tawny Knuteson-Boyd noted she’s uncomfortable with the motion and
suggested it may have the potential to harm local business. She noted industry support
for decreased noise levels.
Commission member Jaylyn Hawks understands the argument for both sides and noted
that perhaps we’re not demonizing the users but addressing a real issue that exists in the
community and asked about a 180-day sunset for the resolution.
City Attorney Laurie Simonson noted business licenses are not subject to land-use code.
Grand County Attorney Christina Sloan noted this is temporary.
Commission member Jaylyn Hawks asked about the termination of the resolution with
regard to city vs county. City Attorney Laurie Simonson noted that neither body has the
ability to regulate the other.
Councilmember Rani Derasary asked about the moratorium with regard to special
events. Grand County Attorney Christina Sloan noted that any permit not already
approved will be subject to the moratorium.
Councilmember Karen Guzman-Newton noted the input of motorized trails users and
their willingness to work with the community. She suggested local government’s
responsibility is to residents - not event organizers.
Councilmember Mike Duncan suggested he’s not demonizing users but offering local
businesses the opportunity to take the lead on fixing the issue and would support a 180-
day moratorium end.
Councilmember Rani Derasary noted support for the resolution and agreed that this
could potentially help local businesses and noted 180 days is likely not long enough to
have any positive effect.
Page 4 of 5
October 20, 2020
Commission Chair Mary McGann noted she’s comfortable with an open-end timeline.
• Grand County Commission Vote: The motion passed 5-1 with Commission
members Mary McGann, Evan Clapper, Gabriel Woytek, Jaylyn Hawks, and Greg
Halliday voting aye and Commission member Curtis Wells Voting nay in a roll call vote.
Commission member Rory Paxman recused.
• Moab City Council Vote: The motion passed 4-1 with Councilmembers Rani
Derasary, Kalen Jones, Karen Guzman-Newton, and Mike Duncan voting aye and
Councilmember Knuteson-Boyd voting nay in a roll call vote.
• Approving ordinance to establish speed limits for off-highway vehicles
(OHV) in the City of Moab (Laurie Simonson, City of Moab Attorney)
Grand County Attorney Christina Sloan noted the difference between the city and county
speed limits and said OHV speed limits on county roads would be 10 mph lower than the
posted limit and motorcycles will be exempt. She noted this is reasonable regulation
allowed by the state, it doesn’t affect state highways, and it’s not enforceable until posted.
City Attorney Laurie Simonson noted OHV’s generally create more noise than passenger
vehicles. She noted that excluding motorcycles was intentional to avoid capturing a
larger group of users than necessary and that on-highway motorcycles are not separated
by law. City Attorney Laurie Simons noted speed limits do not take effect until posted.
Councilmember Rani Derasary asked about funding for the signage. Mayor Niehaus
responded that funding isn’t an issue at this point and that cost could be determined and
authorized later. She said the fiscal analysis would come after approving the ordinance.
City Manager Joel Linares noted the cost of signing is minimal. City Attorney Laurie
Simonson asked Chief Edge for a ballpark cost of increased speed enforcement. Chief
Edge suggested some cost figures
• Motion: Councilmember Mike Duncan moved to approve an ordinance to establish
speed limits for off-highway vehicles (OHV), not including motorcycles, in the City of
Moab. Councilmember Kalen Jones seconded the motion.
• Discussion: Councilmember Rani Derasary doesn’t want to pass something that won’t
be effective due to prohibitive implementation costs. Mayor Niehaus asked about a straw
poll – would the council be in favor of funding signage, etc.? Councilmember Karen
Guzman-Newton asked about the number of officers needed to effectively enforce an
ordinance and asked when the community could realistically expect increased
enforcement. Chief Edge discussed staffing challenges. Chief Edge noted they would
likely need 10 more officers in order to truly be effective. Noted the lag time between
hiring and public engagement. Grand County Attorney Christina Sloan noted the
Sheriff’s department doesn’t have the manpower to enforce speed limits either.
Councilmember Kalen Jones noted support for the county and suggested the Transient
Room Tax (TRT) allocations could be tweaked to better support law enforcement.
Councilmember Rani Derasary asked about varying speed limits in town.
• Vote: The motion passed 4-1 with Councilmembers Kalen Jones, Rani Derasary, Karen
Guzman-Newton, and Mike Duncan voting aye and Councilmember Tawny Knuteson-
Boyd voting nay in a roll call vote.
• Approving ordinance to establish speed limits for off-highway vehicles
(OHV) in Grand County (Christina Sloan, Grand County Attorney)
• Motion: Commission member Evan Clapper moved to approve an ordinance to
Page 5 of 5
October 20, 2020
establish speed limits for off-highway vehicles (OHV), not including motorcycles, in
Grand County. Commission member Gabriel Woytek seconded the motion.
• Discussion: Commission member Jaylyn Hawks suggested this may not be fair to any
users and suggested this be discussed as part of the moratorium process. She noted TRT
is already allocated to maximum allowable levels and would like to know the fiscal
impact of the proposed ordinance. Grand County Commission Administrator Chris Baird
noted we send the maximum TRT to the general fund. Grand County Attorney Christina
Sloan noted we have time – it’s not effective until posted. Commission member Evan
Clapper said it’s likely easier to enforce than sound limitations. Commission member
Jaylyn Hawks noted motorcycles are often louder and said she’s not entirely supportive
of the speed limit.
• Vote: The motion passed 4-2 with Commission members Evan Clapper, Gabriel Woytek,
Jaylyn Hawks, Mary McGann, and Greg Halliday voting aye and Commission members
Curtis Wells and Jaylyn Hawks voting nay in a roll call vote. Commission member
Paxman recused.
Discussion Items
• Discussion on enforcement challenges regarding OHV’s (Laurie Simonson,
City of Moab)
City Attorney Laurie Simonson discussed the difficulty of enforcing the noise issue. She
noted the difference between pass-by sound test and stationary test and noted tests
attempt to minimize errors created by ambient noise. She suggested any ordinance
would need strict testing standards. Councilmember Mike Duncan shared some noise
level data gathered on Sand Flats Road. City Manager Joel Linares noted the difficulty of
reaching a prosecutable standard in court with noise tests.
• Discussion on possible legislative action regarding OHV use (Mayor
Niehaus, City of Moab)
Mayor Niehaus discussed designated routes and possible curfews for OHV’s. She noted
these would likely not put locals first and suggested we consider a permitting process for
driving on city streets. Commission Chair Mary McGann suggested this would require
state approval – Utah doesn’t allow municipalities and counties to regulate roads. Mayor
Niehaus noted costs could be minimal. Councilmember Kalen Jones suggested support
for the idea. Commission Chair Mary McGann suggested support for the idea but noted
we’d have to involve the state. Councilmember Tawny Knuteson-Boyd noted support and
expressed the need for more education. Councilmember Mike Duncan suggested support
for the idea and noted regulations could evolve over time. Mayor Niehaus noted there is
some time to draft this, and suggested it should be inclusive, not exclusive. She said the
permit would be available to Grand County residents as well. Commission Chair Mary
McGann suggested a committee going forward; Mayor Niehaus agreed. Grand County
Attorney Christina Sloan noted support and suggested the county work closely with the
city on the issue.
Adjournment: Grand County Commission Chair McGann and Mayor Niehaus adjourned the
meeting at 3:59 p.m.
APPROVED: __________________ ATTEST: ___________________
Emily S. Niehaus, Mayor Sommar Johnson, City Recorder
Timestamp Your Name Your Comment
10/15/2020 16:41:29 William Schooler
Please look up the word PUBLIC, this is a lawful term and you folks are a service Corporation and you are here to service the public. Please stop acting like you are protecting anything at all
and begin to look at what the public is requesting which is ALL sides with none left out. Then find something that works for the public you are servicing which is from all types of recreation and
residents. MOAB is a recreation destination, it is what has allowed it to grow to present levels and everyone moving there should not be confused about Moab. It is surrounded by Public lands
and must be accesssable to ALL who recreate. Picking and choosing makes it private not public, please clear this up now or you can be liable for treaspass.
10/16/2020 16:37:20 Casey cook
I will keep this short but I needed to voice my opinion. I am part of multiple UTV groups of people located In Utah with over 30k members so I can say I speak for tens of thousands of local
UTV enthusiasts with my same opinion. Moab Utah is one of my favorite places to drive my UTV. I understand there is currently a massive debate currently between groups with massively
different views about street legal UTVs driving on your city streets and wanted to share my experiences about the topic. If I could give you guys one main reason to keep allowing street legal
UTVs to be driven on Moab city roads would be because it allows me to keep my truck and trailer at my hotel and drive My SXS directly to the trail heads and helps to eliminate parking issues
and congestion within your beautiful recreational areas.
Thank you
Casey Cook
801-750-2335
10/16/2020 17:24:10 Robert Hollahan
I support increasing regulation and enforcement of noise violations in Moab city. I support any reasonable alternative to accomplish this goal, but I would be particularly interested in requiring
the UTV rental companies to trailer their vehicles out to trailheads rather than having their many custormers operate the vehicles on city streets. Thank you.
10/16/2020 18:08:38 Jerry Busenbark
To whom it may concern,
I‘m writing today to give my input as a Utah resident who has been coming to Moab for 20 plus years. My family has spent thousands of dollars to boost your economy by using local RV parks,
hotels, buying groceries, restaurants, gas stations, auto parts stores etc. I have rode my motorcycle there, jeeped, hiked and most recently used my street legal side by side to run the many
trails Moab has to offer. I have obeyed all the local laws when driving from the RV Park to the trail. I understand the concerns of the locals and ask that you work with UTV Utah and other
groups to come up with solutions that work for everyone. I live in Perry, Utah which allows ohv’s to travel on the city streets without being street legal. Perry is not a tourist town like Moab and I
see ohv’s pass my house all day every day which sits between two grade schools. I have never complained about it and the city has operated this way for at least 20 years that I‘ve lived here.
I would like to continue to come to Moab and spend my dollars in your community but we the UTV community feel we are being pushed out.
V/r,
Jerry Busenbark
10/16/2020 18:16:29 Breanne Bringhurst
My family and I have enjoyed coming to Moab for many years to enjoy the outdoor activities, especially with our UTV. We enjoy staying at the Air BNBs so we can fit our whole family or a
group of friends. Yes, we travel through town in our street legal side by side. We don’t make excessive noise while doing so. We go the speed limit. Banning UTVs would really hurt the
community. We love to spend our money in the local businesses and would love to continue this tradition.
10/16/2020 18:21:09 Jake Eliason
My comment is in regard to issues facing street legal UTV's in Moab.
Moab is a mecca for outdoor enthusiasts. We all love Moab.
Moab is a place to escape, a place that we all need. Not everyone recreates the same, and that is part of why Moab is so fantastic. In Moab we have camped, stayed in a hotel, and stayed in
a campground. Great times every way we have done it. In Moab we hiked, mountain biked, rode motorcycles and UTV's. We enjoy lining our trips up down to Moab with the car shows that
come to town as well. We enjoy supporting the local business in Moab.
The current issues with UTV's in Moab are real. We don't disagree that UTV's haven't brought concerns to Moab as well. Most UTV owners share a certain disaffection for the noise UTV's can
make, and the speeds at which UTV's are designed to operate. Most UTV owners also love coming to Moab, and do so with their families and friends to share memories that last a lifetime in
such a beautiful place. I believe it would limit the noise (and related complaints) to have a lower speed limit for UTV's within city limits and/or have designated roadways for street legal UTV's
(I understand there are, but these may be improved with signage or more enforcement). Street Legal UTV owners are responsible and willing to help those in one of the most unique cities in
America.
Please don't make rash commitments or regulations that would negatively affect the vast majority of responsible recreationists based on complaints of a few. Moab is a place we all loved to
see filled with motorcycles, mountain bikes, street legal UTV's and sprinter vans. Thank you for keeping a place for everyone.
Jake Eliason
10/16/2020 18:21:16 Chad Bringhurst
Please reconsider banning UTVs in your community. We have enjoyed spending time with our family and friends down there. We love supporting the community and want to continue doing
so.
10/16/2020 18:26:15 Kim Coughlan
We love coming to Moab and explorer the trails in our UTV. We respect and love the town. It has created a lot of amazing memories for me and my family. Please allow utv to been driven
in town.
10/16/2020 18:28:50 Brittney Ercanbrack SXS are vital to our community. They bring people in for all seasons. We NEED them!!
10/16/2020 18:50:55 Kurtis
Dear committee.
My name is kurtis. I am a a responsible UTV owner and appreciate the fact that I have the opportunity to voice my opinion. We as an off road community understand and share your
frustrations with those who choose to ignore city noise and other ordinances in Moab. We pay our vehicle taxes and reserve our right to drive our ATV/UTV on the streets in the state of Utah.
Discrimination and targeting a certain type of vehicle is not fair and is unlawful. That being said, certain ordinances have been placed to already address the issues you are discussing. Noisy
streets are because of the lack of enforcement. Step up your enforcement, put the fear of getting citations in the eyes of those who do not follow the rules. I do not ride late at night, I do not
have aftermarket exhaust, I do not play my music loudly. Why am I being punished for something I do not do. I enjoy the time I spend with my family and friends in Moab. Lots of memories
and friendships have been created there. Let us help. There are plenty of large social media groups ready to help your community with this. Thank you
10/16/2020 19:15:28 Miriam Graham
I am a 23 year resident of Moab. I moved to Mulberry Grove from Spanish Valley just 2 years ago, and immediately noticed the traffic noise on Mill Creek Drive as well as 191, which has only
increased since then, except of course, when town shut down this past spring. I can only compare the noise of UTVs heading up to Sand Flats at all hours (I've even been awakened at 1am)
to a speedway I once lived a few miles from in rural NC. We knew that every Saturday night from 7 to 10, the noise would be deafening but we put up with it because we knew that after 10 it
would be quiet again. Not so in Moab. We absolutely need to pass ordinances limiting UTV activity and/or the noise levels they're allowed to make, by requiring mufflers, having a noise
curfew, and keeping them off residential streets, at least during certain hours. We need to preserve a decent quality of life for our residents.
EXHIBIT 1
Timestamp Your Name Your Comment
10/16/2020 19:19:57 Kayla wilkins
Dear Moab City council,
My husband and have frequented Moab City often for the majority of our lives. We have visited Moab for many reasons but mostly because of unique terrain Moab offers for us as avid
members of the off road community. While I do understand the challenges that Moab residents face with increasing popularity of UTVs On the streets of Moab. I do However I feel that an all
out ban on events such as Rally On the Rocks and banning street legal UTVs is not the answer. In doing so there will a detrimental impact on Moab’s local economy. Cities such as Marysvale
have embraced the UTV/off-road community by implementing speed limits for UTVs/ATVs in their city. They also have used education to their advantage in curbing unwanted behavior
regarding UTVs/ATVs. I feel that there can be fair compromises from both sides that can result in a peaceful coexistence between UTVs and the residents of Moab. Those of us in the UTV
community will be more than happy to work for a resolve so that we can all keep the Moab we love. Thank you.
10/16/2020 19:25:24 Heidi Robertson
I have been going to Moab for over 30 years. The locals use to complain about the Jeep Safari being to loud. It looks like now it is UTVs. I understand the noise concern and do not think it
is unreasonable for a ban for loud mufflers or quiet hours. I do not think trailer to rides is reasonable since the parking lots fill up already with hikers. It is very frustrating to visit Moab and
plan on hiking and not be able park anywhere due to all the cars and trailers will make it worse. UTVs should not be banned just because they are the latest fad.
10/16/2020 19:46:12 Leann
We practiced percentage today for a homeschool project. 400 east had 47% atv vehicles today. It was a miserable walk on the sidewalk, Miserable. A miserable time playing with my kids in
the yard, a miserable time at rotary park, and a miserable time now as I’m watching family movie tonight and having to shut my windows on this nice fall night because of the noise. There’s
constant buzzing, when the buzzing is faint you just wait, anxiously for it to get louder. You’re in edge waiting until you need to pause a conversation, or cringe as you watch tourists having a
nice time while you are not. We are about to build a home here in Moab but considering not. We can’t handle this noice anymore and the inconsiderate tourists that it tends to include. Not all,
but most it seems. When we first moved Here 8 years ago it was a busy little happy town with some noise but a lot of climbers and mtn bikers. That’s not the case anymore. We as mtn bikers
aren’t feeling connection to the rocks and trails anymore. We feel out of place. Change this or we are leaving as well as so many others. Moab is going downhill, and fast.”if these walls could
talk”- yeah, we wouldn’t be able to hear them.
10/16/2020 20:32:07 Kody Bloomquist
The hostility toward the UTV community by some in Moab is very sad and a testament to the inability of people to compromise and accept other people's beliefs these days. If it wasn't for a
facebook group which I am a member of, I would never have known that some in our community are causing so many issues down there. I am a responsible UTVer and respect the
communities I visit, but it would be nice if you could spend your efforts educating people rather than turning this into a politicaly motivated agenda. If you would include us in discussing these
issues, we can help you bring the awareness to our community. I guess if some get their way, I will take my patronage elsewhere but will sure miss doing what I love in this beautiful part of
Utah.
10/16/2020 22:20:22 steve Campbell I'm gonna be blunt. Your actions are out of line, and are discriminating. You haven't even attempted to enforce the laws currently in place to lessen the noise issue.
A handful of noise complaints does not out weigh the economic disaster to follow.
10/17/2020 7:04:47 William Schooler
You are a service Corporation, Moabs economy was built on uranium and recreation through surounding public lands and national parks which are also public. Please break down public into
all parts and explain to us all who fits into public please. This is your responsibility to understand and you have an obligation to the public you service as a corporate entity. Please define which
public you shall service. I expect a full rely to this request and that it be made public. Thank you.
10/17/2020 15:55:49 David Wilson
I have been living and working remotely in Moab since August of this year. It's confounding to be awoken at 6 am by roaring SxS's in small caravans heading out to Sand Flats to drive around
the slickrock. It's more disappointing to frequently see them sprinting through the neighborhoods at speeds much higher than the posted limit. I understand that motorsports are a massive
economic driver for the Moab area, but these noisy machines are absurd. Why they are street legal is beyond me. There are plenty of SxS enthusiasts who trailer their machines to the
trailheads and use them purely to access remote areas of the desert. It's a tossup as to whether they appreciate and respect the environment and other user groups. Seeing them rip through
town with their differentials locked and tires squealing through turns, frequently with obnoxious blinking LED's flashing in rhythm with blaring music is unnecessary. Restrictions on these
machines and other loud motorized vehicles is not too much to ask. Local entities need the ability to enforce noice ordinances. Grand County would not be negatively impacted by removing
the SxS's from the streets and pushing the industry for quiet electric/hybrid versions that would be friendlier to the ears and the air.
I want to tell my friends in my hometown that Moab is a cool place, but as it is now, it's noisy AF.
10/17/2020 16:26:59 Tricia Scott I would prefer for UTVs to have some aftermarket mufflers when in town if possible. I think banning them would have serious financial consequences for Moab .
10/17/2020 17:26:55 Blair Crismond UtV problem ???? We ride respectfully in town Just like the big jeeps and trucks . Stop Discriminating against what brings in money to such a smalltown . We love Moab however the way this
is going not sure if We will be back after all of this .
10/17/2020 19:09:48 Ashley
Leave people alone about the side x sides. They are street legal, and legally allowed on the street! How about you people put your time and money into convincing the companies who make
them, and the people who own them, to modify them and make them more quiet! Are we going to ban car show next? Because it's pretty loud too! This is a huge money maker for this town
and the locals who live here. You don't get to pick and choose what kind of tourists you serve AFTER you turn moab into the tourist circus it has become now. We've all adapted and now our
rights are being taken away in regards to airbnbs, nightly rentals, and side x sides.
10/18/2020 4:28:32 Katie Hammond
Hello, we love coming to Moab every year. It’s a great get away vacation for us. We are from West Virginia, and some Kentucky, so it’s a long trip for us. We drove 26 hours just to see your
town. We respect all the laws and limit signs. Everyone shouldn’t be punished because some don’t follow the laws and regulations. That being said having guides and being able to rent is very
nice in case a buggy would break down or if we wanted to see new trails we haven’t before. Personally I think it would take a big hit on the economy there to ban UTvs. Setting different speed
limits probably won’t help but it’s a good effort. It will probably upset residents getting stuck behind groups of utvs going 15 mph or 10 under. Maybe setting ordinance also after so late they
can’t be going through town if they’re too loud. Please don’t punish everyone because some aren’t respectful of your town.
10/18/2020 8:01:07 Faith Dickey
I could easily list all the reasons I dislike ATV's and their impact upon Moab, my current waking/sleeping life here as well as the likelihood that I stay here for the long haul, however I believe
you all, as the council, have your attention brought to these issues regularly. The noise, the disobeying of traffic laws, the litter found on trails are all important and relevant, despite being
contentious amongst residents. However, the larger picture, for me, is the incredible denial of climate change that much of our society is harboring. All aspects of our existence must change to
slow the rate at which we warm our planet, and tourism is no exception. What I see is a tourism industry built upon consumerism. Roads were once great means of access for all types of
people, yet now they are cluttered with idling and polluting cars. The trails or off-road areas around Moab were once quiet, places of adventure that few sought out, but the ATV industry has
exploited them and a short walk on any popular off road route will show you black streaks, plastic debris from the vehicles, and empty beverage bottles. We are delusional to think that tourism
can remain as it was in light of climate change. Though I would prefer wide sweeping changes (electric trains!) I am not kidding myself. I do, however, believe we must start changing the way
we "Tour." Currently, tourism in Moab feels like a consumption in and of itself. Tourists are here to consume the area, and feel entitled to do so because we lay the tools at their feet.
Environmental stewardship is not popular, and Moab is becoming like a Disneyland of rocks. ATV's are our roller coasters, and users do not even realize what they are contributing to with the
consumption of oil, the pollution/destruction of our land, and the pollution of our ears. As long as this damaging activity is provided, encouraged and unlimited, it will be sought out as such. I
believe, one day, it will be a relic of the oil industry, and our grandchildren will scoff at our inability to instigate the necessary changes to protect our planet, because of "profits." No one is a
saint, we are a society dependent on fossil fuels and it is extraordinarily difficult to be interdependent from them. However, as rule-changers, you all have the opportunity to chip away at a
destructive industry that contributes to climate change more so than any other recreation in this area.
10/18/2020 10:06:17 Dustin McElhaney The city is broke so why do you want to get rid of this income? Moab was raised from off-roaders leave it alone.how many businesses will be destroyed by this and families hurt?
Timestamp Your Name Your Comment
10/18/2020 12:23:00 Cody
To whom it may concern
I support responsible recreation and support efforts to protect and increase access to recreation resources. Outdoor recreation is an explosive industry where new markets for experiences and
products emerge suddenly. This provides challenges for policymakers and the public to accommodate these new users. This growth also creates significant economic opportunities that have
benefitted Moab residents and Moab businesses greatly. We are aware that the recent surge in UTV use in Moab is leading to noise nuisance complaints. Utah state law allows street legal
UTVs and ATVs to use public roads, and we support these protections. Street legal access increases access for these users and eliminates problems such as trail-head congestion and many
other issues. We recognize the challenges that come with abating noise nuisances, and we are wanting to work with the City of Moab to educate users in ways they can minimize noise
impacts while riding on public roads. We wouldn't support the codification of any policy that would unfairly discriminate against street-legal OHV users. We believe the city should find ways to
enforce violations of ordinances in a way that targets wrongdoers instead of trying to find ways to categorically deny use of roads to street-legal OHV users. We look forward to finding
common-ground solutions to these challenges at the same time we recognize that a categorical denial of use of a public benefit by a specific group is discriminatory by nature and can't be the
starting point for authentic compromise.
The most recent conversations and proposals have led to discussions and targeting of OHV related businesses directly. Any policies that are directed at prohibiting or limiting the specific
businesses that participate in OHV guides, accessories, rentals, trail access or others is something that is severely flawed and not supported. We would encourage you to help us address and
fix the actual issues rather than target businesses and users. Categorical creating a denial of a public benefit by a specific user group is discriminatory by nature and not supported.
10/18/2020 12:23:58 Shayne Burdine
To whom it may concern, Please take into consideration that 99% of the members of UTV Utah are advocates for the outdoors. We clean up after others and try to preserve the pristine
outdoors for enjoyment by all. However, I do understand your frustration with noise and common courtesy. Please don’t shut us all down due to the lack of respect of the few. Change the
noise law to reflect what is tolerable. Prosecute those that do not abide by the laws. Help us with guidelines that will enable us to self police and apply pressure to those that don’t abide. You
can not do it on your own and neither can we. It must be a team effort. We love your town and county. It would be shame for both the businesses and those that follow the rules. Thank you for
your time and consideration. Shayne Burdine.
10/18/2020 12:26:38 Steven buccambuso
I am an active member of the UTV Utah and I do frequent the amazing recreational activities Moab has to offer. My group of 4-6 families try to make it to Moab twice a year. We spend roughly
2-3 thousand dollars per family each time While in Moab and our money is spent strictly on local owned businesses from gas stations and restaurants to housing (airBnB to hotels) and even
your parts stores for our machines. I am aware that residents main concern is the amount of noise being generated by UTV’s and I am also aware of the proposals our President of UTV Utah
has come to you with and I am truly hoping there is a common ground that can be reached!
10/18/2020 12:33:45 Randy George
When I travel to a destination to operate my sxs I spend on aversge $2000 in that comunity when in moab for 2 weeks we almost doubled that amount we eat at resturants buy fuel, buy
momentoes and clothing out of state permits for sxs and so forth I am from oregon and we welcome out of staters to come ride the dunes and deaserts and the business comunity also
welcome the monies coming in from them it boosts our small townes sales in turn more taxes coming in so the residents dont have to pick up the added taxes of the state and local
governments to run there inferstructures
10/18/2020 12:39:00 Robin Stewart I would like to see an ban of the ATV's on the streets. Or at the least an ordinance that will address the noise or, a cerfew for how late they can be on the streets. The noise they cause is
ruining our town. I especially do not like being woke up all hours of the night by the noise pollution they create as they find there way back to there nightly rentals in the Spanish Valley area.
10/18/2020 12:50:23 Jeff Sappington Please keep the public grounds open for riding. My family loves to visit your area. We prefer 50" trails and single
track but ride all trails. Thank you, Jeff Sappington
10/18/2020 13:12:27 Brad
I understand living in Moab creates unique challenges. A tourist community and economy creates frustrations for everyone because a perfect solution for contentment does not exist.
Current laws cover most of the issues but need to be enforced more strictly.
Like most issues, a small minority makes a lot of noise that can affect others negatively, and usually both sides of an issue. I own a side by side and visit Moab 3 times a year. I am very
respectful of the residents of Moab and do my best to educate others on respectable behavior.
Please don’t limit us because of others actions.
Sincerely,
Brad Ferrell
10/18/2020 13:21:14 Corey Foy
My family owned farms and had lifetime grazing permits on arches monument back in the day. But things change the uranium boom! Changed farming and ranching in moab. Many families
that chose to keep their families here had to work out of town just to survive in moab and thats a fact. Almost everyone I knew growing up had a parent working out of town to survive. Moab
has killed off pretty much any industry around moab. Well now we have motorized Recreation that supports alot of local incomes and creates a ton of jobs. Not to mention the money
motorized recreation bring into moab. As in tax revenue, jobs just to name a few! My family has been in around moab for almost 100 years. We are a motorized recreation family!!! We want
motorized recreation in moab.... I can name many places that rock climbers and mountain bike have ruined places my family grew hunting a d recreating on for many years and now it is
flooded with hikers and bikers. But you know what they are here just enjoying what we all love about moab and I have no right to tell them how or when or what they can do. So if you dont like
what has been created in moab its time to leave..... MOAB IS MOTORIZED RECREATION AND WE ARE HERE TO STAY!!!!
10/18/2020 13:24:09 Chayne Please allow UTV in Moab we live coming down each year I hope we can come to a agreement
10/18/2020 13:45:49 Bob Ebert
It has come to my attention that the city of Moab is taking action to limit or possibly ban the use of UTVs on city streets. While I understand the concern regarding excessive noise from certain
machines and driving styles, I do not believe this should affect all people - the vast majority of us are not the problem. I totally understand limiting the time of use and issuing citations for
excessive noise, please don’t punish everyone for the actions of a few.
10/18/2020 14:14:42 Brad Ferrell
UTVs
Every group can complain about another groups activities. Changing laws to limit recreation participation by select groups gives preference to people who may possibly be a very angry about
everything. I get that some people are socially irresponsible and are extremely irritating. Fine those people that are offensive. Limiting everyone is not a fair response to the problem.
I have been reading comments from some residents that have no idea what they are complaining about. Like one resident asking the rental shops install mufflers on machines,
Keep Moab access to public lands open for all to enjoy.
Timestamp Your Name Your Comment
10/18/2020 16:25:16 David Williams
As an avid UTV owner and enthusiast I am opposed to the creation of any new laws and attempts to shut out the utv community from Moab. I also oppose the idea of not permitting events
such as Ralley on the Rocks and others. It seems as though there should be more emphasis oh enforcing laws already on the books for noise and speed. There's no need to create more
conflict. The UTV community wants to work with you, but it seems you have a different agenda and would like to just discriminate against one group of people.
10/18/2020 16:36:11 Barbara Greaves
Hello Council,
We support responsible recreation & efforts to protect our accesses to our recreation resources. Technology changes constantly & it provides challenges for policymakers and the public to
accommodate these new users. Growth also creates significant economic opportunities that have benefitted both residents & businesses of Moab greatly.
We are aware that the up tick of UTV use in Moab is leading to noise complaints.
State law allows street legal UTVs and ATVs to use public roads, and we support these protections. Street legal access increases access for these users and eliminates problems like trailers
packing trail heads and many other issues.
We recognize the challenges that come with abating noise nuisances, and we are wanting to work with the City of Moab to educate users in ways they can minimize noise impacts while riding
on public roads.
We wouldn't support the any policy that would unfairly discriminate against street-legal OHV users. We believe Moab should find ways to enforce violations of ordinances that targets
wrongdoers instead of trying to find ways to deny use of roads to street-legal OHV users.
We look forward to finding common solutions to these challenges.
We also recognize that a denial of use of public benefit by a specific group is discriminatory and can't be the starting point for authentic compromise.
Conversations and proposals have led to discussions and targeting of OHV related businesses directly. Any policies that are directed at prohibiting or limiting the specific businesses that
participate in OHV guides, accessories, rentals, trail access or others is something that is severely flawed. We would encourage you to help us address and fix the actual issues rather than
target businesses and users. Creating a denial of a public benefit by a specific user group is discriminatory and not supported.
Thank you for your time,
Barbara Greaves
10/18/2020 17:15:44 Jerrod Henderson Hello, I am a UTV owner and resident of Utah. My family and I love Moab! It's our favorite place in the world!! We are Always responsible and respectful. Please do not make the laws and
rules more strict for those of us who love and cherish Moab. I understand there are bad apples in every community not just UTV's. Please don't judge the many by the few. Thank you.
10/18/2020 17:46:08 Lenore Sorensen
We love to come down to Moab once or twice a year. I am very consistent on the town when I am there. And I have a side by side. I’m not very happy about the changes you are trying to do If
you think this will not hurt you town it will I send around 3000.00 every time I come to Moab. Between logging and meals. And others thing like gas and we alway go to the shops down town
and buying things. For you to think this will not have an enact on you town you are Wong. I and my family will think twice before planing any more trips to Moab if you stop allowing side by
sides!
Lenore Sorensen
10/18/2020 18:03:29 Lindsay kosier
I as a tax payer and someone who follows the rules and pays all fees asked of me to enjoy our side by side. Would be so furious to lose the ability to go see such a beautiful place that i as a
tax paying Utah resident pay to keep these trails open for ALL to come to... let’s all be happy and willing to work together to give each other a little bit of peace ( when we visit moab) in this
crazy world we are all living in...
10/18/2020 18:27:27 Kevin Fyans Moab is a very special and fun place that my family has enjoyed for some time. We are very respectful and enjoy the freedom of driving our atv within the city. I believe stricter laws on noise
control are needed. Please don’t penalize the many because of the few.
10/18/2020 18:55:57 Garrett Pierson
Moab has always been a special place for me and my family. It has provided adventured for me as my interests have changed over the years. From Mountain Bikes to Jeeps to Dirt Bikes, and
now has come full circle to being back on Mountain Bikes. However when we bring the family to town we not only bring mountain bikes, but dirt bikes and now a UTV. It has been fantastic to
be able to enjoy all that Moab has to offer no matter my choice of wheels. However with the new threats to the UTV community I feel that is it a very slippery slope to banning any and all
motorized travel. Should you ban UTV's from Moab, we will vote with our out of town $$$$ by taking them else where.
10/18/2020 19:04:32 Dee McNenny
I own a street legal ATV (a GoatBuilt tube buggy), and three jeeps. All of my vehicles have mufflers, which are wrapped to quiet them even further. I also hate the noise made by some street
legal ATVs and OHVs and agree that the noise needs to be cut significantly. However, there are other types of vehicles that creating noise problems in Moab, and they need to be addressed,
too.
I support the city and Grand County enforcing stationary sound testing at 20” from the exhaust of the vehicle being tested, and training police officers to do the testing. This test is proven to be
very effective, far more so than moving tests. Checkpoints would not be required and testing would be done on vehicles a trained officer determines to be louder than permitted by the existing
noise ordinance. Vehicles failing the test could be fined, with repeat offenders being impounded. In that way those of us who aren’t causing noise pollution are not punished and those who are
behind the problem are identified. Neighborhoods and businesses will all benefit from removing excessively loud motorized vehicles from our streets. That includes the hot rodders that are
cruising through neighborhoods and on Main and have been for months. There are plenty of pickup trucks and passenger cars that are as noisy or worse than many street legal ATVs.
Regarding the effects of the proposed speed limit change, should it be enacted, has the city considered what problems will result when a significant amount of traffic, much of it smaller than
the average SUV, is suddenly required to drive 10 miles per hour or more under the speed limit on Main Street, up the hill to Sand Flats, and through neighborhoods? How will regular traffic
pass them? This scenario raises the specter of heightened road rage and accidents with larger vehicles swerving around street legal ATVs and potentially colliding with bicyclists and other
vehicles.
Finally, the city should consider that although this town has many rental ATVs, far more than that number come here and are privately owned. Restrictions on the rental companies are likely to
result in an increase in privately owned machines and a net increase in noise.
Enforcing the sound ordinance using stationary testing is the single most effective and speedy solution to Moab’s noise problem, and it has been proven effective in communities all across the
country. I urge the city to act on enforcing it.
Timestamp Your Name Your Comment
10/18/2020 19:13:05 George Lukey
My first trip to Moab was in 1997 attending the Easter Jeep Safari.
I now have a UTV and all the support i have done over the years including educating others continues with the UTV folks.
Respectfully, please don't group all UTV people into a single category that limits freedom. We don't need the blunt hatchet here.
10/18/2020 19:24:27 crystal Muzik
Moab now constantly sounds like a motor raceway. The increase in numbers of off highway vehicles over the past years, have dramatically impacted many Moab residents. The noise impacts
are astounding and affect several neighborhoods, if not all neighborhoods, and the quality of life of many town residents (and visitors). I fully support the Moab City Council taking action on
this issue. I support enforcing a speed limit on OHVs, limiting the permitting of OHV sales, rentals, or leasing, commercial outdoor recreational uses, and outfitter, guide services and facilities
and to impose a moratorium on issuing new business licenses for the sale, rental, or leasing of OHVs. Also, it is crucial to limit the number of new OHV events in the area.
I suggest additional money to be spent on education, law enforcement, a night time curfew, and an increase in ticketing and fines, if possible.
The wildlife, the soundscape, and the community of Moab deserve a peaceful living environment.
10/18/2020 19:27:33 Bryce
Moab has become our family's top vacation spot due to its diversity in all outdoor activities and its amazing home town feel. I know when I'm in your town everyone will treat us and equals and
with the most respect. That's why we come down 3-4 times a year. Limiting recreational activities will force people like my family to find other places to visit and call our home away from home.
Please find a way to keep your town personal to you as well as welcoming to us.
10/18/2020 19:44:11 Scott Allred
City and County email addresses:
council@grandcountyutah.net
City-council@moabcity.org
http://bit.ly/publiccommentform
Email:
Dear Council,
I support responsible recreation and support efforts to protect and increase access to recreation resources. Outdoor recreation is an explosive industry where new markets for experiences and
products emerge suddenly. This provides challenges for policymakers and the public to accommodate these new users. This growth also creates significant economic opportunities that have
benefitted Moab residents and Moab businesses greatly. We are aware that the recent surge in UTV use in Moab is leading to noise nuisance complaints. Utah state law allows street legal
UTVs and ATVs to use public roads, and we support these protections. Street legal access increases access for these users and eliminates problems such as trail-head congestion and many
other issues. We recognize the challenges that come with abating noise nuisances, and we are wanting to work with the City of Moab to educate users in ways they can minimize noise
impacts while riding on public roads. We wouldn't support the codification of any policy that would unfairly discriminate against street-legal OHV users. We believe the city should find ways to
enforce violations of ordinances in a way that targets wrongdoers instead of trying to find ways to categorically deny use of roads to street-legal OHV users. We look forward to finding
common-ground solutions to these challenges at the same time we recognize that a categorical denial of use of a public benefit by a specific group is discriminatory by nature and can't be the
starting point for authentic compromise.
The most recent conversations and proposals have led to discussions and targeting of OHV related businesses directly. Any policies that are directed at prohibiting or limiting the specific
businesses that participate in OHV guides, accessories, rentals, trail access or others is something that is severely flawed and not supported. We would encourage you to help us address and
fix the actual issues rather than target businesses and users. Categorical creating a denial of a public benefit by a specific user group is discriminatory by nature and not supported.
Thank you for your time.
10/18/2020 19:58:06 Chris Johnson Please dont punish law abiding utv enthusiasts for things small percentage is doing.
10/18/2020 20:14:06 Justin Hartle
As an avid outdoorsman and UTV enthusiasts it is infuriating that you as government officials feel that you have the power to overreach and abuse your standing within city and county
government to voitate all citizens rights to public lands. The offroad community put moab on the map and we spend millions of dollars annually supporting your town. I strongly oppose your
ban on UTV's and OHV's in restricting our access to trails and operating street legal machines in town.
10/18/2020 20:43:49 Dee McNenny
Edited comment to City:
I own a street legal ATV (a GoatBuilt tube buggy), and also own three jeeps. All of my vehicles have mufflers, which are wrapped to quiet them even further. I hate the noise of some street
legal ATVs and agree that it needs to be addressed.
I support the city and Grand County in enforcing stationary sound testing at 20” from the exhaust of the vehicle being tested, and in training officers to do the testing. This test is proven to be
very effective, more so than moving tests. Checkpoints would not be required and testing would be done on vehicles a trained officer determines to be louder than permitted by the existing
noise ordinance. In that way those of us who aren’t causing noise pollution are not punished and those who are behind the problem are identified and pay the consequences. That includes the
hot rodders that are cruising through neighborhoods and on Main. There are plenty of pickup trucks and passenger cars that are as noisy or worse than many street legal ATVs.
Regarding the effects of the proposed speed limit change, what problems will result when a lot of traffic, much of it smaller than the average SUV, is suddenly required to drive 10 miles per
hour under the speed limit up the hill to Sand Flats, in Spanish Valley, and through neighborhoods? How will regular traffic pass them? This scenario raises the specter of road rage and
accidents with larger vehicles swerving around street legal ATVs and potentially colliding with bicyclists and other vehicles. Some street legal ATVs are a little quieter at 15mph than at 25, but
now they will take longer to drive through the neighborhood, so the perceived benefit of that speed reduction may actually be zero.
Finally, the city should consider that although this town has many rental ATVs, many more than that come here that are privately owned. Restrictions on the rental companies will likely result
in an increase in privately owned machines, and a net increase in noise.
Enforcing the sound ordinance using stationary testing is the single most effective and speedy solution to Moab’s noise problem.
Timestamp Your Name Your Comment
10/18/2020 21:00:47 Jessica Hover
I was born and raised in Moab, most of my family is still there. My parents gone is on 5th West and as you know is a main thoroughfare for traffic. There has never been a time where SXS
traffic noise was a bother to daily life. It’s the same as Jeep safari, the countless marathons and diverted traffic doesn’t impact their, or mine as I lived there for the first 19 years of my life, daily
life. Is it something you have to deal with? Of course, much like allergies, mosquitos as all those other small annoyances in life, they will always be there. I live in Salt Lake now and have SXS
driving though my neighborhood daily, I certainly will not be trying to ban them. Before you think about banning such a huge part of the Moab economy think of all of your citizens who struggle
to live with your ridiculously high cost of living.
10/18/2020 21:21:26 Dave Hancey
Greetings,
My wife and I recently joined the UTV community. It's something we enjoy doing very much. Utah has such an incredible and diverse landscape.
We have enjoyed recently, a trip on the Piute Trail system, where we stayed at a locally owned RV park, in the town of Marysville, where we learned about the riding rules and opportunities for
the trail system. The towns around the trail system have all learned what a great benefit it is, having the tourism dollars in their communities. They have developed this resource in some great
ways, that benefit both the residents and the visitors. I have yet to visit the town of Moab, but it is one I intend to get to very soon. I support efforts by the Moab city council to protect the
access rights to these beautiful natural resources for all persons and access methods.
I feel generally, that it's consistently the poor choices and actions of the few, that have the most negative impact to the vast majority of people, especially those who love being in Utah's wild
country.
It is my suggestion to the council, to study the policies of the towns surrounding the Piute Trail system. They have found ways to coexist and even mutually benefit from the beautiful natural
resources that are so abundant in Utah.
I support efforts to teach people the proper way to behave and respect the natural resources of the state, and their surrounding communities. It never serves the majority of respectful citizens,
buy punishing the minority, for the actions of the few. Well published and enforced statues, will bring the biggest benefit to the most people, without punitively punishing those that do, and will,
respect the environment and it's surrounding communities.
Please don't take away my right to enjoy the beauty that is Moab!
Respectfully,
Dave Hancey
Perry, UT
10/18/2020 22:00:23 John johnson
I am not in favor of any detrimental actions being against ATV users, tour guides, or any of the associated industries unless it is proven that they are legally irresponsible. Has any
consideration been given to setting up an “unbiased” monitoring system in areas that seem to be the most problematic? Video and sound monitoring together might help identify any and all
offenders as well as real problems. It’s easy to complain but that is not proof that there is a legitimate or legal problem. Relying on the human element alone should not determine the fate of
everyone involved with this issue.
10/19/2020 5:19:55 Rich Hamiel I am a resident of Kane county, I see these UTVs getting completely out of hand. I live on a 25 MPH road and at many times I see UTVs doing at least 70 MPH. Absolutely no respect for
residents or the woods where I live. I agree something has to be done, maybe stiff impound fines minimum of two days for breaking the law. And yes I am a responsible off roader.
10/19/2020 5:23:29 Peter Adams I value Moab and Grand County as one of my favorite recreation areas and I visit the area approximately 6 times a year. Anything that the Local law makers do that is seen as restricting the
way I responsibly and respectively recreate, will have a negative influence on how I view Moab and the surrounding area.
10/19/2020 6:11:59 Michaelle Foy
I have been in Moab for 24 years and have witnessed What the Utv industry has done for Moab. Millions of dollars and hundreds of jobs have been created by Utv enthusiasts. Yes its a
booming Industry and there will be some mowing pains. I recall almost 20 or so years ago jeeps safari was out off control. Dui check points jeeps causing way more problems then the UTVs
ever have but they got that under control. I own Utv's and ride from our house almost daily to go to trails or even take our Labrador for a ride which he loves. I am for motorized recreation and
street legal UTVs! I am a Local! Way more noise issues then utvs. Like Semi's and these little 4 cylinder souped up cars with high pitched mufflers.Street legal Utv's are here to stay and I will
do my part to make sure they do! Remember who you work for beside the same 40 people that hate utvs that you continue to listen to. Moab Needs Motorized Recreation.....
10/19/2020 6:54:42 Charles Perry
To whim it may concern,
Please look at the whole picture when it comes to UTVs. Dont let the bad apples ruin the entire bunch. I have been to Moab numerous times and have never felt the need to disrespect the
local neighborhoods by rallying and being noisy. The UTV community is a big one. Bigger than the Off road jeep crowd. Please dont let a few idiots ruin our enjoyment and the money it brings
into your local economy. Laws are on the books to take care of disobedience from all drivers. Lets just enforce them. Thank you for your time
Charlie
10/19/2020 7:42:01 Jim Kone
To whom it may concern,
The following was drafted by the group UTV Utah in response to the recent proposals. We all share the same common goal to work towards a solution that allows for responsible recreation
while addressing the concerns of the citizens of Moab.
I support responsible recreation and support efforts to protect and increase access to recreation resources. Outdoor recreation is an explosive industry where new markets for experiences and
products emerge suddenly. This provides challenges for policymakers and the public to accommodate these new users. This growth also creates significant economic opportunities that have
benefitted Moab residents and Moab businesses greatly. We are aware that the recent surge in UTV use in Moab is leading to noise nuisance complaints. Utah state law allows street legal
UTVs and ATVs to use public roads, and we support these protections. Street legal access increases access for these users and eliminates problems such as trail-head congestion and many
other issues. We recognize the challenges that come with abating noise nuisances, and we are wanting to work with the City of Moab to educate users in ways they can minimize noise
impacts while riding on public roads. We wouldn't support the codification of any policy that would unfairly discriminate against street-legal OHV users. We believe the city should find ways to
enforce violations of ordinances in a way that targets wrongdoers instead of trying to find ways to categorically deny use of roads to street-legal OHV users. We look forward to finding
common-ground solutions to these challenges at the same time we recognize that a categorical denial of use of a public benefit by a specific group is discriminatory by nature and can't be the
starting point for authentic compromise.
The most recent conversations and proposals have led to discussions and targeting of OHV related businesses directly. Any policies that are directed at prohibiting or limiting the specific
businesses that participate in OHV guides, accessories, rentals, trail access or others is something that is severely flawed and not supported. We would encourage you to help us address and
fix the actual issues rather than target businesses and users. Categorical creating a denial of a public benefit by a specific user group is discriminatory by nature and not supported.
Thank you for your time.
Timestamp Your Name Your Comment
10/19/2020 8:00:00 Stephen Patterson
As an OHV owner it disturbes me that the city of Moab wants to remove my ability to drive my vehicle on city streets. We vacation in Moab 6 to 8 weeks a year and use the campgrounds in
town as a place to stay. We use a motor home and therfore do not have a vehicle to pull a trailer to the trailheads. By eliminating my ability to get around Moab we unfortunately would no
longer consider Moab a vacation destination any more. I am sure there are other actions that can be taken to reduce the noise besides a total ban on side by sides. Designated routes and
noise ordinances could be put in place to alleviate most of the noise. We love Moab and would love to continue spending our money in your community but will have to go elsewhere if you ban
street legal side by sides.
10/19/2020 8:27:26 Mary Dixon The amendments should not be allowed. The ATV/UTV community are not the only loud vehicles on the road (i.e. motorcycles, trucks and cars with modified exhausts) and should not be
singled out. To punish the ATV/UTV community is simply stupid and the economic loss to Moab would be huge!
10/19/2020 8:44:46 randy tidwell
Hello
We spent a week there in September and had a trip of a lifetime to your city. We rode our street legal utv's to the unbelievable trails and scenery. We have since heard about the debate to
remove the vehicles from your streets. We stayed in a campground and ate at your restaurants, bought gas, paid trail fees, and purchased souvenirs. A lot of the people that travel to your city
are in RV's and campers and cannot trailer to the trails. Please allow the street legal transportation to continue and I understand that a bad apple can spoil the whole bunch but when you have
a person breaking the law in any vehicle make it tough on that person and not the whole group. Our group is already planning a trip next year with more friends! Thanks for reading this.
10/19/2020 9:11:09 Tracy Bentley
Hello all-
I am writing to you regarding the unbearable noise in Moab. Since moving to Moab in the spring of 1999, I never would have imagined the noise and disruption we have seen with the
legalization of UTVs on our city streets. I can hear them into the late night and before dawn. Just this morning I heard them at 6:15am, it was still dark outside. It truly has to stop.
We need more enforcement - which requires more police officers and deputy sheriffs.
We need STRONG enforcement of noise ordinances and speed limits, proper registration.
We need curfews. Our streets should be much, much quieter than they are from 11pm to 7am.
We need to enforce that local UTV rental companies have mufflers installed on their rental equipment that make them quieter.
We need to stop advertising Moab. We have enough people coming here.
No more permits for UTV rental shops.
No more special event permits for UTV events.
UTV owners transport these vehicles to Moab, they can transport them to the trailheads. Are they really allowed on the highway in 55mph to 65mph zones?
Ideally, UTVs need to be banned from our streets. This one vehicle has transformed our town into something that is not sustainable for mental health and wellness. The constant roar has to
stop. I have owned a home here since 2004. I recently had the wonderful opportunity to buy a larger piece of land where my boyfriend and I can build a new home that better suits our needs
as well as a personal workshop. But I find myself questioning whether I want to build a new home in Moab and also questioning how much longer I truly want to live here and continue to own
my business, which has been here since 1995. I never would have thought I would be willing to sell it all and leave but I am definitely contemplating it. All because of the noise.
Please make some changes. ( No more hotels and nightly lodging, we have far surpassed our capacity..but that is a whole other issue)
--
Tracy Bentley
Shop Owner
Chile Pepper Bike Shop
702 S. Main Street
Moab, UT 84532
www.chilebikes.com
435-259-4688
10/19/2020 9:12:05 Matthew Smith
Dear Council,
I support responsible recreation and support efforts to protect and increase access to recreation resources. The most recent conversations and proposals have led to discussions and targeting
of OHV related businesses directly. Any policies that are directed at prohibiting or limiting the specific businesses that participate in OHV guides, accessories, rentals, trail access or others is
something that is severely flawed and not supported. We would encourage you to help us address and fix the actual issues rather than target businesses and users. Categorical creating a
denial of a public benefit by a specific user group is discriminatory by nature and not supported.
Thank you for your time.
10/19/2020 9:24:36 Traci Hightower
I spent a week in Moab riding SxSs and had an awesome time last month! We made sure our SxS was street legal and followed all speed limits and made it a point not to be noisy through
the residential areas. As long as "your" restrictions are followed by riders, why would you take the revenue from your town? Not to mention the workers; waiters, waitresses, grocery stores,
outdoor stores, etc..). You must admit ATVs, OHVs, UTVs, and dirt bike riders bring a lot of revenue to your town. We've already made plans to return next year. We drive over 1800 miles in
our motor home pulling our trailer with SxS. It is impossible to trailer to trail heads without an additional vehicle. Please reconsider banning ATVs, OHVs, UTVs and dirt bikes from your
beautiful town. Make the ones that don't follow the rules pay the price, not the ones that do. Thank you for your time and consideration!
10/19/2020 9:42:36 WENDY NORTHRUP We are a family of UTV an love the outdoors,
10/19/2020 11:00:23 Nakell Zobell
I am an avid outdoors woman. I have a UTV and love riding in Moab. One of my favorite things about Moab is the atmosphere of the town, and being able to support the town by dining,
shopping, and recreating in one trip. I am a responsible UTV operator and I know there are thousands of others like me. So please do not let a few bad eggs ruin it for all. Don’t ban UTV’s,
ATV’s, motorcycles and Jeeps from driving through town. I know that if that happens the economy in Moab will suffer, and I have family in Moab that rely on that revenue. I understand they
can be noisy but it’s not any different then semi trucks, diesel trucks, and loud cars with exhaust. We have all of those in our towns, and it’s just a way of life. So please as I said before don’t
take it out on the UTV community. Moab has always been known for recreation, don’t stop that from happening.
Timestamp Your Name Your Comment
10/19/2020 11:05:01 Katie Creighton
I have lived here for my entire adult life (18 years) and like many other longtime Moab residents I have witnessed and participated in many changes to our community and landscape. I
understand that change is inevitable, that some change is good, and that we must adapt to thrive. But the OHV noise and traffic congestion is not a change I think we have to accept, nor
should we.
I cannot sleep or relax in my own home without earplugs. It is difficult for me to work from home or enjoy puttering in my own yard. I certainly don't need, want, or expect every trail or canyon
to be quiet or non-motorized, but I struggle to find any place near Moab where I can hear the creek gurgle and the birdies chirp without hearing the roar of OHVs. I feel the need to escape my
home in search of quiet but I fear I will not be able to readily leave town or return because of traffic congestion.
For the first time in nearly two decades I am seriously considering whether I still belong in a community that prioritizes the rights of one user group over the wellbeing of local residents and
other visiting user groups. I worry that residents and other visitors will feel forced to give up on Moab unless this is addressed seriously and urgently.
We are exhausted, angry, anxious, and sad. Please help us.
10/19/2020 11:20:29 Shane
Let's please work together as a UTV community and as a MOAB off-road community to find ways to have alternate route that don't cause noise with residents or signs put up that say slow
down turn your stereo off as a UTV Utah member I want to help work with the Moab City so that we can still have our UTV rights we cant target utvs when there jeeps buggys harley
motorcycles etc i understand utv have gotten very popular and are crowding moab but lets work together
10/19/2020 11:34:55 Paul Young
To all please keep in mind that by targeting all due to the actions of a few is discrimination by all definitions. There are thousands of law abiding utv riders and numerous businesses that abide
by all laws and regulations. Please address the actual problems and work with the UTV community to help educate and not dictate proper use of the public lands. Also be aware of the
revenue produced by the groups of enthusiasts who use these lands and local shops/facilities.
10/19/2020 11:47:57 Bryson Murray
I just finished a wonderful weekend in Moab yesterday. While in town i leaned of your intent to prevent me and many others from ever returning. It was a common sight to see in Moab signs
that read "Keep public lands in public hands"; this new batch of regulations the county and city have proposed seem like a complete betrayal of that sentiment. Should the signs be amended
to "locals only"? Due to the large amount of attention this issue has stirred it was easy to see that the new regulations are short sighted and ultimately purpose driven to make responsible ATV
recreation in Grand County unappealing; rather than actually having any kind of real and reasonable solution to the problems faced by the residents of Grand County. I also find the County
and City's attempts to enact these new laws while simultaneously not enforcing existing laws that would curtail the noise issues faced by the residents of Moab and the surrounding area
extremely alarming. To what end will adding more laws that further restrict reasonable access to public lands in Utah to law abiding citizens benefit Moab? The direct and endless targeting the
off-road community by some of Moab's squeaky wheel residents needs to stop. My Family has made many wonderful memories over the years in Grand county and hopefully will continue to
spend time and money in your community making more lasting memories.
10/19/2020 11:56:54 Anthony Mancuso
UTV Recreation is a small fraction of use per capita in SE Utah. However, UTV recreation is responsible for a disparate volume of negative outcomes. The benefits of UTV commerce in Moab
are overshadowed by unnecessary noise, traffic hazards, and environmental destruction.
If the negative outcomes of this use were characterized as pollution, UTV use would be considered a "non-point-source" when viewed at a regional scale. The way that non-point-sources are
mitigated has historically been through broad-scoped regulation. Regulations of that type are difficult to enforce. (Look at the effectiveness of USACE for example). Paper tiger rules that are
unenforceable will only show the community and our visitors that we don't take this issue seriously.
It is impractical and inappropriate to suggest that UTV's be banned outright from public lands. That suggestion is contradictory to public trust values and agency multiple-use/sustained-yield
directives. HOWEVER, some restrictions must be put in place in the interest of those same values. I suggest:
- Mandatory decibel restrictions within city limits. Don't tell me that it's not enforceable: figure out how to enforce it.
- Rental companies should rent seats-per-group, rather than a UTV for each party member (you have a 8 person group? you rent 2, 4-person UTV's). There is operational precedent for this in
MANY livery and tour operations: antelope canyon, whitewater Rafting, charter fishing, etc.
- Banning UTV traffic along streets through or adjacent to "R" zoned areas, expect for permanent residents of those areas.
- UTV rental companies require renters to watch an "orientation" video. I suggest that the mandatory orientation video be made standardized for all liveries, and the content of such be
produced and published by an independent commission of Local Government and Agency stakeholders/managers. The video shall address prohibited acts and EMPHASIZE PENALTIES for
non-compliance.
We need to pass specific local ordinances that require compliance. Most importantly, Sherriff White and Chief Edge MUST be held accountable for enforcement of these ordinances.
Timestamp Your Name Your Comment
10/19/2020 12:27:56 Stacy Tonozzi
I am a business owner in Moab, who relies on a stable number of tourism to make a living or to “put food on the table” as the saying goes. If a person is from Moab, and have an established
business in town, then he/she is aware of the “profitable” months and the nonprofitable months. He/she is also aware that the profitable months will carry the business and pay the bills for the
nonprofitable months. Welcome to being a business owner in a tourist town.
My business relies on profitable months held by special events taking place in Moab, for example, Moab Jeep Safari, Car Show, Rally on the Rocks, Fat Tire Festival, etc.... Without these
events, my business would fail. The small town of Moab, with a population of 5300, does not provide enough
business for me to stay alive. (The City of Moab must realize that our profits come from tourism and tourism alone. They must not forget that Moab is a small, small town. 5300 people cannot
feed everyone trying to survive in Moab) Without tourism, I would be force to shut down and lay off people. The ATVs, UTVs, OHVs industry consists more than 60% of my business.
Why would the City of Moab “NOT” consider issuing permits for special interest groups, rallies, guides, businesses for the ATV industry? Moab’s local businesses is more than tee-shirt shops
and trinkets. Cutting this industry out would only mean that all of Moab would loose a large portion of its income. The city and the county of Moab would be greatly effected by the lack of
revenue.
The real issue in the overwhelming increase in traffic. The ATV industry cannot be blamed alone for causing the increase in traffic and noise pollution. Due to COVID-19 shut downs the
outdoor recreation industry is booming. The camping industry alone has experienced record sales by 5X. Retail stores are experiencing massive shortages in outdoor equipment due to the
increase in customer buying. Almost every outdoor recreation sport has double this year including outdoor activities such as: hiking, fishing, camping, biking, rock climbing, rafting, kayaking,
etc. All of these special interest group visit and play in Moab. All of these special interest groups are to blame for the increase of Moab traffic.
I support lowering speed limits to help with noise pollution. I support other positive options to take that will NOT effect our local businesses and tax revenue. The ATV industry is open to
helping.
10/19/2020 12:28:54 Edward Dennis
I support the use of UTV's in and around the City Moab and Grand County. I also support reasonable and responsible solutions to this perceived problem by the City of Moab and Grand
County. I encourage the City of Moab and Grand County to meet with representatives from the UTV community, to find and effect a solution that is fair and amicable to all those involved in
this sport and industry.
10/19/2020 12:45:27 Alisa Morgan
I am a former residence who still has close family in Moab. There are so many more issues that are a concern other than the small level of noise. There is not room at any of the trail heads to
trailer UTVs. UTVs have to pay to license to be on the roads, which is more than bicycles do. They follow more of the traffic laws as well.
Please use your voice and your energy to fix the other large number of important issues that our community has.
10/19/2020 12:52:31 Krystal
As an avid visitor of Moab, using our UTV, it would be horrible if we could not have access to the trails via the city streets we would no longer be able to ride the trails we enjoy, as we could
not pull our 35ft toy hauler to each trail head. I do however agree that there needs to be further enforcement of the current noise ordinance and cooperation on both sides of the issues at
hand. Please do not punish everyone for the wrongdoing of a few. The utv community as a whole wishes to keep these lands open for future generations of use, and also allow the residents to
feel safe, and comfortable in their town. Please consider coming to a agreement we can all agree upon, rather than punishing us all for what a few do that is not acceptable.
10/19/2020 13:04:38 Leo Williams
Dear Council,
I support responsible recreation and support efforts to protect and increase access to recreation resources. The most recent conversations and proposals have led to discussions and targeting
of OHV related businesses directly. Any policies that are directed at prohibiting or limiting the specific businesses that participate in OHV guides, accessories, rentals, trail access or others is
something that is severely flawed and not supported. We would encourage you to help us address and fix the actual issues rather than target businesses and users. Categorical creating a
denial of a public benefit by a specific user group is discriminatory by nature and not supported.
We love Moab, supporting the local economy and businesses.
Thank you for your time.
10/19/2020 13:05:09 Sheila Williams
Dear Council,
I support responsible recreation and support efforts to protect and increase access to recreation resources. The most recent conversations and proposals have led to discussions and targeting
of OHV related businesses directly. Any policies that are directed at prohibiting or limiting the specific businesses that participate in OHV guides, accessories, rentals, trail access or others is
something that is severely flawed and not supported. We would encourage you to help us address and fix the actual issues rather than target businesses and users. Categorical creating a
denial of a public benefit by a specific user group is discriminatory by nature and not supported.
Thank you for your time.
10/19/2020 13:12:57 Samantha Derbyshire MAKE THE NOISE STOP!! The noise from the UTVs has become unbearable we need a solution
10/19/2020 13:17:48 Les Roads
I’m a concerned resident of Moab my wife and I love being able to ride our utv around town in order to get to the trails we ride on. We do see the noise issue being a problem. We also see the
same noise issues with normal vehicles in town from motorcycles, import cars, diesel pickups with no mufflers, 18 wheelers pretty much anything on the street. We need to educate the visitors
to Moab about the noise in town to respect the locals!!!! We have laws that just need to be enforced speed and reckless driving.... utv Utah has offered to pay sir signage and cost to install I
feel that would be a step in this matter we need to work together not just single out one group..
10/19/2020 15:40:35 Annie Payne
I hate FUV’s. I hate them with every fiber of my being. I hate them because they have ruined my community and ruined the wild country that I love. They are noisy, they keep myself and my
kids up at night, they stir up so much dust that my asthmatic son cannot breathe, they pollute, they are dangerous and they are obnoxious. The people that drive them may as well wear signs
around their neck that say “ I can’t drive a dirt bike”. They tear up the 4 wheel drive trails in the area with their tiny tires. They rut up areas so badly that Jeep’s can no longer use the trails. I
live here. I vote here. I pay property taxes here. I want the City to limit them in every possible way. Require that they are trailered in town. Ticket them for noise infractions, require rental outfits
in town to have mufflers on them and require they go with a guide. The FUVs with the trump flags that say “trump 2020 no more bullshit” should be ticketed for lewdness. The trump FUV’s
drive by my house multiple times a day with their flags waving with my kids outside! My kids don’t need to see that and neither do yours. Our community needs your quick and swift action to
limit these ridiculous nuisances. Salt Lake City has outlawed them on city street. They did it by standing up to the legislator. You too can stand up to the legislature.
Timestamp Your Name Your Comment
10/19/2020 15:52:35 Scott Barraza
Dear Council,
My name is Scott Barraza and I have recreated in Moab many times in the past and plan to continue to do so in the future. I have driven both Jeeps and UTVs there. I have recently read
about the councils plan to try and reduce the noise associated with UTV’s driven on the area streets. I’d like to ask that the council carefully weigh the unintended consequences that the
proposals will have on the town of Moab. I believe that Moab is about to trade noise pollution for traffic congestion. It is my opinion that the reduction in speed in town and the county will force
many to trailer to the trailheads. This will have the side effect of more traffic in town as now there will be groups of people all traveling the trailheads with their trucks and trailers. The
number of vehicles that each segment of road between signals can hold will be reduced. One truck and trailer will take up the same road space of at least two cars/utvs. It will also force
those trailing to have to find adequate parking in the downtown area while shopping/eating to and from the trails. No longer will they be able to stop at a restaurant or store in their UTV for a
quick lunch/supper. For those that choose not to trailer and deal with the speed reductions, they will be contributing to traffic congestion while putting themselves in possibly unsafe situations
due to the speed differential between them and regular traffic. How much traffic can a group of several utvs slow down by driving the reduced speed limits in town on 191? Will this cause any
road rage amongst the other motorists? What about unsafe passing to get around the slower utv’s? In the county their effect on traffic will not be as noticeable but it will still be there.
Should the utv restrictions be put in place I will be trailering to the trailheads. I sincerely hope that the trailhead parking is adequate and I can still find room to park my rig. I will also be
limiting myself to where I can shop and eat. I will have to plan on only patronizing business with trailer parking. The downtown area will see less of my business from as a result. I will not
drop my trailer to leave it loaded with a utv and the possibility of it being stolen easily while I go to town.
Again please consider all unintended consequences before passing any utv restrictions.
10/19/2020 16:04:58 Brenda Smith
Dear Council,
I have strong family ties to Moab. Both sets of grandparents lived here while growing up as well as various aunts and uncles. We frequented Moab almost every weekend all
spring/summer/fall, spent every major holiday throughout my whole childhood and into adulthood here in Moab. I've participated in jeep safari, ROTR, the car show, easter egg hunts,
fishing/camping in the La Sals, hiking to swim at left hand, fishing the Colorado river, watching 4x4 stuff at Lions Back and the dump bump,and many other various activities over the past few
decades. I've seen the growth and changes in Moab. My parents met and married in Moab and even just bought my grandparent's place near the Apache motel on 200 S. They will be
renovating and moving here to retire. They also own 4 units in Rim Village.
I'm in town more often than most (about 12+ weeks of the year). I recreate in many ways, but at this time, it's mostly using my UTV. I also run the Moab UTV Facebook group. We promote
responsible and respectful recreating, always. I can attest that the noise has grown louder over the years. The motorcycles and straight piped trucks/jeeps are MUCH louder than the
UTV's. Granted, some UTV people do have loud exhausts (yes, they are annoying), but those should be held to a noise ordinance, just like any other vehicle that is breaking that
ordinance. There will always be a few that break the rules and try to ruin things for everyone. I feel like the more we crack down on those laws already in place, and hit the pocket book of
those that are breaking the laws, the better things will get for all.
I have friends who recreate and patronize many businesses all year long with me in Moab that bring RV's and such. They do not have the ability to trailer to every trail. Also, the trail heads do
not have adequate parking for all trailers to park at them. The congestion would be unreal. The infrastructure is not in place to sustain that amount of traffic. Also, we all pay our fees to use
the roads in Utah. It would not be fair, or legal to take that right/privilege away.
Please crack down on those breaking the rules and see the effects of that first and we as a UTV community will continue to educate our members to recreate responsibly.
10/19/2020 16:15:50 Robert M Snow
Dear Council,
I support responsible recreation and support efforts to protect and increase access to recreation resources. The most recent conversations and proposals have led to discussions and targeting
of OHV related businesses directly. Any policies that are directed at prohibiting or limiting the specific businesses that participate in OHV guides, accessories, rentals, trail access or others is
something that is severely flawed and not supported. We would encourage you to help us address and fix the actual issues rather than target businesses and users. Categorical creating a
denial of a public benefit by a specific user group is discriminatory by nature and not supported.
Thank you for your time.
10/19/2020 16:19:46 Debbie Beauregard
Raised in Moab, returned to Moab to retire. Purchased rentals in Rim Village for our retirement income. My family has been coming back for hiking, fishing, 4-wheeling, ATV riding, UTVs, etc.
for the past 40 years. We spend a lot of time and money here. Moab city will be cutting into our income because many ATV/UTV people rent our homes. I understand that there are a few that
ruin things for the rest of us, but most of the UTV community is respectful of the community. I think if they enforce the current laws for speed and sound ordinances, and the UTV groups keep
talking to their members, that things will improve. I appreciate your consideration of the request of the UTV community to help with signage and distributing information about the preferred
routes and laws. The people renting their homes and UTV rental companies could also provide maps for preferred routes and what not to help educate as many people as possible.
10/19/2020 18:12:52 Jason Christensen
My family and friends support responsible off road and mt bike activities in and around grand county several times a year. It would be a shame to punish a large group due to a select few
individuals who choose to disrespect locals and local laws. I would like to see more enforcement and other options rather than a complete ban on select machines, possibly an advised route
through town at certain hours and lower speed limits for off road vehicles if thats what needs to happen. My wife, myself and My children love your community and hope to be able to continue
to recreate there in the future.
10/19/2020 18:43:23 Bill Barnett
Rather than eliminate UTV events, if noise is your concern, pass noise standards that only stock exhausts can pass, and then enforce it. Also, ticket unlicensed or UTVs that don’t meet Utah
requirements.
Don’t penalize those of us that are responsible users because of irresponsible users.
10/19/2020 19:20:06 Kirk s. Hansen I live in la Sal but I work and recreate in Moab I was born in Moab and have been in this area for over 40 years. I love being a street legal utv user and the millions of dollars the utv industry
brings into Moab.
10/19/2020 19:26:42 Tiffany Windsor I have live in Moab for 23 years and my whole family has street legal utvs. We love to drive them from trail head to trail. There are worse problems in Moab that need to be taken care of
instead of a few complaints about utv noise when semi noise is much louder.
10/19/2020 19:33:49 Tyler Foy
I am for street legal utvs, my family has been here for over 100 years, and everyone in my family has street legal utvs, the noise coming from utvs isn't an issue, cars with modified exhaust
systems are much louder than utvs, and without all the utvs coming into moab, Moab will lose thousands if not millions a year. Moab is known for offloading and always has. If you ban utvs,
Moab will lose millions and store won't make enough to hire more people moving in and Moab will eventually lose a lot of profit from people who own utvs and that come down to Moab to go
offroading.
Timestamp Your Name Your Comment
10/19/2020 19:34:52 Shelley Hupp I support street legal UTV's in Moab Utah. I am a life long moab resident. My parents as well as their parents were life long residents as well! The UTV community brings millions of dollars to
Moab each year!
10/19/2020 19:44:51 Michaelle Foy
I support street legal UTVs and all the different activities they have. I moved here 23 years ago and have NOT wanted to change things here. I moved here to for the out door activities
regardless of what it is. The UTVs bring in hundreds of thousands of dollars the this community! I personally own 2 street legal utvs and enjoy being able to ride them through town to get to
different trail heads and even to take my dogs for a ride! Which they love as much as we do.
10/19/2020 20:02:52 Jeremiah Windsor
I am a local Moab city resident, born and raised, I am also a local street legal utv owner. I done believe we have a noise problem in our community. I live on a busy utv street and have them
buzz by my house all day and even in the night, never one time has it bothered me or been so loud I couldn’t sleep. Our community receives a lot of money from our motorized tourists and
believe it would only hinder Moabs industry to restrict these further. Any restrictions I vote against.
10/19/2020 20:42:52 Ginger C Allen
We need to completely reevaluate the way that UTVs are handled in this town. I join the multitude of other locals who are completely overwhelmed by the noise. The few months earlier this
year of quiet reminded me that it can be possible. I moved to Moab for the solitude. No other recreationist who comes here is as frustrating and seems to collectively disregard the rules. These
vehicles should not be considered street legal. I am so relieved that the National Parks did not follow our suit.
10/19/2020 20:44:10 Samantha Bonsack
My concerns are less about the proposed conclusions and more about the process. Regarding lobbying the State for an exemption to the street legal use of UTVs;
1. When was the lobbyist Casey Hill of Red Hill Strategic retained?
2. How much does this cost and from what budget?
3. What priorities were given to be lobbied on our behalf?
4. How have citizens been able to influence the direction given to the lobbyist?
5. What UTV specific direction has been provided/what lobbying efforts have been performed?
The extreme situation driving the consideration to request an exemption from State law has me wanting to ensure we have also addressed all measures to immediately alleviate the sound
impact.
6. Red Rock 4-Wheelers & Jeep Safari shows the benefits of having a group casting influence upon their users. The UTV community has offered to pay for a 'peer pressure' campaign to
influence how UTVs behave in Moab by creating, financing, and distributing UTV-specific signage (respect neighborhoods, be street legal, reduce sound, lower speeds, preferred routes, etc).
As they want to be in sync with the City/County, have any of these efforts to immediately reduce UTV impacts secured your support enough for them to move forward on?
7. Considering the importance of this issue, why is there no mention of it on your social media accounts, especially for requesting for public input as we’ve seen with the Arches Hot Spot
project?
8. Are all comments to the Mayor, City & County Council being included, or just the ones from the link posted on the current Agenda? Where and when will the public be able to see all of
these comments?
The concerns regarding the denial of the Rally on the Rocks permit can have them simply crossing over to San Juan County. This still allows UTVs on Moab streets, but without economic
benefit while considerably increasing sound impacts as they ALL would be traveling up and down Murphy Lane, Spanish Valley Drive, and Highway 191 twice a day. A denial of the permit
seems only be effective if land permit holders (BLM, etc) also denied permits. Is this the direction currently being considered or pursued, and if so, on what grounds?
Again, thank you for your efforts and consideration for increased transparency. I humbly ask that you ensure a fair process by considering it being applied to an activity you hold dear as new
precedences can have tremendous ramifications upon future, unrelated issues, activities, and/or events.
10/19/2020 20:55:38 Elizabeth
I’m writing in hopes to be heard by the powers that have been elected by my community. It’s clear there is a problem with the amount of noice and traffic there is in Moab, but community
members I talk to feel there is nothing being done but the building more hotels and advertising to the world that we want them here. Now Moab citizens have no community to be a part of.
Getting just a few miles down the road can take hours. We go to bed and wake up hearing Motors every minute of the day while feeling like a prisoner in our own homes unable to leave in fear
of getting stuck in traffic lines as far as the eye can see or getting hit by careless drivers. I beg that we can take action ASAP to save what we can before it runs off what makes this town so
amazing (it’s citizens)
10/19/2020 20:58:24 Steve Evers I am a grand county resident. I urge city council to work with the county to resolve the noise issue of UTVs. I have spoken with UTV users, and they have offered some solutions (and to pay
for some of them) to help with the issue. I think we can work together to lessen the noise. The noise is unbearable. (I live less than 1 mile from city limits).
Timestamp Your Name Your Comment
10/19/2020 21:08:39 Anna Sprout
UTVs have become an increasing concern. UTVs should be regulated and removed from city streets. Our community and government leaders need to make a stand against state legislation
that attempts to prevent the removal of UTVs from city streets. It means going against the state for our community's needs and wellness. Stand up and make the change that benefits our city.
If our community can do it, you can and should. To do otherwise, negates the needs of your neighbors, your community and your constituents. You shouldn't be where you are if you can't
stand up to make change.
Additional thoughts:
Coordinate with Sand Flats and the BLM: Increase the entrance fee amount for single UTVs, such that it is twice/thrice the amount than trailered UTVs brought into Sand Flats. Use additional
funds/any funds to create more trailer parking within Sand Flats.
UTV specific route: 191 to 4th, past the high school, up to Sand Flats. Decrease speed limit to 15mph for that section of the street. Reason: school zone all day, could increase ticket prices,
catch them on speed not noise. Easy ticketing set up, if you came from 191 (south) - no ticket. If you came from the north - ticket.
9PM curfew for UTVs ONLY.
Increase the price of noise violation tickets. Can't get a decimal reader, put speed traps/automatic ticketing machines on mill creek, 4th and sand flats, Kane creek.
Need money for police force? Another tax, but on non-local businesses, hotels, etc. make those who don't live in our community, invest in our community.
Definitely allow for no more UTV rental businesses.
I can hear UTVs as I write this... on a Monday night.
10/19/2020 21:12:54 Liz Moran
We need some sort of regulations for UTVs. I am not asking for them to disappear, that is not realistic. I just want the noise to be regulated. I live off of 400 E and Mill Creek and the sound is
CONSTANT. It has really changed my quality of life. I hear them at all hours of the day and night. I feel like I need ear plugs when I go for a simple walk around the block w my family. It is
ridiculous. Please help out the community by helping to regulate the horrible, constant buzz. Thank you.
10/19/2020 21:13:05 Mike Coronella
This spring reminded us how it can be quiet in Moab.
This fall has reminded us how the quiet is broken almost exclusively by a group that's allowed on OUR streets by the state: the UTV users.
I don't have to go into detail for the Council to be aware of the issues: NOISE. Noise in neighborhoods and backcountry. Illegally parked huge rigs/trailers. ripped up trails and roads--and off-
road areas.
My paying clients note the noise--and they're here for quiet recreation--like the vast majority of visitors. My neighbors are equally disturbed.
I support any action the Council can take to alleviate Moab from being overrun by OHV/UTV minority.
10/19/2020 21:16:14 Sue Sternberg
I live north of town, in Moab, grand county. I live near a major BLM camping area along a number of popular Jeep trails and the noise and lights AT ALL HOURS OF THE DAY AND NIGHT
have ruined Moab’s peace and quiet. These UTV/side-by-sides have changed its character from a portal to wild landscapes and staggering outdoor beauty into something stressful,
destructive, hateful.
Please require mufflers, trailering, curfews, cameras in the vehicles to monitor destruction, JUST DO SOMETHING.
We don’t need the money from this type of tourism, as its money from the devil itself and Moab is selling its soul.
10/19/2020 21:18:49 Justin Rosenthal
With NOW OVER 1700 SIGNATURES ON THE PETITION to address the issue of noise here, how can you ignore it any more? The people have spoken, and they
DO NOT WANT NOISE FROM OHVs, LOUD TRUCKS, AND MOTORCYCLES
period.
I don't care about the tourist dollars... these people are chasing away uncounted millions in tourist dollars from quiet, respectful, low-impact tourists like mountain bikers, climbers, and hikers.
They have quit coming in the tens of thousands due to this problem.
So the tourist dollar argument holds ZERO water. We're probably LOSING money because of it.
Given this, it is clearly time to prioritize the needs of
-Locals
-All the low-impact, quiet tourists who aren't coming to Moab any more
above the needs of one narrow, noisy, disrespectful group of visitors.
10/19/2020 21:26:57 Mary Howell
Dear Council,
I support responsible recreation and support efforts to protect and increase access to recreation resources. The most recent conversations and proposals have led to discussions and targeting
of OHV related businesses directly. Any policies that are directed at prohibiting or limiting the specific businesses that participate in OHV guides, accessories, rentals, trail access or others is
something that is severely flawed and not supported. We would encourage you to help us address and fix the actual issues rather than target businesses and users. Categorical creating a
denial of a public benefit by a specific user group is discriminatory by nature and not supported.
Thank you for your time
Timestamp Your Name Your Comment
10/19/2020 21:27:13 Chloe Hedden
I sent a comment last week that encapsulated my feelings about the UTV noise in Moab. I just want to say that it has been amazing to see the massive number of people in Moab over the
weekend who have signed the 'Make Moab Quiet Again' petition. Its clear that I'm not alone in being utterly and completely fed up with the place that Moab has become. Please hear us and
find some meaningful solutions to the noise problem soon. Thank you!
10/19/2020 21:27:42 Brian Week
Dear Council,
I support responsible recreation and support efforts to protect and increase access to recreation resources. The most recent conversations and proposals have led to discussions and targeting
of OHV related businesses directly. Any policies that are directed at prohibiting or limiting the specific businesses that participate in OHV guides, accessories, rentals, trail access or others is
something that is severely flawed and not supported. We would encourage you to help us address and fix the actual issues rather than target businesses and users. Categorical creating a
denial of a public benefit by a specific user group is discriminatory by nature and not supported.
Thank you for your time
10/19/2020 21:35:53 Anna Sprout
As a way to assist with UTV noise reduction, could Sand Flats increase the entrance price of single UTVs to twice or thrice the amount as trailered UTVs?
It would mean considering UTVs different from vehicles and possibly restructuring prices, but it might be a great way to connect and make change with the community.
For a single day use with trailered UTVs: $10 (could include multiple UTVs)
For a single day use with a non-trailer UTV: $30 (single UTV)
10/19/2020 21:39:28 Lisa E. Boose
The noise pollution from the increasing number of tourists renting and bringing ATV/UTV machines has reached an intolerable level for the citizens of this community. It is unhealthy, disturbs
the peace, and the irritation from the constant buzz greatly diminishes our ability to enjoy where we live. Hundreds are driven through our neighborhoods daily, for up to 10 months of the year.
They should be trailered to the trail heads, neighborhood access blocked off, time limits, have a north and south ATV MALL where the outfitters can rent from, impose fines. I urge you to listen
to the people, protect our rights to enjoy our homes and neighborhoods, protect our health and well being, for the majority of us are working incredibly hard to make this town function. It is
clearly not sustainable for us to continue to function under this constant obnoxious irritation and assault to our nervous systems. Protect our community by protecting our people by protecting
our peace!
10/19/2020 21:39:45 Steve Russell
Dear Sirs, please don’t act to limit our access to areas in our beautiful state. I enjoy getting out on the trails sight seeing. I’m active in the state association and have personally been involved
in clean ups in recreation areas. We are the most responsible citizens you could ever come across. We support the small towns we visit. We also have time, money, and the desire to vote.
Thank you
Steve Russell
10/19/2020 21:44:12 Candace Butterworth
I am writing in response to the excessive noise and traffic issues created by ATVs in Moab. Excessive noise is a major stressor which is creating sleep disturbances and anxiety. I've worked
in the spa industry for 13 years in Moab and as a massage therapist, I've seen stress levels, anger and anxiety increase because of these elevated noise levels that are caused by these
machines. I know people who have moved away from a town that they loved because they felt that their voices were not being heard by the officials of the town and nothing would change. I
would personally like to see these vehicles off the streets and transported to trailheads on trailers. I believe there should be more concern for the compromised health of the community
because of the irritating and unacceptable noise levels. I also think that there is an urgency in resolving these issues because they have been going on for years. We are are a breaking point.
10/19/2020 21:46:34 Caryn McGinty
Because this is a complicated issue, I feel that it requires a multi-pronged approach as follows:
1) OHVs must be equipped with mufflers, silencers, or other sound-dampening mechanisms AT ALL TIMES while being operated within county limits. (This includes on the trails, as sound
travels far in our thin desert air and ricochets around our valley walls.)
2) The county must put a moratorium on new OHV outfitters and reject all requests for permits for OHV gatherings such as Rally on the Rocks until they can show that all entrants have
complied with the above request.
3) The state of Utah must allow Moab to divert a reasonable percentage of our tourist tax money from advertising to enforcing existing noise ordinances and sound-dampening requirements
as mentioned above. This includes funding for decibel meters and extra staffing.
4) Travel Council advertising must shift its focus from recruiting new OHV tourists to seeking those who have quieter past times until the other three requests are adequately addressed.
5) The council must explain to the OHV communities that it is in their best interest to get their members onboard with noise control, lest those who are now simply requesting quieter engines
begin demanding an outright ban on the vehicles. If we work together to please both those who want peaceful homes and those who want to drive off-road vehicles on county roads, I feel we
can come to a satisfactory arrangement.
Thank you so much for your time and consideration on this matter.
10/19/2020 21:49:37 Peggy Nissen
We have lived here for 40 years and we love our community. Moab has grown and changed over those 40 years and we have accepted that communities grow and change. However, with the
growth has come a vast reduction in the quality of life here. The noise from UTV's has destroyed any peace that was left. Please work to reduce the noise so that those of us who have spent
our lives contributing to this community can live here in peace.
Thanks, Peggy Nissen
10/19/2020 21:59:29 Tyson Girardo
I have been coming to Moab for a very long time. Started with jeep safari roughly 16 yrs ago... I absolutely love Moab and would like to continue to bring my kids there for unsurpassed
memories. I own a street legal rzr with stock exhaust. Most of the jeeps that pass down there are louder then my machine... while down on the trails I have taught my children to pick up ant
trash or waste we come across to help keep the environment clean. I have seen more oil leaks and fluid leaks from jeeps than from any side by side in my times down there. I feel this us
discriminating towards utv owners.. please take this into consideration, dont punish a group,punish the individuals who aren't law abiding.
10/19/2020 22:00:31 Sylvia A Bentley
Hello there, I'm writing in support of joint measures between the city and the county (where I live) to tackle the growing noise caused by motor vehicles. I'll keep this short because you have so
many comments. OHVs are my main concern at this time, but I think other vehicles causing noise, such as trucks and motorcycles could also be addressed. I've noticed the increase this fall
and I support action to help solve this growing public health concern which is negatively impacting the neighborhoods of many long-term residents. Thank you.
Timestamp Your Name Your Comment
10/19/2020 22:06:21 Stacy Kennedy I live on 400 E and I am astonished by the noise, at all hours of the day and night. I don’t even bother to sleep with my windows open since I almost always end up needing to close them. The
noise ordinances need to be enforced, and sxs vehicles need mufflers!
10/19/2020 22:07:23 Bruni Mason The constant loud noise in Town created by Vehicles designed to be use in the backcountry is unbearable. Trailer those vehicles to the trailheads. Do not allow them on our city streets and in
residential neighborhoods. Please lets go back to trailoring the UTV ATV Side-byisides to the trailheads. Also do not allow them on HWY 191 , it is just not safe.
10/19/2020 22:28:33 John Aldridge
Moab City's continued tolerance of FUVs is problematic because a thorough understanding of the needs and values of local individuals was not conducted and thoroughly considered. In
previous comment periods, we were never told it would be this LOUD, DANGEROUS, and DAMAGING. With the number of deaths we have had in recreation over the years, I am astonished
that the City Council would even consider allowing further dangerous activities to run this rampant - and all for what, tourism? The mighty dollar? What about the value of the quality of life for
all involved? Shame on the City Council for allowing the continuation of these "recreational" devices, while not doing their best to insure the proper mitigation of the externalities, while instead
placing the burdens on the backs of loyal and loving, tired and stressed residents. When will the City
10/19/2020 22:30:03 Bonnie anderson
I have written many a letter to local constituents over the last several years on this subject of NOISE.
I am one of many residents of Moab who are at (or past) our breaking point. I am a long time resident, since 1989 and have lived in the same house since 1999. My home happens to be
located on Spanish Valley Drive, a favorite route taken by the LOUD OHV’s, many of whom have a secondary property in the valley. I hear them all day long. And then I have to hear them
roar all night long. It’s insane not to be able to have peace in your own home. Especially when you’ve chosen an isolated, small rural town environment to live in with minimal amenities,
because you want the quiet, and nature, and the stars, more than restaurants, shopping, entertainment, and masses of humanity.
Get them off the streets NOW. Please, no useless and wasteful bandaids, like measuring dB levels, designated routes (someone will suffer), or lowering their speed limits. That will just
prolong their passing by, and cause even more congestion as other vehicles will be forced to slow down and line up behind them. We already have enough of that happening.
I believe the win/win answer is to make them QUIET. Period. Better for our community, better for wild life in the back country, while still allowing them free access (as much as I’d like them to
disappear entirely, this seems like a realistic compromise). Require a muffler to bring down the decibel level to the AT LEAST the same as an average passenger vehicle. If that can’t be
done, take them off our pavement! Require trailering to the trailhead. There is ABSOLUTELY NO REASON these exponentially louder engines should be running around our streets 24/7 in
the hundreds. (Not to mention safety, another important and relevant concern). They are MADE FOR OFF-ROAD for crying out loud. Not pavement!
PLEASE TAKE SERIOUS ACTION. As I write this, the roar of countless OHV’s have zoomed past. I cannot open my window or god forbid go in my backyard because of the non stop racket.
I’m begging. Our sense of well being and mental health is at stake. I really don’t want to be forced to move from my beloved Moab home of thirty years, but that may be what it takes if things
don’t change.
10/19/2020 22:34:35 Reggie Rappleye
Dear Council,
I support responsible recreation and support efforts to protect and increase access to recreation resources. The most recent conversations and proposals have led to discussions and targeting
of OHV owners and OHV related businesses directly. Any policies that are directed at prohibiting or limiting the specific businesses that participate in OHV guides, accessories, rentals, trail
access or others is something that is severely flawed and not supported. We would encourage you to help us address and fix the actual issues rather than target businesses and users.
Categorical creating a denial of a public benefit by a specific user group is discriminatory by nature and not supported.
Thank you for your time.
10/19/2020 23:20:29 Elana Davidson
I have been sent personally attacking messages just for suggesting that we do something about the noise in this town. Why should one form of recreation have the right to ruin the enjoyment
of this beautiful place for everyone else? It seems like the loudest and most obnoxious form of recreation is declaring that their rights are being threatened because anyone should suggest
they have anything but free reign. I'm not opposed to offroad recreation or UTV's even, but I'm opposed to them dominating our community, waking me up at all hours of the night and making
moab a far less pleasant place to live for everybody else.
The way it goes right now, UTV's get to take over moab and get what they want at the expense of everybody else. They should not get to dominate and take over our community but be part of
the diverse recreational activity that this town has to offer. Currently they are negatively affecting a lot of those other activities, including just being able to sleep and enjoying living in this town.
Something has GOT to be done to restore some order and balance. This year is by far much worse than last year when the noise was one or two weeks and then manageable besides that.
We can't just keep making excuses that the state is tying our hands. We MUST take action and figure out what we can do, and if it has to happen at the state level, then we must put real and
consistent pressure at the state level to create a necessary change. Don't let one form of recreation run people who have lived here for decades out of town and ruin moab for everybody else!!
10/19/2020 23:20:57 Pete Gross
Two friends of mine from out of state who have been regular visitors for the past two decades spent last week with me. Neither had been here for the past 5 years and were eager to return
after a multi-year absence. They were appalled by what they saw .... and HEARD ... and could NOT hear. They wondered how Moab could have morphed from a peaceful, inviting gateway to
some of the most amazing landscape on the planet into a nightmare scene of Mad Max-like vehicles swarming the town and shattering the soundscape of the city and surrounding public
lands.
I wonder how much more of this I can live with. As the noise once again jarred me awake as I was dozing off to sleep, it struck me. Randomly bombarding people with noise and depriving
them of sleep are time honored torture techniques for breaking people down.
Timestamp Your Name Your Comment
10/20/2020 0:27:07 KATRINA HERMAN
We must address the UTV and after market muffler noise issue. It is simply unbearable for the citizens/homeowners in the affected neighborhoods. I've lived in the same house for over 15
years and have never experienced this level of constant noise. The noise from the UTV's is maddening. It literally never ends. I rarely have a quiet moment in my own home now.
Decibel level limits, patrols, time curfews and moratoriums on new UTV rentals need to be discussed and implemented.
The quality of life in Moab and the quality of the travelers experience has sadly deteriorated. This UTV situation is driving other types of tourists away. I realized today that I haven't seen a
biker peddling up to Sand Flats in ages. How did one specific industry get such a grip on our town so quickly to cause such a dramatic change to our town?
Address it!!
10/20/2020 6:11:28 Kerry Jo Soliz
My once happy home is under siege. From morning till past dark, the noise from UTV’s blasts my neighborhood. There are times when it is hard to hear conversations in my home. This must
be resolved. Why are these vehicles on our streets?
These vehicles need to be trailered out to the trail head. This would self regulate how many would be on the trails at any given time.
Many actually enter our neighborhoods. I am often awakened by UTV’s lost in my neighborhood driving up and down in front of my house trying to figure out where to go.
My suggestions:
Law enforcement need to be a presence on 4 th East and 5 th west.
Traffic needs to diverted around neighborhoods.
Signs need to be posted on all neighborhood entrances along 4 th East “not the sand flats road”
UTV’s banned from our city streets.
Please help us.
10/20/2020 6:50:24 John Mealey Please do something to get the UTVs off of our public roads! They are overly noisy. They, largly, do not follow the rules of the road. They are not equipped with DOT approved tires, which
regular motor vehicles are. Many are not registered. Many of the drivers are not licensed (you can tell by their ages). They need to be trailered when on public streets. Please get this done!
10/20/2020 7:12:47 Shannon Meredith
Please require that UTVs be muffled if they are rented or driven in Moab. Please get them to the decibel level that doesn’t disturb people and wildlife. If they sounded like a golf cart or like a
typical car, I wouldn’t care how many were driving around. As a climber, hiker, and river runner I am personally more bothered by the sound of them on Kane Creek Road, River Rd(128), and
Potash Rd. The noise echoes off the canyon walls making peace and communication impossible as they pass (usually in large groups—why???) I think of the critters too.
I love driving UTVs and OHVs. There are good places for them and they are fun! But car roads in town and canyons aren’t the place for them. They are made for roads where cars don’t go
and that is where they should be. The faster they go, the louder they are.
PS Some drivers definitely enjoy revving through neighborhoods as they pull the ‘throttle down’.
10/20/2020 8:07:01 John Briggs
Thank you for helping protect and provide access to one of the most beautiful areas on this planet! I have been coming to Moab and the surrounding areas literally my entire life!
I am now an OHV owner and bring my kids to your area. We were just there last weekend! We, like most OHV users, are responsible and respectful of the trails, parks, and your city.
There has been discussion of modifying access for OHV users based on the actions of a very small minority of users. I urge you to reconsider and maintain access for all of those that seek
recreation in and around your city!
Unfortunately there are, like in any group, a few "bad apples". We do our best to set a good example and discourage inappropriate behavior when we see it. That does not stop the few that
choose to disrespect the laws and rules of the area.
Please do not punish the majority of us that love spending our time and money in your city due to the action of a few people.
Warm Regards,
John Briggs
10/20/2020 8:24:15 BRUCE CONDIE It's way beyond time to take action on the UTV problem. START ISSUING CITATIONS FOR NOISE, LACK OF REGISTRATION OR INSURANCE, SPEEDING, AND ANY OTHER OF THE
MANY TRAFFIC LAWS BEING VIOLATED BY THESE MACHINES.
10/20/2020 8:26:54 Sarah Topp
I live just outside the city limits on Murphy Lane. The noise of UTV's as they speed up and down my street, Spanish Valley Drive, Highway 191, and the dull roar of them as they run around
on city streets makes it impossible for me to relax inside or outside my home anymore. Peace and quiet are essential to my well-being. Please require these machines to mufflered when they
are driving in residential areas. They are not meant to be driven on city streets - even the manufacturers say this. Enforce the noise ordinance, speed limits, and vehicle regulations. I see
many UTV's lacking plates and signals. These people are running roughshod over our town. If they were quiet and obeying traffic laws nobody would care how many of them are driving
around. If they feel they are being singled out, it's because there are so many of them! If large groups of Harleys were cruising our streets, I bet our law enforcement would run them out of
town. Oh, wait - that already happened. Please respect the people who live here and work hard to accommodate our tourist industry. We cannot all move away! Thank you for considering
my comments.
Timestamp Your Name Your Comment
10/20/2020 9:23:35 Jeff Stevens
My wife and I have lived and worked in Moab since 1998. We both own modified full-sized rock crawlers, licensed and plated as full-sized street legal ATV’s. The street-legal ATV law has
allowed us to drive from our home in Spanish Valley to the trailheads. Because of a lack of adequate trailer parking at many trailheads, plus the fact that many trails enter and exit at different
points, trailering our vehicles is not always practical. The street-legal OHV law, allows us to enjoy many of the trails that would otherwise be difficult or impossible for us to access.
I agree that “something needs to be done”, but I strongly disagree with some of the “solutions” under consideration:
A)A moratorium on new ATV related businesses and event permits. This will not only hurt many Moab business owners, but it does nothing to address the UTV owners who recreate here with
their own vehicles. A better solution would be to strictly enforce the existing noise and traffic laws, for both renters and private owners, and hold rental/guide companies responsible for their
customers who break those laws. Robust education and enforcement must be implemented first before punishing business owners.
B)OHV speed limits within the city. This is something I can agree with.
C)OHV speed limits in Grand County. I also agree with this, but only on residential streets. OHV’s are already limited to lower speed limits on highways. Further reducing the speed limit on
Highway 191 will create unsafe conditions for all traffic.
D)Discussion on enforcement challenges regarding off-highway vehicles. I understand that proper noise enforcement would require some additional funds and manpower from the local law
enforcement agencies. But enforcement could help lower noise levels not only from UTV’s, but from all vehicles that contribute to our excessive noise levels. Enforcement of existing noise
laws must take place before banning specific vehicles or businesses.
E)Discussion on possible legislative action regarding off-highway vehicles. I adamantly oppose any attempt to ban street-legal OHV’s from public streets. This would likely force many UTV
rental and guide companies out of business. It would clog many trailheads with tow vehicles/trailers, and trailer parking will likely become a bigger problem along roadways and private
property. And it would unfairly punish owners of street-legal OHV’s, such as myself, who drive safe and quiet vehicles between our homes and trails.
10/20/2020 9:32:29 Jared Wiggins As a resident of grand county 43 years born and raised. I’ve raised my family here as well. Moab is a great place to live we encourage all recreational activities from biking to side x sides. All
are welcome it brings revenue for our economy. All are welcome please keep it that way. Thanks
10/20/2020 9:41:32 CASSIE PAUP I am not a city resident, but I work and pay taxes in the City. Please come together with the County, community and the State legislature to remedy the ORV plague in Moab. Let's find
solutions to control this overbearing problem.
10/20/2020 10:07:37 Evan Tyrrell
Dear Moab City Council Representatives:
I applaud the recent efforts and research conducted by the County and the City regarding the ever-growing noise pollution issue from all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) in our community. I work in an
office next to the Community Recycle Center (CRC), which is located at the base of a hill on Sand Flats Road. Compared to last year, the unnecessary and excessive noise generated from
ATVs has increased exponentially. Hundreds of ATVs drive by our office on a daily basis, and it has become a very distracting and unpleasant burden to myself, my office staff, and users of
the CRC.
I fully support all efforts to reduce the unnecessary noise generated from ATVs in our community. However, I am concerned about the proposed resolutions that would establish lower speed
limits for ATVs. The reference citations related to the associated reduction in noise as a result of lower speeds in the proposed resolutions appears to be solely related to automotive
vehicles—vehicles that already have appropriate noise muffling devices. I do not believe that speed reductions for ATVs are the solution. First, creating lower speed limits for ATVs is almost
certain to upset more people on the roads, creating dangerous conditions due to cars attempting to pass ATVs and possible road rage, exacerbating poor traffic conditions, creating overall
unsafe driving conditions, and generating more reasons for everyone to dislike ATVs in our community. Second, most ATVs are not equipped with appropriate noise muffling devices, and I
feel that a reduction in speed will only draw out and extend the unnecessary noise associated with ATV operations. Finally, every ATV stop and accelerate situation and uphill driving will result
in the same amount of noise pollution we are already experiencing.
The solution in my mind is to appeal to the ATV rental businesses in town and ask them to do the right thing: affix appropriate noise muffling devices to these machines. Instead of the City and
County spending money on ATV speed limit signs throughout our community, use that money to incentivize local ATV businesses by financially supporting a portion of the cost associated with
adding mufflers to the ATVs that have taken over our roadways, exponentially decreased our quality of life, and engendered anxiety among locals.
Thank you for your consideration.
Respectfully,
Evan Tyrrell
10/20/2020 10:30:14 Sallie Hodges
OHV’s, UTV’s, Razors, Side by sides what ever you want to call them now saturate Moab. It is impossible to live or visit Moab without encountering these motorized ‘Cockroaches’. The noise
of their obnoxious engines permeates every outdoor activity in and around Moab, whether that’s camping, hiking, biking, climbing or even jeeping. They are destructive in that they continually
drive off trail, and this is compounded by the lack of skill needed to drive them. Which brings me to safety issues. Every week EMS is called out to a UTV accident usually involving a rollover.
Luckily I moved from Locust Lane before things got out of hand, but I can imagine how awful it is for people living in neighborhoods where these things invade on their way to trails. Thank you
for listening!
Timestamp Your Name Your Comment
10/20/2020 10:30:16 Carrie Bailey
Dear City Council and County Commission,
Thank you so much for addressing the problems our community is having with UTV noise. I live very near one of the routes to the Sand Flats, so it is something we experience most every day
and the numbers are only increasing and getting louder. The noise is outrageous. I understand that UTV stake-holders are objecting to the voices of the community, and are saying that we
are a minority, but I'm pretty sure that is far from the truth.
The sound of this motorized chaos has had a negative effect on our lives, and our well-being. I don't need to describe to you the noise and the effects on people in their homes. I'm sure that
will be repeated over and over to you. But being told to "move out and go somewhere else", and "you should have known that Moab was the off-road capitol of the world before you decided
to live here" has been unsettling. I wonder if Moab really needs those kind of visitors or businesses. I've lived in the same spot in town for over 50 years and would never agree with that
vision for our future. It's just not how many of us who have made our homes in Grand County feel about our community.
I participated in the beginning of the "Throttle Down In Town" effort to compromise with UTV proponents, the Travel Council, and law enforcement. It really turned out to be nothing but
handing out signs with a side of pacifying. Things have only gotten unbearably worse.
I expect that if this UTV traffic and noise increases, or something isn't changed, property values and even the tourist economy in the county will be affected in a negative way. I know there
are many informed folks in town who have concrete ideas to share with you to deal with this. Please listen to them. Please seek out information from other towns and counties. And please
listen to everyone who is concerned, stressed, and unhappy with the situation we find ourselves in.
Thanks again
Carrie Bailey
46 South 200 East
Moab Utah
10/20/2020 10:30:35 K Green
I have become aware of Moab city officials to try to restrict OHV usage in the Moab area and also targeting OHV businesses. Although I am not a resident of Moab, I have used many facilities
there - not only related to OHV but also hiking, mountain biking and nearby National Parks. I urge you to find a way to incorporate all those who come to your amazing area and not
discriminate against a select group. I have seen great things from all groups and also terrible things from all groups. When one group is singled out and the problems still persist, what then?
I know that most people are more than willing to help come up with a plan to satisfy the majority of the residents (can't please everyone - - ) over their concerns. Please continue to include
everyone - it's what makes the place great.
10/20/2020 10:32:32 TaLeah Anderson
Dear Council,
I support responsible recreation and support efforts to protect and increase access to recreation resources. The most recent conversations and proposals have led to discussions and targeting
of OHV owners and OHV related businesses directly. Any policies that are directed at prohibiting or limiting the specific businesses that participate in OHV guides, accessories, rentals, trail
access or others is something that is severely flawed and not supported. We would encourage you to help us address and fix the actual issues rather than target businesses and users.
Categorical creating a denial of a public benefit by a specific user group is discriminatory by nature and not supported.
Thank you for your time.
10/20/2020 10:38:36 Michael Pace
Dear Council,
I support responsible recreation and support efforts to protect and increase access to recreation resources. The most recent conversations and proposals have led to discussions and targeting
of OHV owners and OHV related businesses directly. Any policies that are directed at prohibiting or limiting the specific businesses that participate in OHV guides, accessories, rentals, trail
access or others is something that is severely flawed and not supported. We would encourage you to help us address and fix the actual issues rather than target businesses and users.
Categorical creating a denial of a public benefit by a specific user group is discriminatory by nature and not supported.
I visit Moab at least 3 times a year. I spend about $800 each time I come down. I come down in a group of at least 4 of us. So about $3200 we spend each time. May not seem much. If you
choose to do the ban, I will take my money else where were I am welcome.
Thank you for your time.
10/20/2020 10:41:41 George Becker It seems the proposals before the council targeting the UTV/ATV are a bit short sided, you are throwing out the baby with the bath water, deal with the problem offenders with current laws and
statutes, rather than punishing the whole utv community
10/20/2020 10:42:03 Michael D Espinoza
Myself and my family have been visiting Moab since I bought my first Jeep in 1997, and am growing increasingly concerned with the "resolutions" being proposed by some of the Moab
community to address OHV/UTV access. Both of my sons have grown up in the Jeeping community and have also built their own Jeeps that they take to Moab to enjoy the beautiful area and
activities. We have always stayed at local hotels, bought supplies at local stores, and eat at all of our local favorite restaurants. We feel now that we are being looked down on as "outsiders"
by some of the local representatives that only see the Jeeps/RZRs on the street as a disruption to the community. The Moab community has thrived on the support of the rest of the state and
even those that travel great distances to experience Moab. Please don't alienate those that help the community prosper. My family looks forward to our Moab trips, and hope to keep enjoying
those for many years to come.
--
Timestamp Your Name Your Comment
10/20/2020 10:43:07 Karen Fallon
I have been a full time resident for 5 years and was a seasonal worker for another 11 years before that. Moab has become much busier, especially in the last 5 years and ATVs are becoming
a huge problem. Many don’t stop at the stop signs at sand flats and Kane creek. I live near sand flats, during the day the noise is non-stop and even hear the noise til midnight! Banning them
is not the total solution, and there is not enough room at the trailhead for all those large rigs to park. If anything I would like to see regulations on hours they can operate in town. If they want a
night drive they can take their rig to the trailhead as things clear out by then. Companies in town can have a set route where their customers can drive to the trailhead. Residents can get a
permit to drive in town, but all others will be restricted to designated routes and have regulations for mufflers and non-stock modifications. If they are not renting from a local company do a
charge per vehicle per day for driving in town. If they want to avoid the charge they can trailer to the trailhead. Although I don’t want to see these being diverted more into neighborhoods, I
think they should not be allowed on 191/Main Street, except designated routes for tours. They are a recreational vehicle and should not be used to run around town for dinner, shopping or
just for fun. Banning them totally is not the solution, but regulating what, where and when they can be used in town will go a long way to reducing noise, we need to stop making it a free for all
in Moab.
10/20/2020 10:46:03 Jeremy Swindlehurst
Noise pollution is degrading the quality of life in Moab. The rapid rise in popularity of street legal OHVs has created a negative impact in our neighborhoods as well as resonating deeper into
our recreational areas. These are places that people have come to not only for their scenic beauty but also for the opportunity to enjoy peace and quiet. As a citizen of Moab, I feel that the
issue of noise pollution needs to be addressed and a compromise reached so that our mixed use area can come back into balance.
10/20/2020 10:46:44 Peregrine Houck
RZRs are out-of-control, something must be done. The noise, exhaust, and erosion of trails adds up to a damning case.
I have no intention of leaving. I love it here. I am a hiker, and avid amateur photographer. The noise is disturbing not just at home, but on the trail. I for one do not have a "Disneyland
mentality" when it comes to Public Land Use. We are meant to be stewards to the land, not just see it as a resource to be exploited. Locals and the workforce should not have to put up with it
just make due with these gridlock traffic days.
Thank you for your time, thank you for your service. Now do your jobs, and actually do something.
Stop advertising. Shut Discover Moab down, right meow. "Do it like a Local" is also a bad joke of a failed campaign.
-Perry Houck
10/20/2020 10:51:43 Kenny Familar
I live in Utah and I visit your beautiful town and county. Me and my friends come down and stay in your hotels or arb&b’s and spend our hard earned money in the shops and restaurants all
over. When I’m driving throughout the towns in my sxs, I do respect the residents of the town by not having my stereo load or driving to fast. I think you shouldn’t point fingers at us for the
noise levels that our machines put out. Instead I think there should be a study put out there of different vehicles and the decibel levels those vehicles put out. Either it be motorcycles,
bulletbikes, wrx cars or muscle cars, jeeps, buggies, but don’t just single sxs out.
Thank you for your time and I hope we can get this situation Resolved and all have a good and peaceful time around your towns.
10/20/2020 10:54:57 Craig Romrell
OHVs are a big part of Moab and being able to see the beauty that is Moab. I understand the concern of noise and licensed vehicles. I believe there are many solutions that can be put in
place to keep the economy thriving with OHVs and keep sound levels down in the city. My children 5 and 7 would love to see Moab more in the future and the best way for them to do that is in
an OHV. OHVs allow access to many different types of people, disabled, elderly, immobile, children etc. We need to keep OHVs allowed in town and on the trails. To single out a single group
of people is not the right way to go about this.
10/20/2020 11:02:22 Curtis fluckiger
Hello, I have spent many of years spending time in Moab love it there. I'm born and raise in Utah. I love all the beauty Moab offers, I love off-roading there, just would like to have a say that
these upcoming street legal issues need to be addressed equally. I feel like there can be a way for all of us to work together to quite the noise issues in town. Please consider all Opinions on
this issue. Thank you
10/20/2020 11:03:04 Jenifer Evers
I wrote another comment but not sure it went through. This town is being destroyed by overuse. The most prominent user these days is ohvs. They are loud and they tend to tear up the
environment far more than any other user. The impacts of their use on trails is painfully evident. At bare minimum, noise needs to be addressed. There need to be laws and sanctions
regarding behaviors of all users. if laws are not enforced, they are meaningless and irrelevant. I know that we need more law enforcement in this area to manage all of the problems we have.
However, I also know that funding is an issue. That is a whole different issue. At any rate, I think that we need to start charging for use of trails here. I am an avid cyclist and would gladly pay
to use a wide variety of areas. Tourists need to pay as well. Their use of our resources diminishes its value and that should cost something. Businesses resent it when you put a moratorium
on the type of business they run. While I would love to see fewer OHV businesses, perhaps a more effective solution would be to implement a permit system for all trail areas. A good place to
start is requiring noise dampening equipment on all ohvs. As a local who has lived in Moab for nearly two decades, I am so weary of tourists. There seems to be a growing anti-tourist
sentiment in this town and unless things change it will continue. I get extremely fed up with knowing that I pay taxes and contribute to this community in other ways while tourists really pay
very little for the enjoyment of this area. In general, they need to be paying more. Their use reduces the value of this place and that needs to come at a cost.
10/20/2020 11:05:37 Nina Christensen
I understand there is an issue with OHV noise, and do agree it should be addressed. I hope all options can be weighed before a rash decision is made. Eliminating street legal OHV/UTV’s
from Moab streets and forcing them to trailer to the trail heads will cause a disaster. Many of the trails/areas are mixed use so creating parking and congestion issues at those trail heads will
also affect other users such as hikers and bikers. I urge you to find a solution that would benefit all sides. Thank you!
10/20/2020 11:13:11 kfife3@hotmail.com
As a nurse who either gets up at 5am to get ready for a 12 hour shift in the ER or tries to sleep all day so I can stay awake all night, having some quiet is essential. I’m sure it is to many who
work odd hours or just plain want to sleep. I’m a block off Mill Creek and can hear the UTV traffic loud and clear through closed windows at all hours. I expect some noise during the day being
in town and make accommodations to help with that. But the UTVs are just crazy loud-even with earplugs! But 10:30pm? It’s just as loud! Other vehicles are not that loud-what about an
ordinance that requires UTVs to have a muffler or some noise dampening system if driven in town? Otherwise, trailer it to the Trailhead, many bring them here that way anyway. Add to that a
time at night when they can’t be driven in town to preserve some quiet for sleeping.
Lack of sleep is a health issue and can worsen or cause health problems the longer a person experiences it, research has shown this. People who provide essential, lifesaving services to
locals and tourists alike need sleep. Research has also definitively shown an increase in medical errors with increased tiredness and sleep deprivation. Common sense tells you the same. But
if you want me to try to save your life and not screw up on just 3 hours of sleep (an actual amount of sleep I got before work this summer) then please, keep ignoring this issue.
10/20/2020 11:14:59 Donna Meadors
As a Business owner in Moab - I understand the concerns related to the increase in noise pollution and speed limits and other related concerns you have expressed concerning ATV and UTV
usage. I am here to tell you it is not unique to this group. You are targeting an individual group and holding them solely responsible for a problem that is traffic based spread among many
types of vehicles and groups. You are being prejudiced toward this particular group and that is wrong and we should not tolerate that from our elected officials. If you single out one group and
stop them from recreating in Moab - then you must stop all recreating and include all groups. Is that a wise choice for Moab - for Moab Businesses- for Moab employment - for Moab
government? I am opposed to any and all restrictions and related restrictions you have proposed concerning ATV usage and the Businesses related to that industry.
Donna Meadors
Timestamp Your Name Your Comment
10/20/2020 11:16:56 Verna Butcher
I am 67 years old, born and raised here, as was my Mom. And yes I wished we could have our old town back. But we know that isn’t going to happen.
I feel like the City is out of line when you say you want to shut down the time of day that we can ride our side X sides in town. I agree that sometimes they are noise but so are motor bikes,
jeeps, and tracker trailers going through town. Are you planning on shutting them all down too.
I paid $142.00 in Taxes to be able to ride my side X side in town now you want to take that right away from me.
We live on Locust Lane and we see many mountain bikes pass this way in their big diesel pickups with their bikes on back as we do side X sides. So what about how noise those diesel
pickups are.
I guess I need to ask way are you always picking on the Side X Sides. These people spend a lot of money in this town. Why can’t we all just get along.
You wanted a big tourist town and now you have it. So now we all have to live with.
10/20/2020 11:28:18 Bryan I am a Utah resident Moab is my favorite place to ride my machine has a stock exhaust and I obey all traffic laws when I am there. Please do not punish an entire industry for the actions of a
few.
10/20/2020 11:37:23 Mark Moore
This is what they do, There so fare going from what keeps this community going.
It’s just not one type of business that effects how the the community Prospers. They have no idea how to manage a town or county. The amount of tax revenue that gets paid here. There
should be no short comings. I know because I pay huge amount to them every month. 4-Wheeling of all sorts is part of Moab’s DNA.
10/20/2020 11:39:16 Rebecca McAllister Please help our community coexist with the UTV/ATV industry. A noise ordinance would support a healthy relationship between our residents as a community and the recreational aspect of
our town.
10/20/2020 11:40:00 Brett Sutteer I’m writing today to encourage you to create some sort of noise ordinance or a way to somehow limit or mitigate the volume (sound & quantity) of UTVs that have infested our community. This
sort of “wreckreation” is having a deeply negative impact on our local citizens’ and the surrounding natural landscape. We need action NOW!!
10/20/2020 11:42:10 Kyle Hill
My name is Kyle Hill, my wife and I started Rally on the Rocks years ago as an event to bring like minded people together to build life long friendships. The Offroad community is a great group
of caring people who love the outdoors. Like all groups there are some bad apples, but I have witnessed that in the hiking groups, mountain bike groups, or any other group. We have picked
up trash on trails all over from all kinds of people. Moab is a tourist town, it has flourished with the money and the Offroad industry has created a lot of jobs that can keep folks working local.
With that comes some noise and bad apples but it’s not fair to take the privileges away from the law abiding good Offroad people that have a love for Moab. I hope that you can continue to
embrace the economy and welcome the growth.
Kyle Hill
10/20/2020 11:44:13 Trent Holliday
I am a resident of San Juan County. I frequent Moab with my UTV. It is street legal and I carry more insurance on my rig than most cars on the streets of Moab. I write this to say that i do not
support the ban on street legal UTV's in Moab. I would suggest enforcing the current laws regarding speed and noise before you start making more laws. I personally know people who have
offered to pay and put up signage but have been ignored on their offer. I hope we can work on this together and figure out a solution before you Ban UTV's
10/20/2020 11:46:37 Christine I think all street legal side x sides should have the same opportunities as any other street legal vehicles. We as the UTV community SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL BUSINESSES! I don’t think all
you high and mighty tree huggers should be allowed to decide for everyone in Utah what’s best for all these smaller communities. We all have a voice and we deserve to be heard. Thank you
10/20/2020 11:55:19 Duran Atkins Spanish Valley. Moab is getting too noisy and too busy for the quality of our kids lives in town.
10/20/2020 11:56:31 Kyle gotschall As a owner of a utv we love to travel to Moab twice a year. We stay at hotels or vrbo a condo. We eat out all our meals and buy our fuel there. Restrictions on our machines would completely
turn us away from your community and helping your economy. Please think hard about your up coming decisions.
10/20/2020 12:01:08 jacob warren
The community of Moab had become an apparent breadbasket for the state of Utah at the expense of the quality of its citizens lives. Certainly the details of the complaints will have been
illustrated in other comments, but to sum it up, we literally exist within an all-waking-hours motor rally. People are stressed out and contemplating moving from Moab. Myself and many more
will never consider this as an option however and will fight for our home by holding this issue in the face of the state until it is resolved.
10/20/2020 12:01:15 Celeste Bruening
Moab is known for being an off-road Mecca. By prohibiting OHV access you are destroying the very essence of what makes Moab, Moab. There are ways the city of Moab can work with OHV
users to come up with an alternative that will allow OHV access and make residents happy. Please consider other options before discriminating against a particular group of recreation
enthusiasts by banning them from your great city!
10/20/2020 12:07:37 Joshua
The utv industry is a giant part of Moab’s economy... that can not be debated. Eliminating events will ultimately hurt Moab immensely in the pocketbook. You are going to find bad apples in
every group. I’m sure if you looked enough, you’d find bad hikers going off trail to relieve themselves or pick flowers, also mountain bikers who do same thing to make new lines. There needs
to be a stronger law enforcement presence in Moab to enforce moving violations by offenders. I have been to Moab 3 yrs running now and hardly ever see law enforment of any kind. Signs
would be a big step in helping to reduce speeding and loud music by the bad apples of utv industry.
10/20/2020 12:08:19 Tim McAllister
I absolutely agree with noise ordinances and mufflers should be an easy fix but can't agree with making them illegal on all paved roads. I think it would be be bad for many local businesses,
ranchers, farmers etc and wouldn't allow anyone without expensive equipment (truck and trailer) to use vehicles rented locally and would require all vehicles to be trailered to each trail head
which would cause major parking issues.
10/20/2020 12:09:58 Eric Burris
Hi, I have been visiting and recreating in Moab from my home in Durango since 1986. I have visited three times this month actually, just got home last night. The scene in and around town is
just killing me. People are everywhere and there is so much user conflict! I don’t see how you could put the Genie back in the bottle unfortunately. Some of the impact/behavior of people
driving side-by-sides would be a great place to start however. I really feel for the residents of Moab over the noise and traffic in town, I hope that you can find some way to give them some
relief. I camped up on Sand Flats a few weeks ago and it was awful! Noise and lights and rampant disrespect of others!
10/20/2020 12:09:58 Marsha Marshall
County Council, I have lived here for 67 years and have never experienced anything like the chaos of the last few years. The spring of this year was over the top for me. Our beautiful Moab
Valley was filled with noise and destruction. All investors and visitors need to listen to the neighborhood responses to the situation. Please open your ears to all ideas that might help resolve
the situation. Sincerely, Marsha Marshall Former Member of Throttle Down
10/20/2020 12:10:20 Gary MacNeil we come to your town twice a year to enjoy the outdoors and spend alot of money in the process.
Please consider what this will do to the economy of Moab and the small businesses it will most certainly effect.
10/20/2020 12:13:58 Darcey Brown The proposals you are considering to mitigate noise are too little too late. Please think more boldly and aggressively. Motor madness is driving all of us over the edge.
Timestamp Your Name Your Comment
10/20/2020 12:14:09 Pippa Thomas
The noise from OHV and/or FUV is increasingly stressful, adding a persistent growl to our daily living environment. It is possible to reduce the stress of this impact while also welcoming the
people who recreate this way by requiring all FUVs to be electric. E-vehicles are silent. Aside from that, I am definitely for compliance check points and even a legal fight with the state to ban
FUVs on roads that abutt residential areas (excepting farm or ranch-related OHV use). Even friends from other areas have complained about the degradation of their experiences here,
motivating them to choose other destinations. We are becoming even less diversified by driving out other forms of tourism recreation! If our goal is be diversified, and tourism (and higher
education through the USU campus??) are our primary economic means, then we need to ensure that we can continue to attract a diverse population and diverse interests to the area.
10/20/2020 12:14:24 Sasha Reed
I cannot tell you how awful the noise has been - at all hours of the day and night - and the way it disrupts the peace even when I am in my own home. I have truly been unable to find
anywhere in town where I do not hear ATV/side-by-side noise. Sitting in a backyard with friends, going to a park, being inside my house - these are all places I use to be able to enjoy without
having the loud, whining noise of a small engine forced upon me. This is not ok. This does not seem like it should be legal. This is not what I thought would be allowable when I moved to
Moab and made my life here. In my opinion, we should not be forced to live with this noise pollution in our neighborhoods and homes. I hope the City Council can protect us from what seems
like an unfair and unreasonable effect on our community.
10/20/2020 12:17:33 JoHanna Olschewski
I truly feel that Moab needs more regulations, we need to have noise enforcement not exceeding a certain decibel. We also need higher levels of management in all areas UTV's go, more
education about staying on trails, and respecting the land, because these all terrain vehicles can go anywhere that is exactly what they are doing. I think it could be worthwhile to limit the
amount of vehicles on any given trail daily. Thanks for your time. I also truly hope that we are able to figure this because it is disheartening to think we may loose members of our community
strictly based on the fact that quiet cannot be found.
10/20/2020 12:17:49 Scott Swarthout
The constant noise of the all-terrain vehicles that would not be street legal in most places are a blight on our community. The scope of the problem is astounding and it does not seem legal or
fair that this type of noise pollution could be forced upon a community. The lawmakers in Salt Lake City don't have to worry about this noise near their homes so why are we expected to
endure the stress-inducing issue in our county where millions of people visit each year. I hope our Councils can help protect our community from this.
10/20/2020 12:18:25 Kimberly Schappert
As a nightly rental and second home owner I am appalled at the increased level of noise on the streets of Moab. It is one thing to have a pristine day in the desert shattered by the engine
noise of one or a hundred off road vehicles passing somewhere out there in the distance. It is entirely another to not be able to have windows open at night for that cool air sleeping, or during
the day now when the air is so delightful, because of razors and ATV's storming the streets. I complained about the noise levels when razors first came to town 7 years ago when I still owned
Up the Creek over on 3rd South. They created just one more obnoxious level of disturbance to our small town atmosphere. Everyone knows the disturbance now is completely out of control
and to let is continue unmitigated is unforgivable. Moab is going through growing pains at an excelerated rate right now and we should be creating policy for the future that reflects how
important that small town, peaceful and welcoming atmosphere, is to the people who live here and our visitors.
10/20/2020 12:20:22 Melissa Beaury Let’s bring back the quiet to our desert. I look forward to our city planners choosing to limit the freedom off road vehicles have in town and on the trails to control noise and destruction. I
appreciate activities that can be enjoyed locally and do not affect other users experience.
10/20/2020 12:22:16 Ben Pearson We frequent moab and rely on our street legal, UTV, to shuttle us around. Banning them would affect our decision to patronize your city. We would be forced elsewhere. On an average trip,
my fmaily of 4 spends about 750 to 1000 dollars on a 4 day trip.
10/20/2020 12:23:01 Matt Hebberd
UTV noise is out of control in Moab. They should be outlawed from all streets. Heck they should be outlawed everywhere. No special events should be permitted for any kind of UTV activity.
New laws regarding the noise should be implemented. I have friends that moved to Moab to retire, ride bikes, boat, hike and jeep that have moved out of Moab because of the nonstop noise.
PLEASE HELP!
I can no longer go to bed at night with my window open due to the constant roar of UTV's coming down Sand Flats. PLEASE HELP
10/20/2020 12:26:04 Robert Bos Sounds to me like some people move in to a recreational area and then decide only their recreation matters. It's like moving next to an airport and complaining about airplanes. There should
be a compromise that allows everyone to coexist especially since the off road tourist business is probably a huge part of the areas economic base.
10/20/2020 12:26:21 Patrick Hoyt
Dear Council,
I am a Utah resident and business owner who is deeply concerned that the beliefs of a few are being heard over the majority. UTV owners as a whole respect the laws and environment and
deserve to continue to enjoy Moab. Please take the time to consider a more balanced approach to UTV use in Moab. We are willing to come to an agreement over the noise concern, but we
believe you are being too aggressive towards the UTV community.
Thank you for your time.
Patrick Hoyt
10/20/2020 12:30:09 Jessica O’Leary
I live between 400 East and Mill creek drive so the OHV noise starts at 6 am and does not end until after dark. Some night it continues until 11 pm. When people miss the turn to Mill Creek
they use my cul d sac as a turn around. This traffic and noise has many impacts on my daily life. Working from home is increasingly difficult with numerous distractions and inability to hear
people in meeting over the traffic. In my back yard I can no longer hear the birds. And I find the constant engine noise negatively impacts my mood. Many kids used to play in the cul d sac but
they are unable to with increased traffic.
I think the city and county should enforce current noise restrictions by requiring all vehicles in the county to have a noise check sticker. Much like a safety inspection used to operate. This
sticker would also be required to park at trailheads. In addition local law enforcement should enforce all moving violations (running stop signs, driving without a license, no windshield or eye
protection). Let’s control the things we can until we can lobby the state legislature to allow for local control.
10/20/2020 12:30:10 Beth Malloy Please make Moab Quiet again
10/20/2020 12:31:01 Jeffreey Clapp`Please read the email I sent regarding noise and Make Moab Quiet Again
10/20/2020 12:39:53 Logan
It’s time the city shuts the mouths of the cry baby’s in the back. Moab thrives on the UTV community and business it brings. Trying to restrict everything is pure nonsense. This stuff needs to
be dealt with properly and this isn’t the proper solution. Freedom for all! It’s time the police step up and take care of the law breakers that supposedly cause the need for this bullshit. Better
policing, better Moab.
Timestamp Your Name Your Comment
10/20/2020 12:47:52 Craig Tiscareno
I would like to give my thanks and support Moab in addressing the impact of UTV/ATV use in town. I am a UTV owner and visit your town regularly. I respect all laws and have a stock exhaust
on my UTV. Unfortunately some have modified exhaust to be louder, and some don’t respect the folks living in Moab and drive too fast.
I would hope you could come up with a plan to accommodate those of us who respect your town and it’s residents.
My thoughts are lowering the speed limit, have designated roads to trails, sound monitoring with a hefty fine for those with loud exhausts. I know some of these rules may be in conflict with
state law, but I’m hoping the majority of users would voluntarily comply.
Thanks again for your hospitality.
Craig Tiscareno
10/20/2020 12:49:25 Andy Nettell
While a resident in Spanish Valley I am a business owner in Moab. Of all the issues Moab faces, nothing has affected my quality of life more negatively than the proliferation of loud motorized
vehicles. We must work with the state to enact stronger noise pollution laws, re-write the law which allowed unmuffled vehicles on city streets plus provide law enforcement with the tools
needed to enforce current regulations. No more street use of ATV/UTV vehicles!
10/20/2020 12:49:27 Lisa Paterson
If you didn't receive my previous comments, please know that I am feeling overwhelmed with all the noise. The roar from the highway and the streets near my house is constant on the
weekends and frequently loud now even during the middle of the week. Moab is no longer a quiet spot in which to reside .
All of Moab and Spanish Valley are like living next to the freeway in a busy city. I know this doesn't need to be this way and ask that you do all that you can now and all that you can in the
future to stop the proliferation of UTVs of all types on our road, especially residential streets.
10/20/2020 12:49:39 Kaki Hunter
The quality of life in Moab has been deeply comprised by too many and too loud of these UTV toys for tourists. I ask for a permanent moratorium on any more rental outfits and UTV events
until we can create a healthy environment that supports the quality of life for the people that live here and the diversity of people that come to visit.
I know this will be a contentious issue that will require time and cooperation to solve. So it is imperative that we put a moratorium on any more UTV rentals or events in place now.
10/20/2020 12:50:46 Nancy Orr
Thank you for meeting today to address concerns about OHV noise. Apparently, my previous emails may not be considered because I did not use this form. Thus I repeat my comments here,
with an addendum.
Regarding your action items:
YES, on the moratorium on new OHV rental/tour business licenses, and also on OHV event permits. However, I urge you to make it permanent, rather than temporary. We will get no
sympathy or statute exemptions from state legislators if we continue to allow OHV events or if our Travel Council continues promoting motorized recreation here. State legislators claim that we
have made our pact with the motorized recreation community and deserve the consequences – their logic on that is hard to contradict.
YES, please drop speed limits for OHVs in our city and county as a start, but that approach may just prolong the noise bubbles of passing OHV groups, and only slightly reduces the engine
noise. OHVs are designed to make noise, whether in motion or idling. I see many of the occupants wearing hearing protection, and then cranking up their stereos to be able to hear over the
engine noise and through the hearing protection. Slowing down and thus prolonging the noise parade is not really addressing the problem.
****
**Another issue with reducing speed limits on OHVs lies in the large numbers of them which group together. They may well form a slow-rolling roadblock on roads such as Kane Springs
(where last year I counted a group of 62) or Spanish Valley Drive. This will provide further irritation for residents just trying to live a normal life in a town which has become overrun with noisy
machines piloted by people in perpetual party mode.**
****
Better yet, get them off of our residential roads altogether. They were trailered to get to Moab, so they can be trailered to the trailhead. Also, this opens a business opportunity for OHV trailer
shuttle services to/from the trailheads, reducing the problems of noise and congestion and providing tax revenue from new businesses.
Finally, please start enforcing the noise and vehicle ordinances that we already have.
Regards,
~ Nancy Orr
10/20/2020 12:54:06 Rebecca Every
PLEASE, for the love of any and EVERYTHING good there is to save in this town/county/surrounding wilderness area....Please DO SOMETHING about the horrendous excessive
noise/exhaust fumes coming from the ORV/Razor type vehicles destroying our town/community/desert.
It's maddening, not to mention extremely BAD FOR OUR HEALTH/MENTAL HEALTH
We tax paying residents DO NOT deserve this kind of inunndation, where there is no peace of mind to be found in this entire county.
The growth in Grand County has been exponential over the last 5 to 10 years. We have already been dealing with tremendous traffic congestion, that has evolved into 2 to 3 hr wait to come
into town closer to the weekends or a 3 to all-day wait sitting in traffic leaving town at the end of the weekend. This is absurd, it is dangerous, it is abusing our neighborhoods with all lines of
traffic trying to use the side streets for a quicker way to exit. Add in to this mix, the maddening NOISE from the ORV and it is sending many local residents over the edge.
Please please please PLEASE HELP!!!!
Thank you,
Rebecca Every
10/20/2020 13:01:25 Donna McNeely I’m all for noise reduction. UTVS need to stay out of residential areas in the city and county . They also need to abide by the rules like the rest of us have to be licensed, stop at stop signs, use
the turn signals and slow down.
Timestamp Your Name Your Comment
10/20/2020 13:02:19 Inder/Rebecca Broughton I want to voice my support for restrictions on UTV use and noise in Moab City and County. The noise is oppressive, and constant and dominants all other sounds is this beautiful natural area
we live in.
10/20/2020 13:03:11 Shari Zollinger I am writing in response to the noise levels created by UTVs. I am for regulation and or legislation that brings less noise into our community.
10/20/2020 13:07:11 Rachel UTV Tour and rental companies are the responsible ones. They are not the issue. They limit to certain trails, have strict regulations and rules and promote responsible behavior. They are not
a problem!!
10/20/2020 13:08:02 Alicia ATVs are fun for some and bring in money. But everything else is a negative impact. Plain and simple.
10/20/2020 13:22:19 Bega Metzner
Enough is enough. I have lived here on and off for over 30 years and the OHV situation is completely out of hand. The noise from dawn till way past dusk. The terrible driving on highways and
in residential neighborhoods is completely unsafe for adults and children alike. And the complete disregard for the established trail system is destroying our landscape. I hope that the council
and commission will consider making extreme changes to the rules that are constantly being broken and to find a way to enforce them. I love this city. I love this place. I care about people
and their businesses but something needs to be done to stop the noise and destruction of public land. I appreciate your time and I hope you can make the improvements necessary for all of
our well being.
10/20/2020 13:23:45 Diana Edwards I am writing in support of actions that will mitigate the impact of the noisy off - road vehicles on our city streets.
10/20/2020 13:23:55 Guy Webster
As a law enforcement officer in the close area I am concerned about any changes going against current state statutes. All law enforcement needs is you to give the public another reason to
dislike them. You as a council aren't going to be the ones enforcing your ordinances. You receive money from the state that is particularly made from taxing the very vehicles you are looking
to ban. Are you going to deny taking state dollars? The problem is not anything more than some closed minded people who chose to hate a certain group unfairly.
10/20/2020 13:24:24 Eric Meyer
Please address the core of the issues (noise). While it is not likely easy to address the noise issue locally I believe there are some options: (1) Start with the rental companies. Annually test
them in compared to the city noise ordnance in a controlled environment (ideally a mobile setup). Give them 2-3 years to reduce there existing noise levels (someone will come up with a
noise reducing solution if given an incentive). Test their fleets annually starting in 2021. (2) Private UTV's should be tested starting in 2022 ideally in order to get registration renewed if there
is a way to work with the state. Otherwise, it should be allowed for the city to do spot checks similar to DUI, Boat invasive species or emissions inspections. Given a little time and maybe %
based reductions in noise over the next 5 years or so, it could really reduce the excess noise they are currently creating in town. Thanks for listening.
10/20/2020 13:25:48 Don Casler
I'm a Grand County home owner. The spillover costs associated with the manufacture and rental of OHV, side by sides, Razors are currently borne by residents. Spill over costs include,
racket and noise at all hours, we can't sleep with the door open anymore, air pollution from motors that pollute more than other vehicles, and safety, since tourists cluelessly race down town
streets with little regard for anything! The companies profit by offering a product with costs they don't pay for, they don't pay for these costs and shift those costs to Grand County citizens that
their product produces. This is NOT an essential product or service, and its economic benefits are limited and not enjoyed by most local residents, only the rental companies. As for the
visitorship, maybe the values of your residents should mean more than another endless stream of visitors, after all, TRT is constantly promoting Moab, other segments of tourists can be
exploited to compensate for the loss of visitor dollars.
Send this particular business packing off to San Juan County, Oh wait...while talking to a resident of Bluff recently he said "don't "Moab" our town...
10/20/2020 13:31:10 Don Hill
Having recreated in Moab for years with SxS vehicles, I'm concerned that a few bad apples are ruining it for the majority of folks who abide by your laws and spend their money in support of
your town. One should look at the bigger picture and not let short sightedness overrule for the common good. Especially in these times of pandemic closures and business's suffering, one
might think that every thing that can be done to keep an economy viable should be utilized by the local government and not let those bad apples cause a closure that may bring fiscal regret.
Please carefully consider your choice. Thank You.
10/20/2020 13:31:55 Jared Trader
Hello, my name is Jared Trader and I want to write in to voice my concerns over UTV noise in town. I live near Rotary Park on Tusher St, where the UTV noise from Mill Creek Drive and Sand
Flats Road has become a very unwelcome intrusion on our lives. Whether we are outside or inside, daytime or nighttime, the sound from these machines is overwhelming. While I appreciate
the efforts to quiet these machines down by encouraging lower speeds, stock mufflers, etc., I do not believe this adequately addresses the issue. Even when traveling at modest speeds with
stock mufflers, these machines are simply too loud. I would ask that we lobby the state to allow us to regulate the use of these machines within our community. The only way I see to
effectively solve this problem is to require that UTVs be trailered through town.
10/20/2020 13:33:39 J Turner I understand how much UTV rentals and use contributes to our tax base, but I’m concerned that their pervasiveness is turning off visitors that have other interests. I think you have to consider
the cost of the visitors we lose from unrestrained UTV use when making these crucial decisions.
10/20/2020 13:38:54 Annette Kearl I am in support of limiting atv use within the city and Grand County for reasons that include the noise pollution that they cause.
10/20/2020 13:39:01 Josie Kovash
I have already submitted a letter and email to both the city and county council, but I just want to strongly reiterate for today’s meeting, that we need strong action to curb the very detrimental
effect of street legal UTVs on the residents of Moab. They are simply incompatible with a decent quality of life for those of us who live in Moab, and quite frankly, I believe they are
incompatible with all other forms of backcountry recreation. Please make sure my letter is on record for this meeting. Thank you for listening to your constituents, and for creating a forum to
make progress so that we may continue to live in this community without descending into a residual state of ire and misery. This is a crucial turning point at which we can either double down
on what makes the Moab area so incredibly special and sacred, or we can lose it completely. I believe that a strong stance by local officials is what is called for in this very important moment.
Thank you.
10/20/2020 13:39:02 Martin If current local politicians continues to support anti ohv legislation I will do everything in my power to make sure you are not re-elected. I support partisan solutions the current method you are
taking is not partisan. Please let us work together on finding solutions that will lead to a better outcome for your political career.
10/20/2020 13:44:50 Susan Roche
I would like to ask you to act to protect Grand County and City of Moab residents from the unhealthy noise of off-road vehicles that are driven on our streets and roads. I live in Castle Valley
and find the very loud noise of these vehicles prohibits me from patronizing local Moab businesses. I have also read of, and previously experienced while living in a large metropolitan area,
the harm to hearing, breathing, and emotional stability caused by the incredible vehicle noise. I know the regs and laws are complex. I send you good energy for finding solutions to return us
all to better health. Thank you for all you do, Susan Roche
10/20/2020 13:50:02 Andy Coppola Enough with the noise violations from the jeeps and razors, this unnecessary and could easily be modified or exchanged for quiet battery vehicles. They are deliberately offensive.
10/20/2020 13:51:50 Martin If current local politicians continues to support anti ohv legislation I will do everything in my power to make sure you are not re-elected. I support non-partisan solutions the current method you
are taking is partisan. Please let us work together on finding solutions that will lead to a better outcome for your political career.
10/20/2020 13:55:56 Diane Walker I am writing to ask that the Moab City Council pass a moratorium on new UTV rental applications or UTV events until the sound disturbance issues are addressed.
Thank you, Diane walker
Timestamp Your Name Your Comment
10/20/2020 13:56:04 Ben Burr
I am the policy director for BlueRibbon Coalition/ShareTrails. We champion responsible recreation and support efforts to protect and increase access to recreation resources. We have worked
with elected officials in Moab on a continuing basis to ensure that the millions of recreationists who visit Moab and the surrounding area create great experiences for themselves and for the
community where they are a guest. Outdoor recreation is an explosive industry where new markets for experiences and products emerge suddenly. This provides challenges for policymakers
to accommodate new users. This growth also creates significant economic opportunities that have benefitted Moab greatly. We are aware that the recent surge in UTV use in Moab is leading
to noise nuisance complaints. Utah state law allows street legal UTVs and ATVs to use public roads, and we support these protections. Street legal access increases access for these users
and eliminates problems such as trail-head congestion. We recognize the challenges that come with abating noise nuisances, and we are willing to work with the City of Moab to educate our
users in ways they can minimize noise impacts while riding on public roads. We wouldn't support the codification of any policy that would unfairly discriminate against street-legal OHV users or
businesses. We believe the city should find ways to enforce violations of ordinances in a way that targets wrongdoers instead of trying to find ways to categorically deny use of roads to street-
legal OHV users. We look forward to finding common-ground solutions to these challenges at the same time we recognize that a categorical denial of use of a public benefit by a specific group
is discriminatory by nature and can't be the starting point for authentic compromise.
10/20/2020 13:59:46 Jeff Adams
I am a resident of Grand County writing to request that Moab City Council and Grand County Commission work together on enforcable noise ordinances and other strategies to mitigate the
excessive and harmful noise created specifically by UTV's in order to protect our neighborhoods and the quality of life for residents and the quality of experience for visitors. Thank you for all
of your work on this issue, and I am hopefully that meaningful solutions can be crafted to address the extreme noise in our valley.
Thank you, Jeff Adams
Page 1 of 6
October 27, 2020
MOAB CITY COUNCIL MINUTES
REGULAR MEETING
October 27, 2020
The Moab City Council held its Regular Meeting on the above date. Consistent with provisions of
the Utah Open and Public Meetings Act, Utah Code Ann. § 54-2-207(4), the Moab City Council
Chair has issued written determinations supporting the decision to convene electronic meetings
of the Council without a physical anchor location. Due to the health and safety risks related to
the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and considering public health orders limiting in-person
gatherings, the Moab City Council will continue to hold meetings by electronic means. An audio
recording of the meeting is archived at http://www.utah.gov/pmn/index.html. A video
recording is archived at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WlsIWt1YPZc.
PRE-COUNCIL WORKSHOP PRESENTATION 5:30 P.M.
Mayor Emily Niehaus called the Workshop to order at 5:30 p.m. Participating remotely were
Councilmembers Rani Derasary, Mike Duncan, Karen Guzman-Newton, and Kalen Jones.
Councilmember Tawny Knuteson-Boyd was absent from the Pre-Council Workshop
presentations. City staff participating remotely were City Manager Joel Linares, Assistant City
Manager Carly Castle, City Attorney Laurie Simonson, and City Recorder Sommar Johnson.
Mary O’Brien with Grand Canyon Trust joined the meeting at 5:30 p.m. to present the
Conservation Alternative for comparison with Manti La-Sal National Forest alternatives. Kara
Dohrenwend with Rim to Rim Restoration and Duncan Fuchise with Utah Division of Forestry,
Fire, & State Lands also joined the meeting at 5:30 to present on the fire fuels mitigation efforts.
Presentation: Conservation Alternative for comparison with Manti La-Sal
National Forest alternatives - Mary O'Brien, Utah Forests Program Director,
Grand Canyon Trust
Mary O’Brien with Grand Canyon Trust presented the conservation alternative for comparison
with Manti La-Sal National Forest alternatives. She said the last forest plan was 34 years ago in
1986 and explained the deadlines and process for submitting comments. 0:54
Presentation: Fire fuels mitigation efforts - Kara Dohrenwend, Rim to Rim
Restoration
Kara Dohrenwend and Duncan Fuchise presented on fire fuels mitigation efforts throughout the
community. 12:56
JOINT CITY COUNCIL/PLANNING COMMISSION WORKSHOP 6:00 P.M.
Mayor Emily Niehaus called the joint City Council/Planning Commission workshop to order at
6:04 p.m. Participating remotely were Councilmembers Rani Derasary, Mike Duncan, Karen
Guzman-Newton, Kalen Jones, and Tawny Knuteson-Boyd. Planning Commission members
participating remotely were Kya Marienfeld, Marianne Becnel, Ruben Villalpando-Salas, and
Jessica O’Leary. City staff participating remotely were City Manager Joel Linares, Assistant City
Manager Carly Castle, City Attorney Laurie Simonson, Planning Director Nora Shepard,
Assistant Planner Cory Shurtleff, and City Recorder Sommar Johnson.
Joint Planning Commission/City Council Discussion on Planning Priorities
Planning Director Nora Shepard presented an overview of planning priorities for the Planning
Department and Planning Commission. Planning Commission members identified their top
priorities and City Council members identified their top priorities. 1:43-54:15
Page 2 of 6
October 27, 2020
REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING 7:00 P.M.
Regular Meeting—Call to Order and Attendance: Mayor Niehaus called the Regular City
Council Meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. Participating remotely were Councilmembers Karen
Guzman-Newton, Tawny Knuteson-Boyd, Rani Derasary, Mike Duncan, and Kalen Jones. City
staff participating remotely were City Manager Joel Linares, Assistant City Manager Carly
Castle, City Attorney Laurie Simonson, Finance Director Klint York, Police Chief Bret Edge, and
City Recorder Sommar Johnson. Senior Projects Manager Kaitlin Myer joined the meeting at
8:08 p.m. City Engineer Chuck Williams joined the meeting at 9:33 p.m. Also participating
remotely was Alex Buxton with Zions Bank Public Finance.
Citizens to be Heard:
Comments received during the meeting:
There were no citizens to be heard during the meeting.
Written comments received before the meeting:
Brad Young - Dear Moab City Council,
I am concerned with what I have heard is going on in Moab with UTV’s. I understand there are
some residence that feel UTV’s are a nuisance. While there are also residence and many more
Utahn’s, Americans, and tourists that feel UTV’s are fun and entertaining. Especially in Moab on
the beautiful trails and rocks. I’d like to know how you feel entitled to change your city laws to
make this clean entertainment illegal? I’ve always known Moab as an outdoors town. Mainly for
Jeeps and rock crawlers. UTV’s came in and I’m sure things got busier in Moab but that is the
nature of this country. That’s what was earned by our ancestors. That’s what makes this country
amazing. We can choose what we want to do and do it. The government works for the people
not the other way around. I’m going to stand my ground on this and hope you guys make the
right decision. Thanks for your time. Have a great day.
Jordan Cherrington - I am a Utah native and have been coming to Moab as a family tradition
since I was a thought in my parents minds. It has been a family tradition and we always rent a
hotel, fill up on gas, buy a ton of groceries and snacks from local businesses and visit many
restaurants. Last time we visited on Oct 1st we spent $2300 at local Moab businesses in a week.
If you decide to change our privileges as UTV users we will move there permanently and make it
our life mission to vote you out.
Brenda - Almost every activity these days requires a permit. Which provides rules and limits use
to protect both the resource and the experience. Permitting is often grearly opposed but MOST
often appreciated by all users.
Kristen Hayes - Thank you for listening to Moab citizens and visitors alike and addressing our
concerns about UTV noise. I applaud the ideas generated in last week’s joint meeting and the
moves to take action. The problem has been growing steadily since the passing of the House
Bills legalizing UTVs on our streets, and the number of rental companies in the valley has grown
significantly just in the last year. I encourage the city and county councils to strongly consider a
curfew (dawn to dusk) in addition to the speed limit ordinance and temporary moratorium on
new businesses that were passed last week. This could have a huge impact on noise reduction
late at night. I am also writing regarding Mayor Emily’s plan to form a committee to write
legislation to implement a permit system that would allow for local residents and existing
businesses to continue operating on city and county streets. I urge the committee to consider
permits for residents only, taking caution that these permits would be issued to residential
addresses only, not overnight rentals or commercial addresses. Permit fees have the potential go
Page 3 of 6
October 27, 2020
towards meaningful use, such as a salaried position to manage education, monitoring systems
and mitigation of the impacts of this type of recreation. I encourage permits for existing
businesses to be phased out after one year, moving towards trailering and guided services.
Otherwise, please consider capping the number of commercial permits per business so that
existing business can’t just continue to add vehicles to their fleet. Commercial permits should
also cost more to reflect the higher noise and traffic impacts when a train of rental vehicles
drives through residential streets. Limiting size of caravans to 4-5 vehicles would go a long way
as well. We are behind the curve and playing catch-up after a failure to establish regulations and
address the potential of the problem early on. While our town is becoming obnoxious, our public
lands are suffering as well. It is time to regulate both the impacts to our town and the
destruction of our public lands. Sincerely, Kristen Hayes Moab, UT
Zach Rossberg - Dear Council, I am a home owner with a secondary residence in Moab. My
home is right at the entry of the steel bender trail. We spend plenty of time in town and would
like to say at this point I do not see the issue at all. There is plenty of traffic on busy weekends,
but it is to be expected. I wouldn't call any of it a nuisance. I hadn't even really thought about it
or heard it until seeing that this is somehow a hot topic right now. I don't understand how you
could differentiate a utv/atv from a jeep or motorcycle from inside my home or out on the patio.
I can honestly say I do not recall a time where I thought a passerby was being disrespectful. This
town is supposed to be about adventure, outdoors, relaxation and use recreation in all forms.
Seems to single out one group over others is a little unfair. Realistically if silence is what is
sought after there is a plethora of places to find it nearby. I support responsible recreation and
support efforts to protect and increase access to recreation resources. The most recent
conversations and proposals have led to discussions and targeting of OHV related businesses
directly. Any policies that are directed at prohibiting or limiting the specific businesses that
participate in OHV guides, accessories, rentals, trail access or others is something that is
severely flawed and not supported. We would encourage you to help us address and fix the
actual issues rather than target businesses and users. Categorical creating a denial of a public
benefit by a specific user group is discriminatory by nature and not supported. Thank you for
your time.
Ryan Romero - Dear Council, I support responsible recreation and support efforts to protect and
increase access to recreation resources. The most recent conversations and proposals have led to
discussions and targeting of OHV related businesses directly. Any policies that are directed at
prohibiting or limiting the specific businesses that participate in OHV guides, accessories,
rentals, trail access or others is something that is severely flawed and not supported. We would
encourage you to help us address and fix the actual issues rather than target businesses and
users. Categorical creating a denial of a public benefit by a specific user group is discriminatory
by nature and not supported. Thank you for your time.
Administrative Reports:
City Manager Linares combined the COVID-19 update with his administrative report and noted
City Hall and other facilities were closed to the public to protect staff during the recent high
infection rate. He said ICUs and local hospitals are reaching capacity and it is important for
everyone to follow the Governor’s orders including wearing masks and maintaining social
distancing. He reported on the joint City Council/Grand County Commission meeting where
new OHV restrictions were passed and said signs have already been ordered. 5:11
Finance Director York provided a sales tax, budget, and CARES Act funding update. 9:30
Chief Edge provided a police department update. He reported that Sergeant Boots has taken a
Page 4 of 6
October 27, 2020
position with the Sandy Police Department, they are suspending the school resource officer
program, and are researching information about e-bikes using the bike paths. He also provided
an update on the use of force policy review group. 32:20
City Attorney Simonson provided an update on her research regarding potential regulations for
powered paragliders. 38:58
Mayor and Council Reports:
Mayor Niehaus reported attending UTV meetings and meeting with Grand County Commission
Chair Mary McGann and Jen Jones with BLM to talk about the implication of the legislative
action during the special meeting and the need for more trailer parking. She reported attending
a ULCT board meeting, a Grand County Economic Development Committee meeting, serving on
a rural subcommittee on housing affordability working on legislation for the 2021 session, and
doing an interview on KUTV about UTV noise. 42:03
Councilmember Derasary reported attending an EMS special service district board meeting on
October 19. She said there was a miscommunication that led to the demolition of the EMS
building earlier than planned and said questions could be directed to Grand County EMS or
Chris Baird. She also reported attending the legislative policy for ULCT, a quarterly UMTRA
steering committee meeting and mentioned that City Attorney Simonson and Chief Edge could
talk with the trail mix committee regarding e-bikes on the parkway. 45:29
Councilmember Duncan reported attending the Hotspot public meeting, a USU advisory
committee meeting, and conducting UTV noise research. 50:04
Councilmember Knuteson-Boyd reported that work obligations led to her missing the HASU
meeting but said things seem to be going smoothly. She reported attending a museum meeting
where they finalized their values and mission statement and said they combined the November
and December meeting in December and plan to search for new board members. 52:53
Councilmember Guzman-Newton reported attending the open house at Moonstone Gallery for
Arches Hotspot, a coordinating meeting on October 21 to further discuss and delve into projects,
and meeting with John Nepstad with Fehr & Peers, 54:12
Councilmember Jones reported attending a Southeastern Utah Association of Local
Governments meetings as a substitute for the Mayor, the Arches Hotspot meeting, and a solid
waste board meeting where they reviewed options to improve the recycling process and
discussed some strategic planning. 56:11
Approval of Minutes: October 8, 2020, Special Meeting, and October 9, 2020,
Special Meeting
Motion: Councilmember Guzman-Newton moved to approve the minutes for October 8, 2020,
and October 9, 2o2o. Councilmember Jones seconded the motion.
Discussion: There was no discussion.
Vote: The motion passed 5-0 with Councilmembers Jones, Derasary, Duncan, Guzman-
Newton, and Knuteson-Boyd voting aye in a roll call vote.
Old Business:
Walnut Lane Financing Options
City Manager Linares stated that he, Finance Director York, and Senior Projects Manager
Kaitlin Myers have been working with Alex Buxton with Zions Bank Public Finance on financing
options for Walnut Lane. Alex Buxton presented a sales tax bond option for borrowing money
Page 5 of 6
October 27, 2020
for the project stating the city would utilize sales tax as a credit backstop and then utilize rental
payments from the upcoming project to pay back the debt. He said the maturity of the bond
would go out 15 years with a current interest rate around two percent and to maintain at least
two times coverage. Senior Projects Manager Myers said the financing options that Alex
discussed were specific to the PAD scenario 59:42
Discussion: Councilmembers discussed the option of replacing the existing trailers with new
trailers and minimizing expenses. They also discussed the option of larger-scale development
and maximizing density. Senior Projects Manager Myers proposed moving forward with a
minimum number of manufactured homes to meet short-term needs and continuing with site
master planning with stick-built through the PAD. Councilmember Duncan was in favor of
replacing old trailers with new trailers and minimizing expenses. Councilmembers Knuteson-
Boyd, Derasary, and Jones were generally in favor of maximizing density even though it is more
fiscally complicated. Councilmember Guzman-Newton was conflicted. Councilmember Jones
expressed his concerns about reliance on modular. Senior Projects Manager Myers asked for
Council direction on how to prepare for the next conversation about the project. Mayor Niehaus
suggested assembling the pro forma timeline and holding a special meeting next week. A follow-
up meeting was scheduled for November 4, 2020, at 6 p.m. 1:26:34
Request for City Council approval of, or direction regarding changes to, the
proposed City administrative procedures regarding a change in use of City real
property in non-emergency situations
City Attorney Simonson presented procedures for changes in use of City real property. 2:13:54
Discussion: Councilmember Derasary asked about the first point of contact for applications,
the process for Council notification and public process, and liability. 2:19:51 Councilmember
Jones expressed his appreciation for the flexibility in handling these situations and
Councilmember Duncan said he believed this was a political issue and not an administrative
issue. 2:25:07
Motion and vote: Councilmember Jones moved to approve the City Administrative
Procedures Regarding a Change in Use of City Real Property in Non-Emergency Situations with
the addition of the 180-day threshold. Councilmember Knuteson-Boyd seconded the motion.
The motion passed 5-0 with Councilmembers Jones, Derasary, Knuteson-Boyd, Guzman-
Newton, and Duncan voting aye in a roll call vote.
Source Control for Solid Waste District
Discussion: City Manager Linares explained that this was a proposed resolution he has been
working on with the Solid Waste Special Service District and explained that the last contract that
was negotiated two and a half years ago for waste hauling removed the clause that mandated all
solid waste go to local landfills. He said there has been a request by the Solid Waste Special
Service District to put the requirement back into the agreement with our waste hauler. He said
we have an interest in making sure our local landfills have the waste and byproduct, but we also
have an interest that our hauler be sustainable because he is the only hauler in the valley.
2:27:00
New Business:
Proposed Resolution 42-2020: A Resolution Continuing the Local Emergency
Proclamation due to the Economic Impact of COVID-19 Novel Coronavirus on
Restaurants in the City of Moab
Motion: Councilmember Guzman-Newton moved to approve Resolution# 42-2020, a
resolution continuing the local emergency proclamation due to the economic impact of COVID-
19 Novel Coronavirus on restaurants in the City of Moab. Councilmember Derasary seconded
the motion.
Page 6 of 6
October 27, 2020
Discussion: There was no discussion.
Vote: The motion passed 5-0 with Councilmembers Derasary, Knuteson-Boyd, Jones, Guzman-
Newton, and Duncan voting aye in a roll call vote.
Proposed Resolution 43-2020: A Resolution Authorizing the Agreement Between
the City of Moab and Alex Moab Properties, LLC
Motion: Councilmember Duncan moved to approve Resolution 43-2020 authorizing the
agreement between the City of Moab and Alex Moab Properties, Limited Liability Corporation.
Councilmember Knuteson-Boyd seconded the motion.
Discussion: Councilmembers thanked City Attorney Simonson for her work on this issue. City
Engineer Williams explained the next steps for this item. 2:34:06
Vote: The motion passed 5-0 with Councilmembers Duncan, Derasary, Jones, Guzman-
Newton, and Knuteson-Boyd voting aye in a roll call vote.
Approval of Bills Against the City of Moab:
Motion and vote: Councilmember Knuteson-Boyd moved to approve the bills against the City
of Moab in the amount of $298,766.90. Councilmember Jones seconded the motion. The
motion passed 5-0 with Councilmembers Duncan, Derasary, Knuteson-Boyd, Jones, and
Guzman-Newton voting aye in a roll call vote.
Adjournment: Councilmember Guzman-Newton moved to adjourn the meeting.
Councilmember Duncan seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously. Mayor Niehaus
adjourned the meeting at 9:42 p.m.
APPROVED: __________________ ATTEST: ___________________
Emily S. Niehaus, Mayor Sommar Johnson, City Recorder
Page 1 of 20
October 30, 2020
MOAB CITY COUNCIL, GRAND COUNTY COMMISSION, ARCHES
HOTSPOT REGION COORDINATING COMMITTEE
SPECIAL JOINT MEETING MINUTES
OCTOBER 30, 2020
The Moab City Council, Grand County Commission, and Arches Hotspot Region Coordinating
Committee held a Special Joint Meeting on the above date. Consistent with provisions of the
Utah Open and Public Meetings Act, Utah Code Ann. § 54-2-207(4), the Moab City Council
Chair has issued written determinations supporting the decision to convene electronic meetings
of the Council without a physical anchor location. Due to the health and safety risks related to
the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and considering public health orders limiting in-person
gatherings, the Moab City Council will continue to hold meetings by electronic means. An
anchor location was not provided. An audio recording of the meeting is archived at
http://www.utah.gov/pmn/index.html. A video recording is archived at
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCl00z0Zgdmz4y1FoI0l7CJA.
0:03
Special Meeting—Call to Order and Roll Call Attendance – Arches Region
Coordinating Committee: Committee Chair Curtis Wells called the Special Meeting to order
at 12:33 PM. Participating remotely were Committee Members Curtis Wells, Kalen Jones, Jaylyn
Hawks, Karen Guzman-Newton, Mike Duncan, Wes Shannon, and Evan Clapper.
0:15
Arches Hotspot Region Coordinating Committee Approval of Minutes – October
21, 2020—Approved
Motion: Committee Member Guzman-Newton moved to approve the minutes. Committee
Member Jones seconded the motion.
Vote: Motion passed unanimously with Committee Members Wells, Jones, Hawks, Guzman-
Newton, Duncan, Shannon, and Clapper voting aye.
0:57
Adjournment: Committee Chair Wells closed the Arches Hotspot Region Coordinating
Committee meeting at 12:34 PM.
2:49
Call to Order and Roll Call Attendance – Grand County Commission:
Commission Chair Mary McGann called the meeting to order at 12:36 PM. Participating
remotely were Commissioners Mary McGann, Evan Clapper, Curtis Wells, Gabriel Woytek, and
Jaylyn Hawks. Grand County staff participating remotely were Commission Administrator Chris
Baird, County Attorney Christina Sloan, Assistant Commission Administrator Mallory Nassau,
Clerk/Auditor Quinn Hall, and Planning & Zoning Director Mila Dunbar-Irwin.
4:24
Call to Order and Roll Call Attendance – Moab City Council:
Mayor Niehaus called the meeting to order at 12:37 PM. Participating remotely were
Councilmembers Tawny Knuteson-Boyd, Kalen Jones, Karen Guzman-Newton, Rani Derasary,
and Mike Duncan. City staff participating remotely were City Recorder Sommar Johnson,
Assistant City Manager Carly Castle, City Engineer Chuck Williams, City Attorney Laurie
Simonson, and Communications and Engagement Manager Lisa Church. UDOT staff
participating remotely was Region 4 Deputy Director Monte Aldridge.
5:49
Citizens to be Heard:
Comments received during the meeting:
Reed Pendleton: “Yeah, I’ve just got a quick comment to make. My name is Reed Pendleton. I
think the shuttle is a good concept, but I’m afraid of how much use it would get from the
accommodation sector that it seems to want to target. I feel like, in my experience, most of my
Page 2 of 20
October 30, 2020
guests drive into town anyway, just because they’re on their way to or from the parks or the trail
systems. I can see people who are purposely driving into town to shop or eat using it; but I think
the parking would be a bigger necessity in my opinion. I have found myself personally trying to
run errands to certain businesses and such downtown and not able to find parking. I also do
worry about the construction of the parking and what effects that would have in the short-term.
One other quick comment about the bypass: I do support the bypass 100%. I have seen
comments where a bypass would potentially hurt downtown businesses, and I don’t think that’s
the case here. I think a lot of the South valley residents, people staying in accommodations on
the South end of town, and truckers are going to appreciate the bypass in order to avoid
congestion downtown. This would encourage people to go downtown more and shop and eat
and have a better user experience due to lessened noise and traffic. If we are going to continue to
encourage economic diversification and growth, we need to create the infrastructure to better
handle the people who are here now, as well as the ones who are coming. As the South end of the
valley continues to grow, it will only create more of a demand for a bypass. Thank you.”
Neal Clark: “I submitted comments, but I was actually hoping to speak on just a little bit broader
view than what I submitted. I’m Neal Clark, I live in the Mountain View neighborhood. To start,
I don’t actually think anyone here lives in Mountain View so I want you all to think about how
your opinion might differ if you were discussing a highway within 100/500/maybe even 1,000
feet of your home. Would you have even moved there in the first place? I want to speak to the
frustration that myself and many members of the community have around this entire issue. And
that frustration stems from the continual runaround that we’ve received from elected officials
for years now. I can’t even begin to tell you how many times I’ve heard/been told not to worry,
that a bypass is not on the table, that we would never do anything to impact one of the
neighborhoods. But that’s really never been the case, and the bypass continues to bubble to the
surface usually and honestly, conveniently, right around the time when everyone’s frustrated
with traffic. Which, to be clear, is due to the continual over-promotion of the area. So anyone
who’s looking at it subjectively can see that the only outcome of more analysis and process is the
determination that the only feasible route is going to be through someone’s neighborhood; and
so far, that neighborhood is Mountain View. It’s a mixed-income neighborhood of people who’ve
worked extremely hard to be able to buy their homes, and who can’t simply sell their place and
find a new location in town. And so a resolution in support effectively throws your support
behind a process that you ultimately cannot control, and that risks destroying someone’s home.
For those of us who live in the crosshairs of every proposal to date, there’s no benefit. So please
don’t downplay or obfuscate this issue by saying that you’re only exploring the idea further, or
that you’ll only support a tunnel; because a resolution in support of a bypass is supporting a
process that leads to one outcome. So please be forthright, please stop placating. If you support
a bypass through Mountain View, you owe it to everybody to be straightforward about that. And
if you don’t, then do not move forward with a resolution. Thank you for your time.”
Kyle Bailey: “Here’s my ‘Citizen to be Heard’ contribution to the UTV Noise and Traffic in our
Neighborhood Communities Issue: I want to thank the Moab City Council and Grand County
Council for addressing the effect that UTV Noise and Traffic is having on our city and county
residential areas. The last joint County and City meeting took needed action for the community
and now we have direction and momentum to address the concerns that have been articulated
by so many of the citizens in Grand County. I’m sure I don’t need to describe or repeat the
outcries/comments/testimonies/information about UTV noise and traffic and the stressful
effects it is having on people in their homes and businesses. I’m sure you have received that
input. I don’t think I need to discuss the negative and disruptive effect UTV traffic is having on
our ability to keep our sense of neighborhoods and community. I’m sure you’ve gotten that input
and had that conversation with constituents. Your actions at your last joint meeting make clear
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October 30, 2020
that you want to strengthen and support the Grand County community, and that your neighbors
and citizens come first. You were presented with a petition, ‘Make Moab Quiet Again’, signed by
over 3000 people as of today, (mostly local citizens) that asked local elected leaders to take steps
to do something about the UTVs’ out-of-control presence on our streets. That was an impressive
request for help from local citizens to you and the Utah State Legislature. That was an
impressive request that unacceptable UTV traffic on our streets…..be addressed. Sincerely, Kyle
Bailey”
Katherine Holyoak: “Hi Councilmembers, this is Katherine Holyoak in Moab. I had technical
difficulties there for a minute. I submitted an email, which somewhat is defunct now because I
really appreciate Curtis Wells calling this morning and clarifying some of the things that were
going on with the bypass. But I was very concerned because the way it came across from your
website was that we were making final decisions for bypasses and that type of thing, which that
is not true, I have learned since. I would hope that when you do consider this, I wouldn’t mind
seeing a bypass happen, but the way one of them was drawn went right through my business. It
would have ruined and wrecked our business because it came out through our property on South
Main, just past Knowles Furniture Store. But, anyway, he explained to me that that is not what
you’re doing today, and I appreciate his clarification. But I just want you to know if there is a
bypass, I would like to see it coming farther out of town than just staying right here in town,
which would somewhat landlock the town still on the South end as compared to the North end.
But, anyway I appreciated being called this morning by him and just wanted to clarify that,
because the email that I sent is kind of not valid at this time. But I would like to see a bypass
happen, but not in my yard. So thanks for your help.”
Melanie Snow: “Hi. After looking at your map and everything, I’m neighbors to the Holyoaks. So
you’re proposing to put the road that would go alongside our house as it cuts down to the main
highway. To me, that’s just not feasible; there’s already a two-lane road that goes right by
McDonald’s. I don’t know why you’d need to put another road in our backyard, and then come
down along the side of our house. As we sit now, the highway noise from the semi-trucks that go
down the main highway are already bad; so I couldn’t imagine them coming down the hill to
connect. And we hear them all night long, so I don’t know how that’s going to be feasible. And
even the cost of it would be extraordinary. When you’re planning a two-lane road when there’s
already a two-lane road there. I do agree there needs to be a bypass. I mean, right now, it takes
over an hour to get into town from Arches, which is absolutely ridiculous. But I think in your
study it says that the residents wouldn’t be affected; there’s several residents in the area that will
be affected. So I don’t know whose study that was, obviously someone that doesn’t live in that
area. But there are residents that will be affected. And, you know, we put a lot of time and
money into building our place there and enjoying Moab; and to do a road like that right in our
backyard and down alongside our home would be devastating. Thank you.”
Kim Kirks: “Hi, this is Kim Kirks. I just was wondering if the pollutions have been addressed
and wildlife with that going through behind the neighborhood of Mountain View and McKay
Place?”
Written comments received before the meeting:
Tracy Martinez: “I was just made aware of the plans of a bypass behind Doc Allen Dr. and I am
writing in regards to how against this I am! I live on Doc Allen and if the City has so
conveniently forgotten that a sink hole formed under a house in my neighborhood and that
geological studies that were done on the hillside suggest the fragility of the soil in our area I can
pretty much bet that this bypass would not be a good idea for our neighborhood. Along with this
reason I can think of a hundred or more reasons NOT to do the bypass by our neighborhood, if
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October 30, 2020
you would like a list of those, I would be happy to provide, but trying to make this short and
sweet. This was brought up many years ago before they developed up here and it should have
been done then but It's too late now. I dislike the traffic as much as anyone but please take in the
consideration the people that live here all year long trying to raise a family and pay their taxes.”
Zach Raney: “I think the bypass would hurt the community more than help the traffic
congestion in Moab, this town is more popular than ever and I do not wish for us to squeeze
every penny out of it at locals expense. We should focus on advertising Moab less and look for
more sensible alternatives that decrease the amount of visitors we see annually. I co-own a
business in this town and the amount of demand we have seen has grown exponentially in the
past 5 years and it is absolutely unsustainable. We need to work towards common sense
alternatives that protect the Moab local -Zach”
Amy Walling: “I am writing you today in regards to the bypass being considered behind the Doc
Allen subdivision. I have included below, excepts from a State of Utah geological survey,
why this is not a good idea. The area of Doc Allen Drive and the Allen subdivision is geologically
mapped as predominately Quaternary younger alluvial fan deposits, with Triassic Chinle
Formation and Pennsylvanian Paradox Formation mapped at the northern end of the
subdivision. Subsequent geologic hazard mapping indicates portions of the Allen subdivision are
within an area for potentially expansive soil and rock or potentially expansive and gypsiferous
soil and rock. Up to four parallel traces of the Moab fault lie immediately west of the
subdivisions, with most of the traces covered by Quaternary deposits. “Fresh water was pumped
into a massive salt bed in the Moab Valley salt-cored anticline to produce brine from a second
well. The injection well was originally drilled for oil in 1943 and was recompleted as a brine well
in 1960. The boreholes, located in SWI/4SWI/4 section 1, T. 26 S., R. 21 E., reached the first salt
bed at a depth of 900 feet, but produced from another bed at an approximate depth of 2,000
feet. The brine contained about 310,000 parts per million (ppm) sodium chloride and 1,200
ppm calcium sulfate (Mayhew and Heylmun, 1965). Daily brine production in 1965 was between
400 and 3,000 barrels. Brine production forms large caverns in the salt beds. No one has any
idea of how deep and how wide the caverns may be. By building a bypass in this area with
CONSTANT motion during the construction and continually after, you are putting the entire
neighborhood at risk of sink hole damage. Is the City of Moab willing to take on this
responsibility? Is the City of Moab willing to ensure there will no issues to homes, roads and
other infrastructures in the area? In addition, from the same document from the State of Utah:
“Further building in the subdivision should be curtailed, until additional information is available
that indicates if building is possible with mitigation, or should be prohibited. Additional
development on the Paradox Formation (exposed at the ground surface) north of Huntridge
Drive will likely not be possible”. Consider your tax paying, hardworking citizens of Moab and
deal with the traffic IN ANOTHER WAY, NOT behind the Doc Allen subdivision. Sincerely,
Amy N. Walling”
Josephine Kovash: “Hello, I'm writing a comment for Citizens to be Heard during the joint
City/County meeting on Friday October 30th. As far as Hotspot funding goes, I look forward to
seeing how the three chosen options evolve and I am optimistic at the direction the committee
has taken. I want to reiterate the importance of green infrastructure with both downtown
parking and a Spanish Valley trail systems. I encourage the City and County to go above and
beyond in considering permaculture concepts and the expertise of local permaculture experts in
executing green infrastructure. Additionally, I want to reiterate the importance of people and
bike spaces, and encourage broader and more permanent parklets like the ones outside of 98
Center. On the topic of the bypass: I want a silver bullet to the problem of having an interstate
trucking corridor as a Main Street more than anyone, but I am simply not convinced
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October 30, 2020
that a bypass is it. From the numbers, it just seems that this is an extraordinary cost for such
little impact. And the potential negative impact on the Kane Creek residential neighborhood
feels like high stakes to gamble with as well--I do not understand the logic of routing traffic
which currently runs through a commercial corridor to instead route through residential
neighborhoods. I encourage the City and County to be more creative in their thinking. Perhaps
re-envision downtown and Main St. to strengthen commercial access for pedestrians and bikers
on car-less side streets and alleys and utilize vegetation on Main St. for sound dampening and
screening. Mitigate the use of 500 W as a Main St. detour through lower speed limits and green
infrastructure that might slow traffic down, deterring its use as a viable detour and making it
more bikeable and pedestrian friendly for people in that neighborhood. Strengthen public
transportation in the valley for visitors so that they don't feel the need to drive everywhere when
they stay here. I feel like there are smaller more holistic solutions out there to be found. I don't
think we can build our way out of this with the massive project of a bypass. If the numbers
showed a different outcome, such as half or more of the traffic currently downtown being re-
routed, then I could see re-visiting this idea. Thank you, Josie Kovash”
Elizabeth R. Bond: “We have just bought in Spanish Valley. I am returning to Moab and my
husband is a life-long California dweller. I have family on Plateau Circle, Murphy Lane, and in
the Holyoak subdivision. There is already semi-truck noise echoing around the larger Grand
Valley. As there has been since 1980 when I moved here the first time. Occupants of Doc Allen
Drive who have a NIMBY attitude are not looking at the community's needs. It is not a matter of
a few restaurants on Main Street wanting outdoor seating (although that is not a trivial matter) -
- we came into town late evening on Oct13th/2020 -- MIDWEEK. The backup was from before
Potash Road. It took us at least 40 minutes to get to Sage/Holyoak turnoff. If NIMBY on Doc
Allen wanted to retire to peace and quiet, they should have bought at Pack Creek Ranch or
Wilson Arch. For those of us who want to live in a vibrant and dynamic community: PLEASE
move forward on a bypass route that should have been enacted forty years ago. Thank you.”
Judy Powers: “I am very pleased with the Hot Spot recommendations for a shuttle, bike/walking
path from Spanish Valley and dispersed parking in the downtown area. All of those are
much needed. I am alarmed by the bypass plans. I am shocked by the predictions of the
increased traffic by 2030 and agree something needs to be "done". However these plans are
woefully inaccurate and ill-conceived. A highway could be a good solution but neither of these
plans enables the traffic to move unimpeded. There are many serious considerations including
the fact that neither of these plans create a flow. Both require stop lights, have left hand turns
and in general do NOT seem to do what is intended. In addition plan 1 D doesn't account for
crappy soil (there have been sink holes up there), serious noise bouncing off the walls all over
town and tunnels(?) Besides the fact that it is very close to the Mountain View Neighborhood
and ultimately dead ends right back on the hwy. There is no flow, meaning the ability to flow
without traffic lights and left hand turns. I am concerned about para-touring assuming that is
the people flying noisily over our valley. The sound starts way before they are overhead and
continues well after they are gone. It's bad enough that we are bombarded with UTV"S but from
the air as well? Egads. I may be too late for this but I'm not happy with the idea of buying new
homes at Walnut Lane. While the construction is being delayed there are lots of options for the
people living there to transfer to Cinema Court, MAPS, and other affordable housing. Buying
new units that cannot be moved and financed, AND will continue our affordable housing being
crappy trailers is frustrating. We need to be going in the opposite direction. Please reconsider
and work on getting the people living there now into other affordable housing situations.”
Brian Hays: “Hello, Please pave Rainbow Drive. This is a dirt road within city limits on the north
side of town. There has been a large increase in traffic with the new Preserve development
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October 30, 2020
going in over the last 5 years. The road is very dusty when it’s dry and muddy with precipitation.
The city passed increased taxes for road maintenance a few years ago. These funds should be
used for projects like this. Thank you.”
Lara Derasary: “I am completely opposed to Bypass Alternative 1A. I see no benefit to our
community in bisecting a neighborhood with a highway. Nor do I see benefits to reducing
congestion. Kane Creek is already more heavily trafficked than it was in the past, and I just see
this as a way to move Main Street traffic a few blocks west and out of sight of Main Street
businesses and into the front yards of residents. Moreover there will be a new traffic choke point
at Kane Creek and 191. It's dangerous enough as it is at this intersection with a cross-walk and
vehicle traffic coming in and out of McDonald's and the Brewery/Village Market parking lot.
Putting a bypass on this road would be irresponsible and negatively impact the residents in
these neighborhoods as well as community safety and quality of life in general. I am on the fence
on Alternative D and would need to be persuaded that adjacent residents approve this option
and by design. Again, I think this alternative will impact the adjacent neighborhood even with a
sound wall. It is preferable to Alternative A in that it doesn't bisect a neighborhood, and it gets
traffic further south. That said, I think for a bypass to be truly effective, it needs to get the truck
traffic south of the south town Shell station. I also worry about increased/amplified noise from
trucks closer to the rim, and I wonder about the geologic stability of Alternative D given the
Paradox formation that created the Moab Valley and the known presence of sink holes on the
west side of the Valley. Finally I have concerns for the cumulative impacts of both a new bridge
and additional traffic at the Portal, on river morphology, riparian health and the health of
wetland flora and fauna.”
Marcia Ewell: “I live on 500 West and have a rental with an elderly couple on my property as
well. We cannot go anywhere on a Sunday during the main fall or spring season and be able
to get back to our homes due to the long line of traffic blocking the roadway. Last Sunday, I
witnessed a fire truck traveling very fast northbound on 500 West in the southbound lane
running full code, lights and sirens, speeding past all the stopped vehicles that were blocking the
northbound traffic flow. I was a Law Enforcement Officer for 7 years and thought this was a very
dangerous situation. I am very concerned that my tenants, myself or my neighbors may have
difficulty in the future trying to get emergency services to our homes with the worsening traffic
gridlock. It is also a very dangerous situation for anyone north of town, in the parks, roads,
airport, camps, trails or river that might need emergency services with the current traffic
gridlock. I know there have been past deaths on main street due to the excessive traffic of locals,
tourists and truckers. I strongly support the construction of a bypass to connect S 191 via a
bridge to Potash Rd. I believe this will be a huge benefit to the town residents and businesses
and all vehicular traffic to have a bypass and will alleviate many of the traffic congestion and be
a safer situation for everyone in Moab. I also understand some homes may suffer some impact
to their quality of life from noise or fumes or other bypass related issues. I hope the Council will
do everything possible to mitigate the negatives for the few that might be impacted, but will
make the bypass happen for the sake of safety and quality of life of the overall community.”
Clint Ball: “Regarding the proposed highway bypass. Moab government seems to be intent upon
making this place unlivable for residents while giving it all away to visitors. I do not agree that
having two noisy, crowded, ugly, high speed (relative to residential streets) routes through town
is more desirable than just one. Too busy, too crowded, too loud, too much emphasis on persons
passing through and no emphasis on quality of life for those who choose to live here. Channeling
traffic though a commercial center makes good sense for both visitors and residents. Running
traffic through residential neighborhoods and open space is purely punishing those residents for
their choice of which small town they chose to live in.”
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October 30, 2020
Chelsea: “I have many concerns about a potential bypass and sent an email with more details.
My main concern is that a bypass would be detrimental to my neighborhood and would only be
beneficial to truckers. I do not believe it would solve our traffic issues, but regardless, I hope no
action will be taken until the highway widening is complete and we can see the benefits of that
project. The main thing I want to concentrate on with this comment is potential business loss if
a bypass does happen. While I don’t believe it would alleviate traffic issues or vehicle noise in
the valley in a large enough way to outweigh the overall impact of a bypass, as a Main Street
retail employee, I do notice people stopping and supporting local business who are otherwise
passing through. I am sure part of that is having available parking, which is not always a thing,
but it is something to note. It might be another way in which we lose with the construction of a
bypass.”
Christina Behling: “Hello Mayor and Council members, My name is Christina Behling and I am
a resident, taxpayer, voter, and 12 year homeowner of a house I built and live in on Doc Allen
drive. I am opposed to building the bypass in the Doc Allen neighborhood for multiple reasons.
This inherit problem is NOT through traffic, if it was Monticello would have the same problem.
It is people coming solely for Moab and then turning around and going back to S.L.C. and never
using this bypass. I believe that solutions for this are First, let's stop advertising Moab, the cat is
out of the bag, people know about us so let's stop adding fuel to the fire. Second, let's wait and
see if this huge and EXPENSIVE project North of town helps. We haven't even enjoyed the fruits
of its labor yet. Third, if need be take the parking off of Mainstreet and add another lane and
build parking garages. Having the highway above Doc Allen would amplify the sound that would
reverberate off the rock walls. Also, the light would bounce off the rim wall. Aren't we supposed
to be a Night Sky Community? This would not only effect the neighborhood nearby but make
everyone in Moab miserable. The Moab esthetics would be ruined especially for people who have
views of the rim. It would disturb the soil causing the area to become more prone to mudslides
and flooding. It would entomb our large, local, neighborhood in traffic with no reprieve. Locals
like myself, who have worked so hard in the community to buy a house would see their home
values significantly decrease. I will share my opinions with neighbors and friends to grow
opposition to this project. I would like to thank any council member that opposes this idea, you
will have my vote. Sincerely, Christina Behling”
Kaki Hunter: “Concerning development of a bypass around Moab: 1. Rather than investing in a a
bypass that will adversely affect neighborhoods I encourage the City and County to work with
the State in developing a rail transport system. Trucking is one of the least efficient ways to
transport goods. Getting trucks off the road and products onto rails is the next step toward
greening the US economy and lowering emissions. 2. Build more bike and pedestrian paths
throughout Grand County with public shuttles that take people to the trails. My observation is
that most traffic is from folks coming TO Moab not THROUGH Moab. I was stuck in traffic
returning to Moab from the north on 191 for 40 minutes late Sunday afternoon. There was not a
single semi-truck in the line backed up from the Potash turnoff to the bridge. Traffic was backed
up due to the stop light from the River Road. After vehicles got past the light all traffic moved
along fine even with the road still under construction. 3. Reduce congestion by limiting the
number of people allowed into the Sand Flats Recreation area. The Sand Flats area is getting
overused and abused. Require a permit for only as many users the landscape can support.
Require a reservation to to camp, and lastly it will come to the point as it has for all permitted
River Trips; a Lottery to get a permit. 4. Direct the Travel Council to promote Moab as a
pedestrian oriented community with an emphasis on exploring nature on foot or bicycle rather
than in an OHV. Do we need to spend TRT advertisement-allocated funds every year? Could
money be set aside for remediating the damage done from OHV abuse to trails? Instead of
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October 30, 2020
advertising adventure sports and OHV use could advertising focus on low impact/leave no trace
education? Thank you for reading my comments!”
Mark Olson: “Hello and thank you for taking my comment. I want to let you know that I am
adamantly against the two options the 2018 study proposed. Both would have significant
negative impacts to the mtn. view community which has over 100 hours. This would also be a
hug waste of money for no reason. We have traffic maybe 10 weekends a year, it is truly no big
deal. If it is a big deal let's do something. Let's get rid of parking on main from Grand Tire
Pro's/Sweet Cravings all the way to High Point. Let's get rid of left turns in the same spot. It
doesn't have to be all year either just March-June and Sept-Nov. Let's do the transportation hub
north of town with transit. Let's try a myriad of other cheaper, more environmentally friendly,
more in line with preserving a neighborhood for the people who live here. I live here, and I could
care less about sitting in traffic a little, as long as I can return to my house after and find peace.
Please stop this short-sighted plan.”
Lori Adams: “I am writing this letter to express my concerns over both of the bypass options
presented in the 2018 bypass study. My husband and I purchased a home on Doc Allen Drive in
2014. Although we are not full-time residents of Moab, we are recently retired and are spending
more and more time here. My concerns over the bypass are not just for myself and my
neighbors, but for all of Moab. My biggest concern is the noise that would be produced having a
bypass up against the rim. We all know that vehicle noise has been a big issue in Moab, and
semi-trucks traveling against the rim will add to the problem. Also, I believe that the visual
effect of the bypass would ruin part of the natural beauty that Moab offers both its residents and
visitors. In the introduction explaining the need for a bypass it states that a "bypass solution
must prioritize neighborhood integrity and character". I don't think that a bypass above Doc
Allen Drive, or on Kane Creek could have anything but negative effects on the neighborhoods.
Currently our neighborhood is very quiet and peaceful. That would not be the case with a bypass
above us. A solution that could be explored more is to move parking off of main street, and have
more lanes of traffic. Possibly some pedestrian bridges for crossing streets? Maybe we need to
wait and see how traffic flows after the construction is finished north of town. I know that traffic
is an issue, but I feel that there is a better and more creative solution that putting a bypass
through or near a residential neighborhood. Thank you for your time, Lori Adams”
Sheila Strahan: “In regulars to the proposed bypass road: I notice that the 2 options attached to
this agenda both include a bridge over the river to connect Kane Creek to Potash road and
agree that if a bypass road is the best solution to the traffic problems (I’m not convinced of this
yet), then an extra bridge is key to making it work. Between the two options, utilizing Kane
Creek Road as the bypass route is the better option - the infrastructure is already in place and if
widened and improved with traffic lights, it would serve the purpose proposed without having to
create a whole new road. I hope that the people studying this issue are considering some of the
alternatives that have been proposed (I don’t know what has been officially proposed, only what
I have heard from fellow citizens). For example, one suggestion I’ve heard: since the primary
traffic issues appear to happen at the same times each week and only during the ‘on season’
(Friday and Saturday evenings southbound into town and Sunday mornings/afternoons
northbound out of town), what about re-programming traffic lights during those times? I have
many friends who live on or near 5th west, and know that their lives are miserable during those
times right now - turning off the Light at 191 and 5th west on Sunday mornings would keep the
out of town travelers out of those neighborhoods and would allow those residents to move
around town in alternate ways instead of being stuck in their houses. There have been other
suggestions as well. I think it’s important to acknowledge that there are many issues cropping up
right now all related to the same thing: too many visitors. So, if our town decides they want to
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October 30, 2020
solve the traffic issues with a bypass, we need to make sure we know that it only makes sense to
spend that ton of money if we put in a second bridge; AND we need to realize that this will not
solve the other issues from too many visitors and may, in fact, make some of them worse . . .”
Valencia Miller: “As a resident of Doc Allen neighborhood, I respectively ask that these two
points are considered: 1. Table the Matter until 2025. In my humble opinion it would be best to
table the discussion of the US 191 By-Pass until the completion of the current US 191 Expansion
Project. In your document, Introduction to A Bypass Discussion, you mention that the 2018
analysis and proposal is currently being considered because “the traffic congestion Moab
experienced this fall is a compelling reason to look hard at this alternative concept today”. This
statement is very vague and in need of more explanation and exploration. Is it the construction
or volume of vehicles that is the cause of the congestion? What are the areas of congestion that
you are referring to? What day of the week and time of day are you referring to? It would just be
nice to know the answer to these questions before considering a project that you previously
deemed to be “excessive”. 2. Consider Restructuring Vehicular Traffic. I would like to suggest an
alternative to the possible $125 million dollar By-pass project. Since the US 191 is a very
important route for commerce and happens to be our current Main Street, I would like to
suggest that parking on Main Street is prohibited and those parking spaces be re-assigned as
lanes which would allow 3 lanes in each direction. If this was an agreeable implement then
parking would be limited to parking structures and side roads. Furthermore the semi-trucks
could have a designated lane to pass through town. In short, a by-pass bridge and tunnel
through residential areas is something that we should consider AFTER exploring and
implementing other methods of traffic control that we have available to us with far less expense
especially since it appears that we are considering to spend millions of dollars to save 2 to 5
minutes of our life at best. Thank you for the opportunity to share these thoughts, Valencia”
Jason Ramsdell: “I oppose any and all traffic bypass routes around the city of Moab; whether
tunneling through the cliffs, under Main Street, or “behind” Mountain View neighborhood.
Please keep all traffic (Including trucks) on 191. Neighborhoods in Moab, like Mountain View,
need a quite respite from unrelenting noise from traffic echoing off the cliffs to neighborhoods
below. The UTV noise and traffic problems in Moab are bad enough, and we don’t need more
traffic and noise with an expensive bypass. In addition, the BLM land behind Doc Allen Drive is
used my many locals for needed quite recreation such as hiking, dog walking, and mountain
biking. Yes there is noise and congestion on 191, but please keep it there and not in and around
our neighborhood sanctuaries. Thank you, Jason Ramsdell Huntridge Drive”
Liz Ballenger: “I was shocked and disappointed to see discussion of a Moab bypass on the
agenda yet again and am writing to express opposition to the ill-conceived options presented in
the 2018 study attached to this agenda item. I am extremely opposed to any bypass that would
negatively impact Moab valley neighborhoods, and I know many of you are as well. I truly want
to believe that you put the quality of life for we who elected you as your highest priority. But I
have to admit I question WHY, with all that is going on at this time and the Hell that is 2020,
would you choose to resurrect this highly contentious issue, seemingly out of the blue, now? And
WHY, if you do oppose bypass options that impact our neighborhoods, would you include the
2018 study as the only supporting documentation for this agenda item when it so obviously
impacts our neighborhoods?? The 2018 Study is highly questionable as it lacks any supporting
data and explanation for the conclusions presented. In any case, I’m very concerned that
by signing onto any resolution supporting a bypass scenario now, you will set us on the path
towards a very impactful future bypass. Let’s face it, while we all support the concept of a
magical bypass that gets semis off Main Street and reduces traffic, (another questionable
assumption, since we all know areas south of here have no traffic issues!) bypass options that
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October 30, 2020
won’t impact neighborhoods (i.e. tunnels) will ultimately be cost-prohibitive. A resolution
supporting a bypass now may set us on a path of more studies and planning that ultimately
conclude that surface options (such as those along Kane Creek Dr. or a trench behind Doc Allen
Dr.) are much, much cheaper. By this time, untold millions of dollars will have been spent in
decades-long study, planning, and momentum for this project. Do we really think UDOT and the
State will fork over billions of dollars for tunnel construction in little ‘ol Moab when they’ve
subjected residents on the Wasatch front to highway construction in their backyards?? This is
naïve thinking, and if you are truly opposed to a bypass that impacts our neighborhoods, then
stop this process now and focus your efforts on addressing the root causes of our traffic
problems that stem from unbridled industrial tourism. Thanks for all you do in supporting your
constituents and our community. Liz Ballenger”
Deborah Holyoak Martinez: “Deciding on the best “route” for a bypass without informing the
parties possibly effected is devious and wrong. Using COVID to move forward agendas without
the right to a face-to-face public meeting to hear and see all parties’ feelings/ideas is
unconstitutional. My family helped settle the Moab valley and all the city and state has done is
take that away. My grandfather had to take what was offered at pennies on the dollar for the
road through his property or loose it to the state/city years ago and now you are trying again.
You’re fine to support anyone that doesn’t stand in your way but mow over anyone who doesn’t
support your agendas. My family has paid taxes (HIGH taxes) for years so you could develop
and frivolously spend money in Moab and now you want to take the very hand that has fed you
from their hard work and ingenuity. You leave cities that are too congested and busy for a
quieter, beautiful area only to step on the toes of those who have made it what it is. If Bypass 1D
is chosen you will encounter Indian artifacts along that area that should be properly cared for
and maintained. Where do you think the rock in the Swanny City Park with the petroglyphs
came from? The full woven pot that sits in the museum and found in a cave 20 years ago? Many
arrow heads and grinding stones? My parent’s backyard, the very area you are looking to put a
Bypass through to accommodate the traffic that city officials pushed and pulled to bring here on
their own agendas. What about the wild life that continues to find its way to and from the river
along this route? Push it aside as well? You’re not okay with the swamps having a road but do
you realize the other wildlife that lives on and through the cliffs? When does the beauty, wildlife
and people that made Moab great from the beginning get put first before the tourists and
visitors in and through the town? How much is the city council and state willing to sacrifice to
the extent that Moab then loses its appeal and falls like the mining crash? As long as you place
the noise outside your “City Limits” it’s okay and you’ve done your job? Wake up and serve the
people you were elected to serve!”
Katherine Holyoak: “My name is Katherine F. Holyoak and I am addressing number 9, the
bypass in Moab. As a background, I live next to Knowles Furniture store and across from
Maverick and the big field. I live about 200 feet back from Highway 191. I have lived here about
50 years. 2 nights ago I found out the bypass would literally be within 50 feet of the steps of our
A & E Electric business!!! I don't need to tell you it has been an absolutely complete shock and
blow to the head to find out where this could be located. It would literally decimate our business
because we would no longer have access in any way, to use our business as we know it,
eliminating access for supply trucks and parking and access to the business! You have known
about these bypasses plans since May of 2018, the date on the plans. It would have been the
courteous thing to do to have at least contacted us to make us aware of this. These plans, in
FULL, have NOT been available to the public! I am absolutely shocked and surprised you did not
even consider going clear along the base of the cliffs and clear OUT of town with an exit by the
college and several other exists much further south. If you are truly forward thinking, for the
next 20 to 30 years, you will reconsider and not bring the route back into town at my place, it
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October 30, 2020
only bottle necks the traffic on the south end of town instead of the north! Consider the diesels
coming off my HILL and trying to STOP at a light OR if going around a curve onto 191 having to
STOP anyway at the light at 4th East just moments away. There would also be a bottle neck for
trucks coming into town trying to turn LEFT to get onto the bypass road. There would HAVE to
be a traffic light with a left turn arrow so they could get onto the bypass. Trucks and traffic
would be backed up, light to light, waiting to turn left onto the bypass. An arrow kind of signal
takes a long time to go through it's cycle, further stopping traffic on 191 IN TOWN going both
directions. Again I cannot conceive why you did not consider the route to truly go OUT of town,
merely get it off the 8 or 9 blocks of Main Street. I KNOW it would take more time and money
for another by pass study but I will tell you this, IF the bypass does go through my place, I know
in the not so distant future, someone else will have to go through what you are going through
now, to change even this route, to get the traffic truly OUT OF TOWN!”
Andrew Kubik: “Hello, I am a local business owner and resident of Doc Allen neighborhood and
I oppose the bypass as has been proposed. I believe this proposal is short sighted and nearly
ineffective by the time it would be finished in 5 plus years or so. I believe an effective bypass
would have to pass all of Moab AND Spanish Valley because Spanish Valley is rapidly
developing. I am also very concerned about the noise and light pollution this would cause not
just to the nearby neighborhoods but to all of the valley. This bypass being so close to the rock
walls would amplify all motor vehicle sounds and lights. Thank you for your time, Andrew
Kubik”
Dave Sakrison: “Let me begin by saying I totally agree in principal with the letter written Will
Holoman Moab Sun News Oct 29 which should be in and of itself grounds to regulate the use of
these vehicles. I would encourage you to read his article. We live on 300 South and in recent
years we have seen the increase use of these vehicles on our street. The noise that they create has
become intolerable, I would invite anyone of you to come and sit on my porch any weekday
during the height of tourist season and see for yourself. Besides the noise there is a total
disregard for the speed limit as they race up and down the street. Enough of the complaining,
how about some possible solutions. 1)Obviously enforcement of existing laws/ speed, licensing,
noise. 2) Education, owners of rental ATV's should have an obligation to inform and ask the
people they rent to, to obey the laws of the community and to show some respect for the
residents of Moab and Grand County. 3) Regulate through legislation the use of aftermarket
mufflers. 4) Traffic calming initiatives (bulb-outs, narrowing street width, roundabouts, better
signage. 5) Dedicated enforcement with severe penalties not just warnings. 6) Allowing residents
to construct noise abating barriers that exceed four feet on their property. 7) Obviously the
obstacle to addressing this issue is legislation on a state level, getting back local control of our
community. I have other suggestions that I would be willing to discuss. In closing you have a
tiger by the tail, you also have a petition with 2000 signatures and a bunch of silent citizens who
have had enough, I don't envy your position but now is the time to get control if you don't I am
afraid it will have detrimental effects not only to the residents but people that travel here to
experience this beautiful place, this place we call home. Respectfully, Dave Sakrison”
Ryan Taylor: “As a lifelong resident of Moab, the bypass seems like an expensive short-term
bandaid that will do very little to solve any of the problems long-term. The direction of growth
for Moab is to the south. Both Bypass plans will merge traffic right into what is becoming the
center of town. The environmental concerns, which will be significant, don't seem to have been
addressed, not to mention the detrimental effects to Moab's established long-term
neighborhoods.”
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October 30, 2020
Kelly Vagts: “Good Morning, I am writing in regard to the agenda item, on whether to draft a
resolution in support of a bypass. I would appreciate, if this was tabled until we have exhausted
other options. I, like others I speak to, am exhausted by the sheer volume of visitors and traffic
we have endured this fall. This is the first time, in my 16 years residing in Moab, that I've felt
this tension around tourism. We are a small valley and, in my opinion, have reached capacity. I
would like to see our elected officials support an end to advertising and overnight
accommodation growth. Where our numbers are currently at, our businesses are making money,
our residents are paying their bills, and now it is time to say this is the cap - no more growth in
the tourism industry. Last weekend I was able to escape the Moab madness and float down the
San Juan river, because of the graciousness of a friend who had a permit. He tried to extend the
permit and add people to it, but the numbers on the river were at their maximum so the trip
stayed as it was originally planned. I realized that even though the permits were all taken, we
only saw 3 other groups, and enjoyed an incredible wilderness experience. Why can't this be the
goal for our elected officials and our community? Why can't we say, no more tourism growth? If
the current hotels are full and campsites reserved, you will have to visit another time. The area
you are proposing is a sanctuary for my family and others in our neighborhood. Kids have forts
built and go sledding, our dogs get their runs in, and we neighbors pass each other on our
morning walks and make small chat - reminding ourselves why we choose to live in a small rural
community. We can no longer do this at Mill Creek. Please don't make this another area we have
to say good-bye to because of unregulated tourism growth. Please, find another way, and put the
bypass idea to rest once and for all.”
Mr. Marc Thomas: “Case studies show that bypasses often fail to resolve the congestion they’re
designed to avoid and the environment and neighborhoods lose big in the long run. Fortunately,
just like setting up this Hotspot Committee to propose alternatives to a downtown parking
garage, there are better solutions to our traffic problems. Please set aside the time to determine
the true cause of our congestion, such as poorly timed lights, local traffic with no alternatives
and tourism growth. With that understanding in place, a suitcase full of improvements can be
developed to provide long-term traffic relief, including, among others: Improving local road
networks near or parallel to Main Street; Adding turn lanes; Improving transit options; Limiting
parking on Main Street; Optimizing traffic signal timing. Let's not spend hundreds of millions or
billions of dollars on degrading neighborhoods or bulldozing the landscapes that make Grand
County special. By moving beyond a bypass as a knee-jerk reaction to congestion, our councils,
with the help of experts, can develop more effective responses to the traffic problems we're
encountering while at the same protecting our neighborhoods and our environment.”
Nichole Taylor: “These bypass plans are going to create more problems than they solve. First,
there’s the sound problem. Every time fireworks go off or a thunderstorm rolls in, the sound
echoes off of the cliff face and bounces back down into the Moab neighborhoods. Putting more
traffic up there is only going to make Moab’s sound problems worse. Second, Huntridge, Doc
Allen, And Mountain View are residential areas. We already have a problem with traffic being
diverted into those areas. They used to be amazing neighborhoods, but now I can’t let my kids
play in front of my house because of the traffic and people who are filtering in. Diverting more
traffic into an entire area of residential is going to ruin what we love about our neighborhoods.
Third, this is only going to create an even bigger traffic jam in front of Maverick as traffic will
have to merge with what will soon be the middle of town. This won’t solve the traffic problem.
The people aren’t coming to Moab just to bypass Moab for another town. They are coming here
to be in Moab. The diesels have to stop here to make their deliveries. The traffic will still stop
here for the university. The tourists will stop here for the hotels and restaurants. Diverting the
traffic into residential neighborhoods won’t change that. It’ll just make things harder for those
of us who live here.”
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October 30, 2020
Karen Tremaine: “Comments item 9: Potential Bypass I am not in favor of constructing a bypass
as a possible solution to traffic congestion for the following reasons: 1. Reviewing the 2018 Study
results it appears to be a very expensive solution with significant detriment to neighborhoods
and surrounding landscape yet does not address what I see to be the actual problem. The
bypass, as indicated in the study, is really about predominately moving commercial trucks
around Main Street accounting for 36% of total traffic. Trucks move efficiently through town.
The problem is the remaining 64% of traffic, mostly attributed to growing tourism. The times I
have been in traffic north of town, mostly due to the current road work, the vehicles are
comprised of out of state cars, RV’s, ATV trailers, fifth wheels all heading to campgrounds and
downtown hotels
and shops for the most part. Comparatively few trucks. 2. Peak tourism, basically the cause of
the downtown congestion, is 5 months of the year- March through May and September through
October. Investing 125M (plus another 125M for a tunnel) to divert a few trucks, really only
necessary in the Fall and Spring, is saving a visitor 3 minutes to get to Arches with a significant
decrease in quality of life for residents of Moab. 3. Moab officials have continually put the
growth of tourism before the quality of life of the locals and this is another example. A bypass
will not only not solve the problem but destroy open space locals enjoy and the pipe dream trail
(Alt 1D), increase total traffic noise significantly as now you will have two highways through
town and neighborhoods with noise echoing off the rim, create an ugly eyesore with a bridge at
the river confluence; a view most people enjoy from various rims, and create a highway on
Potash where camping, climbing, road cycling is enjoyed. In conclusion, I ask you to consider
who is actually benefiting from this visitors or locals and at what expense to our quality of life.
Also, to consider are you really solving the problem by building a bypass. The congestion is not
the trucks but vehicles, large RV’s, etc.. trying to park and shop. Could money and energy be
better spent by addressing Main Street flow and parking or a pedestrian retail area to pull traffic
off of Main as is being considered in Steamboat Springs where I moved her from. Thank you.”
Michael McCue: “Dear Council and Commission members, I support the Moab Bypass Concept
1D. I live in the City of Moab as a full time resident and homeowner. I looked at a map of Moab
before we purchased our home, and since that time it has seemed obvious where a bypass will
inevitably be located. Moab is a bottleneck on one of very few arterial roadways in the region.
Resistance is futile. Traffic density will continue to increase and negatively impact the quality of
life in Moab. It seems irresponsible to procrastinate any longer. Moab citizens are reliant on
leadership to provide for the future needs of the populace. Please move forward with the bypass
project.”
Michael Wolfe: “Councilmembers and Commissioners, I'm writing to urge you to vote against
any resolution in support of a highway bypass. This is a ridiculous idea in 2020. I live at 228
Aspen Ave so I am well aware of how a potential by-pass could affect my family and my self’s
quality of life. A little bit of history is needed here. UDOT, who has the expertise and knowledge
of how to predict future needs and manage traffic congestion, offered the City of Moab an option
of exploring the possibility of building a bypass of downtown for Highway 191 back over 25 years
ago? Because they saw the writing on the wall that in the future traffic congestion would be a big
problem. The route they were proposing was where the present Doc Allen neighborhood is
located. The city fathers and local businesses at that time said no way, we want all traffic to come
down main street. At that time a major obstacle in design of such a by-pass was the challenge of
relocating three underground pipelines and several high voltage power lines. Since then the city
permitted the construction of houses on Doc Allen drive, in a geologically unstable area. The
Moab fault underlies this area, large rocks and debris constantly fall and wash down from the
escarpment above. When this subdivision was permitted the city also waived the existing
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October 30, 2020
requirements for road access to be spread out over multiple entries, and thus directed all the
traffic down Aspen Ave to Kane Creek Dr. instead of having the developer construct access roads
over the top of the buried pipelines at each existing side road. I have to live with that additional
traffic coming down my street. That was a bad decision but made to facilitate a land developer
and build more houses, despite the zoning rules that were in place at the time. Michael Wolfe,
228 Aspen Ave, Moab, UT 84532”
Gia McCue: “Greetings, I support the Moab Bypass Concept 1D. I am a homeowner in the city of
Moab and live here full time. I have heard claims that a bypass is intended to benefit downtown
business owners to the detriment of residents. As a homeowner and resident with no business
interest downtown I would like to explain that I welcome the bypass, and the relief it will
provide. I think the bypass will be a benefit to all the people that want to enjoy our downtown as
well as anyone that would prefer to pass it by. I think the bypass is inevitable and long overdue.
Please resolve to support the bypass proposal. Thank you.”
Cynthia Barnes: “I am writing to express my strong opposition to the bypass alternatives that
are proposed that will directly affect the Mountain View neighborhood. As a Moab resident I
worked multiple jobs so I could fulfill the dream of having my first home. Over the years since I
purchased my first house on Mountain View, I've poured so much time and love into it to turn it
into my dream and escape from the (more often than not) hustle and bustle of Moab. Although
family obligations have recently taken me away temporarily, I am disheartened to learn that the
proposition has come up yet again, and I am adamant that either alternative proposed would
drastically affect the quality of life established for any residents in our neighborhood. My
concerns are that it would be an enormous cost and would not result in what supporters of the
bypass believe would happen. Traffic congestion has become a contentious point for Moab locals
but yet not for those towns south of Moab. So, this begs the question what good will a bypass do
if the traffic in question is Moab targeted anyways? I do agree that a portion of the traffic does
probably continue south but realistically the majority is headed to Moab. If a bypass were
approved and completed, after millions of dollars are spent, Moab residents and families are
angered and disheartened, and homes are no longer cherished, is the 5-7 minutes less really
worth it? Another concern is the study itself and the accuracy of the findings. At what time of
year was the study performed? What day? And was each vehicle that was counted asked where
they were going? Was there any construction? Obviously, any construction greatly impacts
traffic flow anywhere, so the validity of the findings then and even now would not reflect normal
traffic flow. In conclusion, I urge the city council and county officials to look into mindful ways
to improve the traffic situation, find and deal with the source. I understand that Moab is a
tourist town and relies heavily on the tourism industry, which I have worked in in the past.
However, if continued development of large-scale accommodations and national marketing
campaigns continue, I believe the traffic situation will increase and continue to be an issue.
When your sink is flooding you don't just divert the water, you try to turn the faucet down.
Thank you for your time and I am hopeful you will agree this bypass option is not in the best
interest of Moab residents that you serve.”
Emily Stock: “Last week, with all the stressful issues going on right now, I thought to myself,
“Well, at least we’re not still talking about a bypass.” Here we are, bringing up this contentious
issue when time and time again there has been widespread public opposition. The timing
honestly feels manipulative; everyone is stressed about traffic because of the construction and
noise from UTV’s, not to mention COVID and national politics. People want real solutions,
which means we need to look to the root of our congestion problems. The idea of a bypass is a
misguided direction for solutions. We cannot build ourselves out of congestion. Studies show
this. We can’t build more highways in the hopes of a quieter downtown. We will simply hear the
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October 30, 2020
roar of high-speed truck traffic over the river (even if we were able to pull of this billion-dollar
tunnel) in addition to 191 highway noise and UTV noise. Also, who would we be doing this for?
The major benefactor would be the trucking industry. Downtown will continue to be busy,
because we are beyond our tourism capacity and that is what causes 90% of the traffic. If we
want to think solutions, we need to focus on our noise ordinance and be thinking about how we
can effectively manage the continual onslaught of too many tourists. A bypass won’t help us
improve the character of our town; it will make it feel busier. The bottom line for me is that we
will end up doing the most feasible route in the end if we support this resolution now, which
means that it will end up going through a neighborhood. Once studies have started and the
momentum of looking into the bypass starts, there will be enormous pressure to move forward
with something, and that something will end up being Kane Creek. Let’s not waste time, money,
and energy on this pipedream. Let’s do the work to find real and lasting solutions to our
problems of diminishing quality of life for our residents. Thanks for your consideration.”
Nate Rydman: “Good day, My comments are regarding the bypass discussion. The concerns that
come to my mind are; UDOT’s mission on this is primarily to get trucks and traffic
around/through town, preferably at highway speeds with minimal disruption to their travel, and
not our community’s well-being. This means regardless of where the bypass is routed, we will
have greatly increased the noise level due to trucks/traffic at high power settings trying to
maintain speed going up the hill to the south and engine breaks being used to control speed
coming the other direction. We know town is noisy now... Wait until then. Routing this bypass,
as I know you are aware is a horrible issue. Nobody wants it through their neighborhood and our
valley being small, and full, leaves no options. Discussions of using Kane creek or 500W (or
anywhere else for that matter) for unobstructed higher speed flow through traffic greatly
reduces the quality of life in those neighborhoods. New through roads through towns creates
divisions in a community- it creates a place called “the other side of the tracks” or the like. We
don’t need that kind of division in our community. Right now, Main Street is a huge hassle. But
we should not sacrifice what quality of life we have by increasing noise, disrupting
neighborhoods, for the travelers who aren’t going to stay anyway.”
Constance Brichford: “Councilmembers and Commissioners, I'm writing to urge you to vote
against any resolution in support of a highway bypass. I am aware of our traffic issues and how
they have been pushed to a crisis point this fall, and am as frustrated by them as anyone else
who had the pleasure of sitting in that backup north of town. But a bypass is not the answer.
First, a bypass, will not actually solve the root cause of our traffic woes, which is overuse.
Second, regardless of whatever caveats you might attach to this resolution, once approval for a
bypass is secured, any bypass that is actually constructed will inevitably run through the
Mountain View neighborhood, my neighborhood, either above Doc Allen or via Kane Creek, (1A
and 1D as described in the 2018 study attached to today's agenda.) The proposed tunnel is
completely unworkable. Permission and funding for this project will need to involve city, county,
state and federal agencies, and it is naive at best to think that once these multiple stakeholders
are involved, they will gladly hand over control of this multi-billion-dollar project to the Moab
City Council, the only entity who is directly accountable to Moab constituents. UDOT and the
FHWA will reasonably look at the bottom line and conclude that a tunnel is far too costly.
There's no reason to believe they would heed local objections once the project is underway. (In
fact, we need look no further than the Wasatch Front to find precedent for UDOT pushing
forward despite public outcry and building highways adjacent to neighborhoods.) Any resolution
in favor of a bypass, regardless of what caveats you may add to it, is a resolution that will open
the door to a bypass through residential neighborhoods, whether it is my neighborhood, or my
friends' neighborhood across town. Again, to believe otherwise is at best naive, and at worst, the
type of cold, calculated maneuvering that shatters faith in local governments. If you are truly
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October 30, 2020
committed to preventing "a negative impact on any residential neighborhoods" please vote
against this resolution. There are better, less destructive ways out there to find a solution to the
very real traffic problems we face, and I'm confident that if we turn our energy and resources
there, we can find them. Thank you very much for your time, consideration, and the work you do
for this community. Thanks again, Constance Brichford 777 Mountain View Drive”
Ryan Steenson: “I'm a little confused as to why this is coming up as an option again but I would
like to voice my opposition to either bypass options outlined in the draft plan. I am a permanent
resident of Mountain View Drive and mainly would be concern about the noise either option
would create. Information from a UDOT study says moving traffic from downtown to the bypass
would remove the noise of between 70,000 and 112,000 cars DAILY! If this is in fact an accurate
representation of noise volumes, I would hate to see our neighborhood heavily impacted for the
benefit of downtown commerce and ambiance. That being said I know a fellow neighbor
commented in a council meeting in 2018 that there is the same number of trucks going through
Monticello as Moab and they don't have a traffic problem. People, and more accurately tourist,
are most likely the main cause of traffic congestion. It is mentioned a couple times in a Times
Independent article from a couple years ago that “universal local support is key” to the
development of this plan and I know I'm not alone in opposition to this. Furthermore, if local
support is so important, I would like to see creation of a formal public opinion poll on whether
the community fully supports the specific plan of a bypass near the Mountain View
neighborhood. I'm all for alleviating traffic congestion to make Moab safer and more efficient
but the plans and ideas I've seen surrounding the bypass don't seem to accomplish this goal. I
appreciate your time and consideration of my thoughts on this matter”
Randall W. Fox: “Please consider changing all bike paths within the city and county from eBike
(electrically assisted bicycles) exclusion to a posted 15 mph speed limit. This is how many
municipalities across the nation control eBike usage, and most of the current illegal eBike/path
users are visitors who probably have only speed restrictions back home. Also, a 15-mph speed
limit on bike paths corresponds with the new 15 mph speed limit for UTVs on city streets. Thank
you.”
Bruce Hucko: “Grand County Commission, Moab City Council: Thursday October 29 re: Friday's
dual meeting and the "bypass" discussion. You have to know that when you state or write
"bypass" around Moab it gets people riled up. It's an emotional issue that speaks to the core of
the Moab community and it's in that vein that I write. I have written to the city and county on
this subject every time it's come up. I have listed personal reasons why a bypass should never be.
I have offered arguments to alternatives in various proposals and have stated common sense
and technical reasons why a bypass is not the answer to our problems. The subject has been
around for over 30 years and every time it's been presented it's been dismissed, voted down,
turned away and denied. Every time. Seeing that it's on the agenda AGAIN came as a surprise
and has created quite a concern. That Mayor Neihaus and Commissioner Wells are presenting
this together creates a host of questions (few of them good) and makes a bunch of us nervous
and suspicious. We find this action at this hour, in these very trying COVID times, and on the
cusp of probably the most important national election in our nation's history (as well as
important local elections) to be extremely disingenuous. Folks are preparing for Halloween with
their families. Others are out hunting. Some are probably replacing Monday's frozen pipes.
We're all quite anxious about the presidential election and what will happen across this country
no matter which way it goes. There are lots of pressing issues to distract us all right now.
This move, whatever it's motivation, does not create much trust in them as individuals nor in
the governing bodies they represent, and I'm sorry, but this includes you. What are they
concocting and why? Why do they seem to be pushing the bypass and bypassing the public? Do I
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October 30, 2020
sound paranoid? You bet I probably do. I have good reason. I live here. I purchased my home at
from Ralph Miller in 1989. I have made Moab my home and have dedicated the last 13 years to
working at HMK as the "Art Coach!" I am not passing through, or here to reap profits from the
tourist economy, especially in a way that may sacrifice the quality of life that I and many
residents enjoy here. The construction and use of any bypass in this area would destroy the very
character of the place. As it is, I already hear every football game with the play by play bouncing
off the cliffs and into my backyard. And I'm not a football fan. The noise would be terrible, not
only for those of us in Mountain View, but for the whole of town. The cliffs act like speakers. I'm
pretty sure that a bypass in this area would devalue my property and that of my neighbors and
that is why we've already discussed organizing a class action lawsuit on the city and county
should that happen. In an email response to Mark Olson (Oct 28, 2020. 9:22 AM) Mayor
Neihaus wrote "I do not support any bypass option that increases noise or traffic in any of our
residential neighborhoods. I will always place our residential quality of life over a reduction in
truck travel time." By their very nature bypasses increase noise and traffic. The two forwarded
alternatives in the 2018 Bypass Study involve at least one residential area. That being the case,
and if the mayor's words are true, why are we entertaining discussing a bypass? As before, the
thought of a bypass, stirs my gut perhaps more than most other development schemes hatched
by private individuals or local government. I am opposed to any sort of bypass in the valley and
especially in the Mountain View area. I am most certainly opposed to the city and county signing
any sort of resolution or agreement that would give promoters of this most seriously flawed idea
any legal standing in the future. My first suggestion to you, the two governing bodies meeting
together, is to 1) kindly ask Mayor Neihaus and Commission Wells to remove the agenda item
and should they not 2) take a vote as a double-body to remove the item from the agenda
and should you not 3) entertain their proposal, but do not agree to or sign a single thing! Your
constituents need in on this. From the start and at every turn. There should be public hearings . .
. again. Information meetings . . . again. There should be time to re-access and process what is
really being considered. The accompanying packet is greatly flawed. Given adequate time I'd be
happy to list them. Very little in the packet really addresses the congestion issue. It's about
moving trucks out of downtown Moab. Monticello sees pretty much the same truck going
through their town and they don't have a downtown traffic problem. Our downtown traffic
problem comes from the many tourists we attract to Moab (I'm all for really downsizing the
Travel Council ad budget, people know where Moab is!) and the fact that they spend a good deal
of time driving short distances up and down main street and then back and forth across main
street. THAT's where the congestion is! Besides, the 2018 Moab Bypass Study Findings suggests
that there are only two alternatives to the congestion problem. There are more. No bypass. Place
the bypass on the EAST SIDE of town. As a local rancher told me, "It's just plain stupid to build
on the high side of a ditch!". And that's what the area behind Mountain View is. Reduce
congestion in downtown Moab by reducing tourism to levels that we can maintain without
sacrificing the integrity and quality of life in our community. We're at that point right now.
Another rub to that document is that there's a section for Benefits but not one for Issues and
Problems (or whatever you want to call it). The final rub. Late last night there was word that
changes had been made to the cover letter being presented to you by the Mayor Neihaus and
Commissioner Wells. First, they get on the agenda and then they decide to write a cover letter
explaining their actions and now last-minute changes. This does not appear transparent at all.
If you really think that a bypass is an important topic, then open it up to the community. Let's
review all of the studies that have been done including those before this flimsy 2018 job. Yes, it
means rehashing lots of things, but if it's really important and not something that's being
pushed forward for the sake of tourism, then let's put all the cards on the table, again, and see
what happens. To do anything else is just plain . . . well, you know. Thanks for listening. Yes, I'm
riled up. Bruce Hucko”
23:18
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October 30, 2020
Presentation of Arches Hotspot Region Coordinating Committee Public
Engagement Efforts – Lisa Church
Communications and Engagement Manager Church reviewed the public engagement efforts for
the Hotspot Committee. There was a discussion regarding the results of the second survey.
Mayor Niehaus thanked the Committee for their work.
32:42
Presentation of Concept Package and Transportation Project Prioritization List –
Commissioner Curtis Wells and Carly Castle
Commissioner Wells thanked City staff for the public engagement efforts. He provided a brief
overview of the potential projects. Commission Chair McGann read the following letter of
gratitude: “Dear UDOT staff and members of the Utah Transportation Commission, The Grand
County Commission, City of Moab Mayor and City Council, and Arches Hotspot Region
Coordinating Committee would like to express our sincerest gratitude and appreciation to the
state transportation commission and to UDOT for the tremendous opportunity to participate in
the regional hotspot program established by senate bill 277 in 2017. The community is especially
grateful for Utah’s generous and professionalism while the Arches Hotspot Regional
Coordinating Committee has spent the past 8 months and 12 public meetings developing this
concept package for your consideration. While the discussion has been lively at times, the
regional hotspot program has provided a unique platform for our residents and businesses to
contribute invaluable input and creative thoughts towards transportation issues and ideas in the
Moab area. The projects now before you are a unique combination of basic, essential, and direct
solutions, as well as innovative forward-thinking concepts that have the potential for growth and
evolution over time. Together, this suite of projects accomplished the legislative mandate
outlined in Senate Bill 277: reducing congestion, supporting economic development, and
increasing recreational and tourism opportunities. The Moab community appreciates not only
the opportunity presented by the regional hotspot program, but also the history of
transportation infrastructure investment made by UDOT, the transportation commission, and
the Utah Legislature into Southeastern Utah. Projects, such as the current North US-191 Main
Street widening, the lane and shoulder additions to the highway spanning from Crescent
Junction to the Colorado River, the improvements to Main Street and Moab downtown corridor,
the Mill Creek Parkway reconstructions, and the approval for a roundabout off of 100 West.
Your partnership in the Pack Creek bridge widening and your investment in this area’s regional
transportation plan have been invaluable to improving the quality of life for residents and
enriching the experience for those visiting the Moab region. Grand County and the City of Moab
are extremely grateful for the opportunity to present this concept package to UDOT and the
Transportation Commission. And this community appreciates your considerations for our
proposal. We look forward to continuing our partnership as these projects move forward.
Sincerely, Emily Niehaus, Mayor of Moab, Mary McGann, Grand County Commission Chair,
Curtis Wells, Arches Hotspot Regional Coordinating Committee Chair and member of Grand
County Commission”
Mayor Niehaus thanked UDOT for everything they have done. Commissioner Wells thanked the
Committee members for all of their efforts. Councilmember Duncan thanked Matt Hancock for
sharing the idea of double median parking.
There was a discussion about Fehr & Peers’ assistance with the transit pilot program.
Councilmember Knuteson-Boyd requested more clarity in the Fehr & Peers proposal. Assistant
City Manager Castle said the intent is to have a turnkey-ready RFP by the end of this process.
Commissioner Clapper inquired if the proposal from Fehr & Peers will have a hotel hopper or a
valley-wide shuttle system. UDOT Region 4 Deputy Director Aldridge explained the difference
between transit and shuttle systems.
Page 19 of 20
October 30, 2020
There was discussion about green infrastructure and ADA parking spots regarding the dispersed
parking project. Commissioner Woytek said the idea of retrofitting would be important for the
multi-use path and dispersed parking projects. Councilmember Guzman-Newton said the focus
is on a complete streets approach that emphasizes multi-modality. Councilmember Derasary
said the shade issue is a safety issue. Councilmember Jones said shade is also an economic
development focus. Commissioner Clapper said there could be potential for people to adopt a
median to take on those landscaping efforts in the future.
Councilmember Knuteson-Boyd inquired about the responsibility for the maintenance of the
shared-use path. Commissioner Clapper said it is worth designing a low maintenance/low cost
sort of path. He added that the project has been identified and prioritized through the Grand
County Active Transportation and Trails Department.
Assistant City Manager Castle reviewed the Hotspot criteria and the project ranking results.
There was discussion about the interpretation of the results, the focus on congestion relief, and
transportation planning.
Councilmember Derasary inquired about who determines if the transit shuttle system is healthy
and viable at the conclusion of the first three years. There was a discussion regarding grant
funding for years four and five. There was a discussion about other ways to fund the transit
shuttle system as well.
1:42:36
Action to Approve the Arches Hotspot Region Coordinating Committee’s
Recommended Transportation Project Concept Package and Prioritization List –
Commissioner Curtis Wells
City Motion: Councilmember Duncan moved to approve the Arches Hotspot Region
Coordinating Committee’s recommended transportation project concept package and
prioritization list. Councilmember Guzman-Newton seconded the motion.
City Vote: Motion passed 4-1 with Councilmembers Duncan, Guzman-Newton, Derasary, and
Jones voting aye. Councilmember Knuteson-Boyd voted no.
County Motion: Commissioner Wells moved to approve the Arches Hotspot Region
Coordinating Committee’s recommended transportation project concept package and
prioritization list. Commissioner Clapper seconded the motion.
County Discussion: Commissioner Clapper thanked Commissioner Wells for doing a great
job as the Committee Chair.
County Vote: Motion passed 5-0 with Commissioners Wells, Woytek, Clapper, McGann, and
Hawks voting aye.
1:48:54
Discussion Regarding Resolutions Committing to Funding Years Four and Five of
the Transit Shuttle Pilot Project – Commissioner Curtis Wells
Assistant City Manager Castle reviewed the potential timeline to commit to funding years four
and five of the transit shuttle pilot project. Mayor Niehaus said that, by approving the concept
package, it is implicit that City and County staff should move forward with preparing a
resolution if this project is selected.
1:51:39
Discussion of Potential Resolution in Support of a Bypass – Mayor Emily
Niehaus and Commissioner Curtis Wells
Mayor Niehaus said the point of this agenda item is because the two bodies are discussing
congestion relief. She reviewed the next steps for support of a bypass. Commissioner Wells
provided background on the bypass discussions from 2017. He said both entities need to be in
Page 20 of 20
October 30, 2020
support of a bypass in order to move forward with discussion and public engagement. He said
the increasing traffic on Highway 191 will continue to grow, and there needs to be a direct
solution.
Councilmember Knuteson-Boyd said the concepts are not bypasses because they do not bypass
the town. Mayor Niehaus confirmed that Councilmember Knuteson-Boyd does not want to
move forward with a public hearing process.
Councilmembers Derasary and Guzman-Newton said they were upset to see the bypass agenda
item on this meeting, because this meeting should have focused on the Committee’s work and
the findings of their research. Councilmember Guzman-Newton said congestion and the
environmental impacts are critical; however, she does not support a bypass going through a
neighborhood. Councilmember Duncan said he felt sideswiped by this agenda item. He said the
two proposals presented by UDOT were not acceptable to the neighborhood or the town. He said
a bypass tunnel underneath the West edge of the rim would not be feasible for many reasons. He
said he would vote no to a public hearing.
Commissioner Clapper said the regional transportation planning process has discussed a bypass
among other options. He said he does not support moving forward with any public hearings.
Commission Chair McGann said there are other ways to address pedestrian safety besides a
bypass. Councilmember Jones said he is not in favor of pursuing this proposal or a public
hearing. Commissioner Hawks said she is in favor of keeping options on the table, and that a full
conversation with the community could provide different feedback.
Commissioner Wells clarified that neither the City Council nor the County Commission ever
voted on this issue. He said this discussion was important to tie up a loose end.
Councilmember Derasary said that, until the majority of our residents say they want a bypass,
particularly those most impacted by its location, she will not support it. She said the City has
had a communication reputation problem, and this agenda item did not help that issue. She said
she cannot consciously defend spending so much money to prioritize automobiles over other
human needs. She described residents’ concerns from the comments she received.
Committee Member Shannon said this topic is very polarizing for people, and it will take a lot of
time and energy to sort through it. Commissioner Woytek said he does not support the concept.
He added that entertaining the concept sends a message that we are prioritizing this
unsustainable growth trend over the quality of life of our residents. He said the regional
transportation plan has a survey online right now so residents can provide input on the valley’s
long-term transportation plan. County Attorney Sloan said UDOT does not have funds for this
project, and the community has made it clear that this is not where they want to focus our
efforts with the legislature for funding.
Commissioner Hawks said there has not been a true conversation with the constituents
regarding a bypass. She said she does not support the bypasses as presented, but she would like
to keep the options open for the distant future. Councilmember Guzman-Newton agreed that the
options presented are not acceptable, but many residents are in support of a bypass.
2:26:21
Adjournment: Councilmember Jones moved to adjourn the meeting. Councilmember
Derasary seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously with Councilmembers
Derasary, Guzman-Newton, Jones, Duncan, and Knuteson-Boyd voting aye. Mayor Niehaus
adjourned the meeting at 2:59 PM.
Page 1 of 1
September 17, 2020
MOAB CITY COUNCIL MINUTES
SPECIAL MEETING
NOVEMBER 4, 2020
The Moab City Council held a Special City Council Meeting on the above date. Consistent with
provisions of the Utah Open and Public Meetings Act, Utah Code Ann. § 54-2-207(4), the Moab
City Council Chair has issued written determinations supporting the decision to convene
electronic meetings of the Council without a physical anchor location. Due to the health and
safety risks related to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and considering public health orders
limiting in-person gatherings, the Moab City Council will continue to hold meetings by
electronic means. An audio recording of the meeting is archived at
https://www.utah.gov/pmn/index.html. A video recording is archived at
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xldaEFmfGeA.
Special Meeting—Call to Order and Attendance: Mayor Niehaus called the Special City
Council Meeting to order at 6:02 p.m. Participating remotely were Councilmembers Karen
Guzman-Newton, Kalen Jones, Mike Duncan, Rani Derasary, and Tawny Knuteson-Boyd. City
staff participating remotely were City Manager Joel Linares, Assistant City Manager Carly
Castle, City Attorney Laurie Simonson, Senior Projects Manager Kaitlin Myers, and City
Recorder Sommar Johnson.
Walnut Lane Financing Options
Senior Projects Manager Kaitlin Myers provided an overview of two possible options for
developing the Walnut Lane site, timelines for development and phasing, and site development
costs. 2:26
Discussion: Councilmembers asked questions about differences between stick-built, and
modular construction, phasing and traffic flow, cost per square foot amounts for buildings, and
rental income rates and projections. 27:00
Informal Approval: Councilmembers generally agreed to move forward with option “A” to
develop the site as well as potentially awarding a bid at the next City Council meeting. 1:18:22
Adjournment: Councilmember Duncan moved to adjourn the meeting. Councilmember Jones
seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously. Mayor Niehaus adjourned the meeting
at 7:45 p.m.
APPROVED: __________________ ATTEST: ___________________
Emily S. Niehaus, Mayor Sommar Johnson, City Recorder
Estimated Project Schedule 2020
SFWSSFWSSFWSSFWSSFWSSFWSSF
ENTITLEMENTS & DESIGN
Master Planning
Site Plan
Building Permit
Site Plan Phase 1
CONSTRUCTION** Phase A
Phase 1 - Mod 8 6 Months
Phase 2 - Apartments - 24 21 Months
Phase 3 - Mods 18 13 Months
Phase 3 - Apartments - 30 24 Months
Project Completion
* All dates listed below are intended for estimation purposes only.
20262021 2022 2023 2024 2025
Total Project Cost Estimate
PAD - Phasing Estimate Building Site
Phase Type Count SqFt Total Sq Ft Parking Cost Sq Ft Cost Sq Ft $$ Cost
1 Duplex, 2BR 8 672 5,376 16 210.17$ 78.89$ 1,499,191.16$
2 Apt, 1 12 500 6,000 12 150.00$ 47.33$ 1,183,992.97$
Apt, 2 12 750 9,000 18 150.00$ 47.33$ 1,775,989.45$
Storage Units 10 80 800 20.00$ -$ 16,000.00$
3 Apt, 1 16 500 8,000 16 150.00$ 47.33$ 1,578,657.29$
Apt, 2 14 750 10,500 21 150.00$ 47.33$ 2,071,987.69$
Duplex, 2 8 675 5,400 16 150.00$ 47.33$ 1,065,593.67$
Townhome, 3 10 1,200 12,000 20 150.00$ 47.33$ 2,367,985.93$
Storage Units 40 80 3,200 20.00$ -$ 64,000.00$
Total 80 60,276 119 11,623,398.17$
Walnut Ln Upgrade 300,000.00$
Infrastructure Upgrades (Phase 2)*1,200,000.00$
Land 1,628,000.00$
Total 14,751,398.17$
Bond Amount (Phase 1-2, Site Infrastructure)5,975,173.58$
* The majority of major infrastructure upgrades will take place during phase 2, including water, sewer, and electrical upgrades for
phases 2-3. This cost is an estimate only based on anticipated upgrades from utility providers. Site per sqft costs in phases 2-3 are
estimates that include infrastructure upgrades for the units, including foundations, parking, water and sewer connections, etc.
indieDwell Phase 1 Cost Breakdown
Per Unit Total
Units 78,372.00$ 626,976.00$
Plans & Permits $ 600.00 Not Included in indieDwell bid; estimate from Building Dept.
Set up/set Included Included
Installation Labor Included Included
Freight/Shipping 7,812.00$ 62,496.00$
Stairs 12,500.00$ 50,000.00$
Craning 350.00$ 2,800.00$
Exteriors 11,335.00$ 90,680.00$
Roof 10,175.00$ 81,400.00$
Module Stitch 20,092.88$ 160,743.00$
Design & spec Included Included
Engineering Included Included
Site visits Included Included
Un
i
t
s
Site Prep/Foundation Pad $ 20,000.00 160,000.00$ Estimate
Electric 2,000.00$ 16,000.00$ Estimate
Estimate
Housing Units 141,236.88$ 1,075,095.00$
Per Sqft 210.17$
Unit Infrastructure 22,000.00$ 176,000.00$
Per Sqft 32.74$
Site Infrastructure 31,012.02$ 248,096.16$
Per Sqft 46.15$
Total Infrastructure 53,012.02$ 424,096.16$
Per Sqft 78.89$
Total 163,236.88$ 1,499,191.16$
Per Sqft 242.91$
Infr
a
s
t
.
Draft Walnut Lane Phase 1 Park Utility Cost Estimate 10/8/2020
Number Description Quantity Unit Unit Price Amount Referenced
1 Mobilization 1 LS 5.0%$8,940.40
2 Traffic Control 1 LS 3.0%$5,364.24
3 Construction Layout, Staking and As-builts 1 LS 3.0%$5,364.24
4 Install 5-foot Sidewalk 100 LF $7.95 $795.00 100 West Bid
5 Install Curb and Gutter 100 LF $37.00 $3,700.00 100 West Bid
6 Install 7-foot Deep Sewer Manhole 1 EA $9,500.00 $9,500.00 Interpreted 100 West Bid and US-191 Widening Engineering Estimate
7 Install 9-foot Deep Sewer Manhole 1 EA $10,500.00 $10,500.00 Interpreted 100 West Bid and US-191 Widening Engineering Estimate
8 Install Gravity Sanitary Sewer 8-inch, Trench, Bed, Backfill 200 LF $215.00 $43,000.00 100 West Bid
9 Install Gravity Sanitary Sewer 4-inch, Trench , Bed, Backfill, Cleanout 300 LF $190.00 $57,000.00 Interpreted 100 West Bid
10 Install 4-inch Water Line 250 LF $22.00 $5,500.00 Interpret Mill Creek Waterline Improvement Engineering Cost Estimate
11 Install 1-inch Water Line 300 LF $18.00 $5,400.00 Mill Creek Waterline Improvement Engineering Cost Estimate
12 Install 4-inch Water Meter 1 EA $5,500.90 $5,500.90 The City Master Fee Schedule
13 Untreated Base Course (8" thick)123.46 CY $40.00 $4,938.27 Mill Creek Dr West -Chuck edited
14 Asphalt 4" inch 120.83 TON $107.37 $12,973.88 Mill Creek West Bid Average
15 Install 15-foot Parking Lot Streetlight 2 EA $10,000.00 $20,000.00 Chuck
16 Contingency 1 LS 25%$49,619.23
TOTAL $248,096.16
PAD Development - 15 Yr Bond and Construction Loan
Revenues 3%3%3%3%3%3%3%3%3%3%3%3%3%3%3%3%3%3%3%COST TO COMPLETION 14,751,398$
Current Market HUD FMR Rent/MTH # Units Year 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
$825.00 $615 417$ 6 Apartments, 1 Bed 30,024$ 30,925$ 31,852$ 32,808$ 33,792$ 34,806$ 35,850$ 36,926$ 38,034$ 39,175$ 40,350$ 41,560$ 42,807$ 44,091$ 45,414$ 46,776$ 48,180$ 49,625$ 51,114$ 52,647$ BOND AMOUNT 5,975,174$
$1,418.75 $810 543$ 8 Apartments, 2 Bed 52,128$ 53,692$ 55,303$ 56,962$ 58,671$ 60,431$ 62,244$ 64,111$ 66,034$ 68,015$ 70,056$ 72,157$ 74,322$ 76,552$ 78,848$ 81,214$ 83,650$ 86,160$ 88,744$ 91,407$ LOAN TO COST 41%
$1,418.75 $810 695$ 4 Apartments, 1 Bed 33,360$ 34,361$ 35,392$ 36,453$ 37,547$ 38,673$ 39,834$ 41,029$ 42,259$ 43,527$ 44,833$ 46,178$ 47,563$ 48,990$ 50,460$ 51,974$ 53,533$ 55,139$ 56,793$ 58,497$ AMORTIZATION YEARS:15
$2,041.67 $1,159 833$ 10 Apartments, 2 Bed 99,960$ 102,959$ 106,048$ 109,229$ 112,506$ 115,881$ 119,357$ 122,938$ 126,626$ 130,425$ 134,338$ 138,368$ 142,519$ 146,795$ 151,198$ 155,734$ 160,406$ 165,219$ 170,175$ 175,280$ INTEREST RATE ON CONSTRUCTION LOAN:2.02%
1,112$ 2 Apartments, 1 Bed 26,688$ 27,489$ 28,313$ 29,163$ 30,038$ 30,939$ 31,867$ 32,823$ 33,808$ 34,822$ 35,866$ 36,942$ 38,051$ 39,192$ 40,368$ 41,579$ 42,826$ 44,111$ 45,435$ 46,798$ DEBT Service 465,717-$
1,135$ 4 Apartments, 2 Bed 54,480$ 56,114$ 57,798$ 59,532$ 61,318$ 63,157$ 65,052$ 67,004$ 69,014$ 71,084$ 73,217$ 75,413$ 77,675$ 80,006$ 82,406$ 84,878$ 87,424$ 90,047$ 92,749$ 95,531$
1,135$ 8 Modular, 2 Bed 108,960$ 112,229$ 115,596$ 119,064$ 122,635$ 126,315$ 130,104$ 134,007$ 138,027$ 142,168$ 146,433$ 150,826$ 155,351$ 160,011$ 164,812$ 169,756$ 174,849$ 180,094$ 185,497$ 191,062$ CONSTRUCTION LOAN AMOUNT 8,776,225$
1,173$ 14 Apartments, 1 Bed 197,064$ 202,976$ 209,065$ 215,337$ 221,797$ 228,451$ 235,305$ 242,364$ 249,635$ 257,124$ 264,838$ 272,783$ 280,966$ 289,395$ 298,077$ 307,019$ 316,230$ 325,717$ 335,488$ 345,553$ LOAN TO COST 59%
1,408$ 6 Apartments, 2 Bed 101,376$ 104,417$ 107,550$ 110,776$ 114,100$ 117,523$ 121,048$ 124,680$ 128,420$ 132,273$ 136,241$ 140,328$ 144,538$ 148,874$ 153,340$ 157,941$ 162,679$ 167,559$ 172,586$ 177,763$ AMORTIZATION YEARS:35
1,408$ 3 Modular, 2 Bed 50,688$ 52,209$ 53,775$ 55,388$ 57,050$ 58,761$ 60,524$ 62,340$ 64,210$ 66,136$ 68,120$ 70,164$ 72,269$ 74,437$ 76,670$ 78,970$ 81,339$ 83,780$ 86,293$ 88,882$ INTEREST RATE ON CONSTRUCTION LOAN:3.01%
1,627$ 0 Modular, 3 Bed -$ -$ -$ -$ -$ -$ -$ -$ -$ -$ -$ -$ -$ -$ -$ -$ -$ -$ -$ -$ DEBT Service 466,308-$
825$ 0 Apartments, 1 Bed -$ -$ -$ -$ -$ -$ -$ -$ -$ -$ -$ -$ -$ -$ -$ -$ -$ -$ -$ -$
1,400$ 4 Apartments, 2 Bed 67,200$ 69,216$ 71,292$ 73,431$ 75,634$ 77,903$ 80,240$ 82,648$ 85,127$ 87,681$ 90,311$ 93,021$ 95,811$ 98,685$ 101,646$ 104,695$ 107,836$ 111,071$ 114,404$ 117,836$
1,600$ 7 Modular, 2 Bed 134,400$ 138,432$ 142,585$ 146,863$ 151,268$ 155,806$ 160,481$ 165,295$ 170,254$ 175,362$ 180,622$ 186,041$ 191,622$ 197,371$ 203,292$ 209,391$ 215,673$ 222,143$ 228,807$ 235,671$ LAND & CASH EQUITY NEED -$
2,000$ 5 Modular, 3 Bed 120,000$ 123,600$ 127,308$ 131,127$ 135,061$ 139,113$ 143,286$ 147,585$ 152,012$ 156,573$ 161,270$ 166,108$ 171,091$ 176,224$ 181,511$ 186,956$ 192,565$ 198,342$ 204,292$ 210,421$
$25 0%Other Income (Parking)-$ -$ -$ -$ -$ -$ -$ -$ -$ -$ -$ -$ -$ -$ -$ -$ -$ -$ -$ -$ TOTAL DEBT Service 932,025-$
Gross Income 1,076,328$ 1,108,618$ 1,141,876$ 1,176,133$ 1,211,417$ 1,247,759$ 1,285,192$ 1,323,748$ 1,363,460$ 1,404,364$ 1,446,495$ 1,489,890$ 1,534,586$ 1,580,624$ 1,628,043$ 1,676,884$ 1,727,190$ 1,779,006$ 1,832,376$ 1,887,348$
7.00%Vacancy 75,343$ 77,603$ 79,931$ 82,329$ 84,799$ 87,343$ 89,963$ 92,662$ 95,442$ 98,305$ 101,255$ 104,292$ 107,421$ 110,644$ 113,963$ 117,382$ 120,903$ 124,530$ 128,266$ 132,114$ Cash Equity Need -$
Effective Gross Rent 1,000,985$ 1,031,015$ 1,061,945$ 1,093,803$ 1,126,617$ 1,160,416$ 1,195,228$ 1,231,085$ 1,268,018$ 1,306,058$ 1,345,240$ 1,385,597$ 1,427,165$ 1,469,980$ 1,514,080$ 1,559,502$ 1,606,287$ 1,654,476$ 1,704,110$ 1,755,233$
10.00%Operating Expense 107,633$ 110,862$ 114,188$ 117,613$ 121,142$ 124,776$ 128,519$ 132,375$ 136,346$ 140,436$ 144,649$ 148,989$ 153,459$ 158,062$ 162,804$ 167,688$ 172,719$ 177,901$ 183,238$ 188,735$ Final Balloon Payment 6,433,872
3.00%Cap Reserve 32,290$ 33,259$ 34,256$ 35,284$ 36,342$ 37,433$ 38,556$ 39,712$ 40,904$ 42,131$ 43,395$ 44,697$ 46,038$ 47,419$ 48,841$ 50,307$ 51,816$ 53,370$ 54,971$ 56,620$
10.00%Management 107,633$ 110,862$ 114,188$ 117,613$ 121,142$ 124,776$ 128,519$ 132,375$ 136,346$ 140,436$ 144,649$ 148,989$ 153,459$ 158,062$ 162,804$ 167,688$ 172,719$ 177,901$ 183,238$ 188,735$
Net Operating Income 753,430$ 776,032$ 799,313$ 823,293$ 847,992$ 873,431$ 899,634$ 926,623$ 954,422$ 983,055$ 1,012,546$ 1,042,923$ 1,074,210$ 1,106,437$ 1,139,630$ 1,173,819$ 1,209,033$ 1,245,304$ 1,282,663$ 1,321,143$
75%75%75%75%75%75%75%75%75%75%75%75%75%75%75%75%75%75%75%75%
5 Yr 683,168$ Debt Service (465,717)$ (465,717)$ (726,717)$ (726,717)$ (932,025)$ (932,025)$ (932,025)$ (932,025)$ (932,025)$ (932,025)$ (932,025)$ (932,025)$ (932,025)$ (932,025)$ (932,025)$ (932,025)$ (932,025)$ (932,025)$ (932,025)$ (932,025)$
10 Yr 660,210$ Debt Coverage Ratio 1.62 1.67 1.10 1.13 0.91 0.94 0.97 0.99 1.02 1.05 1.09 1.12 1.15 1.19 1.22 1.26 1.30 1.34 1.38 1.42
20 Yr 2,947,672$ Cash Flow 287,713$ 310,316$ 72,597$ 96,576$ (84,033)$ (58,593)$ (32,390)$ (5,401)$ 22,397$ 51,030$ 80,522$ 110,898$ 142,186$ 174,412$ 207,605$ 241,794$ 277,009$ 313,280$ 350,639$ 389,119$
Bond Plus Loan
Total Units 81
PAD Units 57
1BR 2BR 3BR
Extremely Low-Inc 14 417$ 543$ 711$
Very Low-Income 14 695$ 833$ 963$
Low-Income (80% 14 1,112$ 1,135$ 1,541$
Moderate-Income 15 1,173$ 1,408$ 1,627$
Market Rate 24 825$ 1,600$ 2,000$
81
Bond Only Bond Plus Interest
Walnut Lane - Moab UT - Phasing Estimate
ELI
VLI
LI
MI
MR
Sales Tax Revenue Bond Amortization Schedule
Original Principal 5,975,174$
Years 15
Interest Rate 2.02%
Payment per Year 1
Payment $465,716.78
Payment #Payment Interest Principal Balance
0 5,975,173.58$
1 465,716.78$ 120,698.51$ 345,018.27$ 5,630,155.31$
2 465,716.78$ 113,729.14$ 351,987.64$ 5,278,167.66$
3 465,716.78$ 106,618.99$ 359,097.79$ 4,919,069.87$
4 465,716.78$ 99,365.21$ 366,351.57$ 4,552,718.30$
5 465,716.78$ 91,964.91$ 373,751.87$ 4,178,966.43$
6 465,716.78$ 84,415.12$ 381,301.66$ 3,797,664.77$
7 465,716.78$ 76,712.83$ 389,003.95$ 3,408,660.82$
8 465,716.78$ 68,854.95$ 396,861.83$ 3,011,798.98$
9 465,716.78$ 60,838.34$ 404,878.44$ 2,606,920.54$
10 465,716.78$ 52,659.79$ 413,056.99$ 2,193,863.56$
11 465,716.78$ 44,316.04$ 421,400.74$ 1,772,462.82$
12 465,716.78$ 35,803.75$ 429,913.03$ 1,342,549.79$
13 465,716.78$ 27,119.51$ 438,597.28$ 903,952.51$
14 465,716.78$ 18,259.84$ 447,456.94$ 456,495.57$
15 465,716.78$ 9,221.21$ 456,495.57$ 0.00$
*
Inputs
Borrower:
Loan #:
IDT Date:**Month-end dates only.
Payment Structure:Next Pmt Date:
Current Cust.
Balance:Maturity Date:Deferred Pmts?
Current
Int. Rate:
Int. Calc.
Method:
Monthly P&I, Amortization Pd 2/16/25 $8,776,225 2/16/2040 No 4.00%30/360 No
2/16/25 $8,776,291 420 $38,859 9/10/13 $0
No
Quarterly 3
$0
IF(B11=W9,EDATE 12/10/2013 -239
Amortization Schedule Final Pmt Amt:6,433,872 Final Pmt Date:2/16/2040 PV (est.):8,776,225
Rate Implicit in Pmts (est.):4.00%
Period Pmt Date Begin Bal Prin Pmt Int Pmt End Bal
0 1/16/2025 8,776,225
1 2/16/2025 8,776,225 9,605 29,254 8,766,620 2/16/2025 38,859 38,859 0 0
2 3/16/2025 8,766,620 9,637 29,222 8,756,983 3/16/2025 38,859 38,859 0 0
3 4/16/2025 8,756,983 9,669 29,190 8,747,313 4/16/2025 38,859 38,859 0 0
4 5/16/2025 8,747,313 9,701 29,158 8,737,612 5/16/2025 38,859 38,859 0 0
5 6/16/2025 8,737,612 9,734 29,125 8,727,878 6/16/2025 38,859 38,859 0 0
6 7/16/2025 8,727,878 9,766 29,093 8,718,112 7/16/2025 38,859 38,859 0 0
7 8/16/2025 8,718,112 9,799 29,060 8,708,313 8/16/2025 38,859 38,859 0 0
8 9/16/2025 8,708,313 9,831 29,028 8,698,482 9/16/2025 38,859 38,859 0 0
9 10/16/2025 8,698,482 9,864 28,995 8,688,617 10/16/2025 38,859 38,859 0 0
10 11/16/2025 8,688,617 9,897 28,962 8,678,720 11/16/2025 38,859 38,859 0 0
11 12/16/2025 8,678,720 9,930 28,929 8,668,790 12/16/2025 38,859 38,859 0 0
12 1/16/2026 8,668,790 9,963 28,896 8,658,827 1/16/2026 38,859 38,859 0 0
13 2/16/2026 8,658,827 9,996 28,863 8,648,830 2/16/2026 38,859 38,859 0 0
14 3/16/2026 8,648,830 10,030 28,829 8,638,801 3/16/2026 38,859 38,859 0 0
15 4/16/2026 8,638,801 10,063 28,796 8,628,737 4/16/2026 38,859 38,859 0 0
16 5/16/2026 8,628,737 10,097 28,762 8,618,641 5/16/2026 38,859 38,859 0 0
17 6/16/2026 8,618,641 10,130 28,729 8,608,510 6/16/2026 38,859 38,859 0 0
18 7/16/2026 8,608,510 10,164 28,695 8,598,346 7/16/2026 38,859 38,859 0 0
19 8/16/2026 8,598,346 10,198 28,661 8,588,148 8/16/2026 38,859 38,859 0 0
20 9/16/2026 8,588,148 10,232 28,627 8,577,916 9/16/2026 38,859 38,859 0 0
21 10/16/2026 8,577,916 10,266 28,593 8,567,650 10/16/2026 38,859 38,859 0 0
22 11/16/2026 8,567,650 10,300 28,559 8,557,350 11/16/2026 38,859 38,859 0 0
23 12/16/2026 8,557,350 10,335 28,524 8,547,015 12/16/2026 38,859 38,859 0 0
24 1/16/2027 8,547,015 10,369 28,490 8,536,646 1/16/2027 38,859 38,859 0 0
25 2/16/2027 8,536,646 10,404 28,455 8,526,242 2/16/2027 38,859 38,859 0 0
26 3/16/2027 8,526,242 10,438 28,421 8,515,804 3/16/2027 38,859 38,859 0 0
27 4/16/2027 8,515,804 10,473 28,386 8,505,330 4/16/2027 38,859 38,859 0 0
28 5/16/2027 8,505,330 10,508 28,351 8,494,822 5/16/2027 38,859 38,859 0 0
29 6/16/2027 8,494,822 10,543 28,316 8,484,279 6/16/2027 38,859 38,859 0 0
30 7/16/2027 8,484,279 10,578 28,281 8,473,701 7/16/2027 38,859 38,859 0 0
31 8/16/2027 8,473,701 10,614 28,246 8,463,087 8/16/2027 38,859 38,859 0 0
32 9/16/2027 8,463,087 10,649 28,210 8,452,438 9/16/2027 38,859 38,859 0 0
33 10/16/2027 8,452,438 10,684 28,175 8,441,754 10/16/2027 38,859 38,859 0 0
34 11/16/2027 8,441,754 10,720 28,139 8,431,034 11/16/2027 38,859 38,859 0 0
35 12/16/2027 8,431,034 10,756 28,103 8,420,278 12/16/2027 38,859 38,859 0 0
36 1/16/2028 8,420,278 10,792 28,068 8,409,487 1/16/2028 38,859 38,859 0 0
Delinq Int. at IDT
Date: *
Payment
Date
Total Pmt
Amt
P&I
Payment
Deferred
Interest Pmt
Delinquent
Interest Pmt
First Pmt Date:
Initial Cust.
Balance:
Amortization
(Mos.)
Estimated P&I
Pmt:
Deferred Int. at
IDT Date: *
Amortization Schedule Tool (Optional) *
(For Use in Estimating Future Contractual Cash Flows for the Simplified Approach to ASC 310 Impairment Analysis)
The Tool applies only to term loans with one of the following payment structures: (1) Monthly P&I, Amortization Pd; (2) Monthly P&I, Fixed Prin Pmt; (3) Monthly P&I, Fixed Pmt (P&I); (4) Int Mnthly, Prin Qtr/Ann/Semi-Ann; and
(5) Int-Only Pd, then P&I (Monthly).
TBD
1/30/2022
Scheduled
Change(s)
To Rate?
PAD Development - 15-Year Bond
Revenues 3%3%3%3%3%3%3%3%3%COST TO COMPLETION 14,751,398$
Current Market HUD FMR Rent/MTH # Units Year 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 CONSTRUCTION LOAN AMOUNT 11,063,549$
$825.00 $615 417$ 6 Apartments, 1 Bed 30,024$ 30,925$ 31,852$ 32,808$ 33,792$ 34,806$ 35,850$ 36,926$ 38,034$ 39,175$ LOAN TO COST 75%
$1,418.75 $810 543$ 8 Apartments, 2 Bed 52,128$ 53,692$ 55,303$ 56,962$ 58,671$ 60,431$ 62,244$ 64,111$ 66,034$ 68,015$ AMORTIZATION YEARS:15
$1,418.75 $810 695$ 4 Apartments, 1 Bed 33,360$ 34,361$ 35,392$ 36,453$ 37,547$ 38,673$ 39,834$ 41,029$ 42,259$ 43,527$ INTEREST RATE ON CONSTRUCTION LOAN:2.02%
$2,041.67 $1,159 833$ 10 Apartments, 2 Bed 99,960$ 102,959$ 106,048$ 109,229$ 112,506$ 115,881$ 119,357$ 122,938$ 126,626$ 130,425$ DEBT Service 862,315-$
1,112$ 2 Apartments, 1 Bed 26,688$ 27,489$ 28,313$ 29,163$ 30,038$ 30,939$ 31,867$ 32,823$ 33,808$ 34,822$
1,135$ 4 Apartments, 2 Bed 54,480$ 56,114$ 57,798$ 59,532$ 61,318$ 63,157$ 65,052$ 67,004$ 69,014$ 71,084$ LAND & CASH EQUITY NEED 3,687,850$
1,135$ 8 Modular, 2 Bed 108,960$ 112,229$ 115,596$ 119,064$ 122,635$ 126,315$ 130,104$ 134,007$ 138,027$ 142,168$
1,173$ 14 Apartments, 1 Bed 197,064$ 202,976$ 209,065$ 215,337$ 221,797$ 228,451$ 235,305$ 242,364$ 249,635$ 257,124$
1,408$ 6 Apartments, 2 Bed 101,376$ 104,417$ 107,550$ 110,776$ 114,100$ 117,523$ 121,048$ 124,680$ 128,420$ 132,273$
1,408$ 3 Modular, 2 Bed 50,688$ 52,209$ 53,775$ 55,388$ 57,050$ 58,761$ 60,524$ 62,340$ 64,210$ 66,136$ Cash Equity Need 3,687,850$
1,627$ 0 Modular, 3 Bed -$ -$ -$ -$ -$ -$ -$ -$ -$ -$
825$ 0 Apartments, 1 Bed -$ -$ -$ -$ -$ -$ -$ -$ -$ -$ Total Units 81
1,400$ 4 Apartments, 2 Bed 67,200$ 69,216$ 71,292$ 73,431$ 75,634$ 77,903$ 80,240$ 82,648$ 85,127$ 87,681$ PAD Units 57
1,600$ 7 Modular, 2 Bed 134,400$ 138,432$ 142,585$ 146,863$ 151,268$ 155,806$ 160,481$ 165,295$ 170,254$ 175,362$
2,000$ 5 Modular, 3 Bed 120,000$ 123,600$ 127,308$ 131,127$ 135,061$ 139,113$ 143,286$ 147,585$ 152,012$ 156,573$ 1BR 2BR 3BR
$25 0%Other Income (Parking)-$ -$ -$ -$ -$ -$ -$ -$ -$ -$ Extremely Low-Income*14 417$ 543$ 711$
Gross Income 1,076,328$ 1,108,618$ 1,141,876$ 1,176,133$ 1,211,417$ 1,247,759$ 1,285,192$ 1,323,748$ 1,363,460$ 1,404,364$ Very Low-Income (50% AMI)14 695$ 833$ 963$
7.00%Vacancy 75,343$ 77,603$ 79,931$ 82,329$ 84,799$ 87,343$ 89,963$ 92,662$ 95,442$ 98,305$ Low-Income (80% AMI)14 1,112$ 1,135$ 1,541$
Effective Gross Rent 1,000,985$ 1,031,015$ 1,061,945$ 1,093,803$ 1,126,617$ 1,160,416$ 1,195,228$ 1,231,085$ 1,268,018$ 1,306,058$ Moderate-Income (100% AMI)15 1,173$ 1,408$ 1,627$
Market Rate 24 825$ 1,600$ 2,000$
10.00%Operating Expense 107,633$ 110,862$ 114,188$ 117,613$ 121,142$ 124,776$ 128,519$ 132,375$ 136,346$ 140,436$ 81
3.00%Cap Reserve 32,290$ 33,259$ 34,256$ 35,284$ 36,342$ 37,433$ 38,556$ 39,712$ 40,904$ 42,131$
10.00%Management 107,633$ 110,862$ 114,188$ 117,613$ 121,142$ 124,776$ 128,519$ 132,375$ 136,346$ 140,436$
Net Operating Income 753,430$ 776,032$ 799,313$ 823,293$ 847,992$ 873,431$ 899,634$ 926,623$ 954,422$ 983,055$
75%75%75%75%75%75%75%75%75%75%
Debt Service (862,315)$ (862,315)$ (862,315)$ (862,315)$ (862,315)$ (862,315)$ (862,315)$ (862,315)$ (862,315)$ (862,315)$
5 Yr (311,514)$ Debt Coverage Ratio 0.87 0.90 0.93 0.95 0.98 1.01 1.04 1.07 1.11 1.14
10 Yr 14,079$ Cash Flow (108,885)$ (86,282)$ (63,001)$ (39,022)$ (14,323)$ 11,117$ 37,320$ 64,309$ 92,107$ 120,740$
* Definition of extremely low-income changed to be the greater of 30/50ths (60 percent) of the
Section 8 very low-income limit or the poverty guideline as established by the Department of
Health and Human Services (HHS), provided that this amount is not greater than the Section 8
50% very low-income limit.
Walnut Lane - Moab UT - Phasing Estimate
ELI
VLI
LI
MI
MR
UP UP UP
(14) PARKING
SPACES
STACK
DUPLEX
STACK
DUPLEX
STACK
DUPLEX
STACK
DUPLEX
14
S
P
A
C
E
S
11' ACCESS EASEMENT
11 ' - 0 "
6
P
A
R
A
L
L
E
L
S
P
A
C
E
S
CIRCULATION DURING CONSTRUCTION
33'
- 8
21
/32"
14
S
P
A
C
E
S
14
S
P
A
C
E
S
(28) NEW
PARKING
SPACES
3 STORY
APARTMENT
BUILDING
(24) UNITS
10 STORAGE UNITS
BI
K
E
B
A
R
N
2 STORY
APARTMENT
BUILDING
(16) UNITS
10 STORAGE UNITS
TRASH
10 STORAGE UNITS
(1
0
)
S
T
O
R
A
G
E
U
N
I
T
S
3 STORY APARTMENT
BUILDING
(14) UNITS +
COMMUNITY LAUNDRY
(1
0
)
S
T
O
R
A
G
E
U
N
I
T
S
6
S
P
A
C
E
S
7
S
P
A
C
E
S
7
S
P
A
C
E
S
(82) PARKING
SPACES
STACK
3 BED
STACK
DUPLEX
STACK
DUPLEX
STACK
DUPLEX
STACK
DUPLEX5
S
P
A
C
E
S
7
S
P
A
C
E
S
5
S
P
A
C
E
S
8
S
P
A
C
E
S
8 SPACES
9 SPACES 9 SPACES
11
S
P
A
C
E
S
STACK
3 BED
STACK
3 BED
STACK
3 BED
STACK
3 BED
REVISIONS:
PO BOX 1153
MOAB, UTAH 84532
p 512-656-1745
courtneykizer@gmail.com
c
c
m
k
SHEET NUMBER
2
NO
T
F
O
R
C
O
N
S
T
R
U
C
T
I
O
N
AR
C
H
I
T
E
C
T
U
R
A
L
NOT FOR
CONSTRUCTION
11
/
2
/
2
0
2
0
1
:
2
4
:
0
9
P
M
A100a
PHASING
PLANS
OPTION A
WA
L
N
U
T
L
A
N
E
A
P
A
R
T
M
E
N
T
S
W
A
L
N
U
T
L
A
N
E
MO
A
B
,
U
T
8
4
5
3
2
2020 11 01 PHASING PLAN -
OPTION A
1" = 40'-0"1 Phase 1
1" = 40'-0"2 Phase 2
1" = 40'-0"3 Phase 3
PROS:
· ADDS HIGHLY EFFICIENT APARTMENT
BUILDING EARLIER IN THE PHASING SEQUENCE
· A LOT OF UNITS COME ONLINE WITHIN
PHASE 2 WITHIN A SMALL SPACE.
· EFFICIENT SITE COST RELATIVE TO UNITS.
· MINIMIZES IMPACTS TO EXISTING TRAILERS
· EASE OF SITE ACCESS DURING
CONSTRUCTION
CONS:
• ALL FUTURE CONSTRUCTION MUST
DRIVE PAST PHASE 1 & 2
• ??
PROS:
• MIXED OFFERINGS WITH EACH
PHASE
• ???
CONS:
• ALL PHASE 3 CONSTRUCTION
TRAFFIC MUST DRIVE PAST PHASE
1 & 2
• ??
OP
T
I
O
N
A
PROS:
• FAST
• ALTERNATIVE CIRCULATION DURING
CONSTRUCTION
• SIMPLE IMPLEMENTATION OF UTILITIES
• MINIMIZES PAVEMENT ASSOCIATED WITH PHASE
• MINIMIZES DISRUPTION TO EXISTING TRAILERS
• MAY PROVIDE SOME EXTRA PARKING IN THAT
PHASE
CONS:
• EXPENSIVE COST / SF FOR
MODULAR UNITS
• MAY NEED TO MATCH DUPLEX
MODULARS MOVING FORWARD
• ??
Moab City Council Special Meeting Agenda Item Meeting Date: November 10, 2020
Title: Walnut Lane IFB Bid Award
Disposition: Action
Staff Presenter: Kaitlin Myers, Senior Project Manager
Attachment(s): - Attachment 1: Summary of IFB Scoring - Attachment 2: indieDwell Bid - Attachment 3: Walnut Lane Phasing Plan - Attachment 4: Walnut Lane Pro Forma - Attachment 5: Walnut Lane Timeline
Recommended Motion: I move to award the contract for the construction, delivery, and installation of modular units to indieDwell, as recommended by the IFB Selection Committee, and authorize the Mayor to sign the contract with indieDwell for an amount not-to-exceed $1,075,095.
Alternative Motions: - Motion to request additional information from [selected bidder(s)] before recommending a bid from this IFB. - Motion to award a contract to a different bidder. - Motion to reject all proposals associated with this IFB.
Background/Summary:
IFB Review Process The City published an Invitation for Bids (IFB) for the Construction, Delivery, and Installation of Manufactured Housing Units at Walnut Lane, which was open from September 3-17, 2020. The City received nine bids, including six from manufactured bidders and three from modular bidders. The IFB Selection Committee reviewed and ranked the proposals, checked references, and requested additional information from bidders before recommending the Council award the bid to indieDwell at the October 13 meeting. At this meeting, Council motioned to direct staff to bring the Council more information about the additional equity needs for the project and how it would fit into the City budget. Council and staff discussed various financing and development scenarios at the October 27 meeting, which would be financed primarily with a sales tax revenue bond from Zions Public Finance. At this meeting, Council gave a straw poll approval to proceed with the 80-unit Planned Affordable Development (PAD) option over manufactured unit replacement or a 70-unit market rate redevelopment via R-4 zoning regulations.
Council scheduled a special meeting on November 4 to discuss phasing options, timeline, and pro forma details for the PAD master plan. During the meeting, the Council indicated preference for the Option A phasing plan provided by Architectural Squared, desire for flexibility to decide on the mix of modular and site-built units at later phases, and to proceed to award a contract via the IFB for phase one of the project.
IFB Bid Award Based on the aforementioned discussions with Council and staff, Council has informally expressed desire to award the bid for the IFB to indieDwell, as recommended by the IFB Selection Committee. Staff provided further background on the indieDwell recommendation in the October 13 agenda summary. The indieDwell bid includes four stacked duplex units, totaling eight units. The units are two-bedroom, one-bathroom units totaling 672SF, with the four bottom units being ADA accessible. The bid totals a not-to-exceed amount of $1,075,095. More detailed information about the bid and how the bid fits into the overall redevelopment plan can be found in the agenda attachments.
Bidder
Team
Experience &
Qualifications
Project
Understanding
& Knowledge of
Area Proposed Scope of Work & Bid
Project
Experience &
References
Responsiveness,
Quality &
Completeness of
Submittal
Package Location of Firm
Weight (%)20%10%50%50%50%50%10%5%5%
Cost Proposal -
How affordable,
wholistic, and
itemized is the
cost proposal?
Timeline -
Completeness
and timeliness
Technical Proposal -
Does the proposal
include a complete
scope of work,
including prices and
itemized work for
installing units?
How does the scope of work
match the priorities identified by
the City Council? (Land priorities,
in order: Housing (49%), Parking
(27%), Open Space (24%);
Funding Priorities, in order:
Affordability (43%), Sustainability
(40%), Amenities (18%))
Modular Bids
1 Irontown Modular 20 12.5 17 16 13 17 21 19.5 20 40.825
2 Indie Dwell 18 16 17 15 18 21 19 18 15.5 44.275
3 Module 16 15 13 12.5 13 19.5 19 16 9.5 36.875
Manufactured
Bids
4 Factory Homes Outlet 22 16 19 8 11.5 10 25 16.5 19 34.525
5 American West Homes 19 12 16 4 10.5 10 15 11.5 15 28.075
6 Affordable Builders 17 20 11 5 12 11 14 16 21 28.15
7 Vance Strunk Construction 16 12.5 12 8 14.5 11 18 15 19 30.7
8 Stratton Homes 14 7 14 4 12 11 10 12 16 26.4
9 Clayton Homes 20 14 17 8.5 10.5 10 21 18 21.5 32.475
Max points 45 45 45 45 45 45 45 45 45 112.5
14 September 2020
City of Moab
ATTN: Walnut Lane IFB
Sommar Johnson, City Recorder
217 East Center Street
Moab, UT 84532
Dear Ladies and Gentlemen:
It is with pleasure that we submit a proposal for the Walnut Lane IFB. indieDwell works with
partners across the U.S. to deliver affordable modular housing that is healthy, durable, energy
efficient and sustainable.
Our company’s leadership combines decades of experience in green building, steel
manufacturing, engineering, and finance. We have delivered emergency, single family, attached,
and commercial multi-family housing solutions in five states for non-profit developers, state and
local governments, housing authorities, and educational institutions. Our corporate partners and
clients are well-known entities in the U.S.
indieDwell builds to the U.S. Department of Energy’s “Zero Energy Ready Home” Standard.
Only one percent of builders in the U.S. build to this standard, which is 50% more efficient than
a home built to code, and 33% more efficient than the Energy Star Standard. Our focus on
healthy dwellings earned us partnership with the U.S. EPA’s Indoor AirPlus program.
We deliver the highest quality units in accordance with our values, at the lowest possible cost to
our customers. indieDwell is nimble enough to deploy solutions quickly, flexible enough to craft
solutions that meet our customers’ varying objectives, and scaled to deliver results for nearly
any size organization.
Thank you for considering our qualifications on this project. We look forward to delivering a
proposal that meets the needs of the City of Moab, and ultimately leads to an increase in dignity
and well-being of the residents at Walnut Lane.
Sincerely
Christina Ortiz Bluth
CEO, indieDwell Holdings, Inc.
indieDwell Holdings, Inc. | 217 S. 11th St. Boise, ID 83702 | http://www.indiedwell.com
indieDwell proposal to the
City of Moab
Walnut Lane IFB | 193 Walnut Lane Moab, UT
September 2020
Walnut Lane Proposal
●Leadership
●Project Experience
●Work in Progress
●List of References
●Development Proposal
●Master Plan
●Unit Details
●Scope of Work
●Project Schedule
●Cost Proposal
●indieDwell Contact
Leadership
Project Experience
Since 2018, indieDwell has completed over four-dozen single family, attached, and commercial
multi-family projects in California, Colorado, Idaho, and Virginia, with new projects pending in
Washington State.
Student Dormitories
Client: College of Idaho
Project Description: Project utilized 36 shipping
containers for two buildings that house 27
students in each building.
Project Delivery: July 2020
Budget: $1.4 million
Single Family Subdivision
Client: LEAP Housing
Project Description: Eight, 4 BR 2 BA single family
homes for residents earning between 50-80%
AMI
Project Delivery: June 2020
Budget: $976,000
Attached housing (duplex)
Client: Private developer
Project Description: Duplex to provide for
student housing near the College of Idaho
Project Delivery: Spring 2019
Budget: $243,000
Work In Progress
References
Bart Cochran, CEO, LEAP Housing Solutions | (208) 391-2823 | bart@leapcharities.org
●“Windy Court” and “Caritas Commons” projects
Greg Comanor, Partner, Daylight Community Developers | (818) 400-1510 | greg@daylight.la
●Watts Works/Harvard/Sherman/Van Owen projects
James Stagi, City of San Jose | (408) 535-8238 | james.stagi@sanjoseca.gov
●Evans Lane Rapid Rehousing project
Development Proposal
Develop the SE corner of the property with stacked duplex to provide eight, two bedroom one bathroom
units for immediate occupancy.
Over time, develop the full site as per the master plan with townhomes, fourplexes, and multifamily units
with floorplans to meet client needs.
Master Plan
Current development area in
blue delivers 4 stacked duplexes,
each with two bedrooms.
Future development in red
details housing options to client
specifications.
Unit Details
Each unit 24’ wide, 28’ feet deep for a total
of 672 square feet.
2 BR, 1 BA in each unit with full kitchen,
built in cabinetry.
All units built to IBC/IRC standards.
All ground floor units ADA Accessible.
Construction Details
Framing: All steel exoskeleton and interior framing. Interior walls
(see table at right). Foundation and roofing to client specification
(usually site built). Commercial grade flooring.
MEPs: See table at right for HVAC, ERV, etc.
Exterior: Cladding to client spec, typically use fiber cement with
50 year warranty.
Interior: No VOC paint; Quartz countertop; custom cabinetry;
Pella Windows; Solid core Therma Tru doors; Water Sense
fixtures, built in cabinetry in-lieu of closets.
Appliances: Energy Star appliances (excludes W/D), LED lighting.
Scope of Work
Scope of work includes modular units and
delivery to site.
Client retains option to modify final
contract to include options indicated at the
bottom of list in image at right.
Project Schedule
indieDwell will work in concert with the City of Moab to deliver the project to their timeline.
Units will ship from indieDwell’s factory in Pueblo, CO
Cost Proposal
indieDwell Contact Information
Brad Henderson, Director Business Development and Community Partnerships, Colorado
bhenderson@indiedwell.com | (720) 988-7352
Chris Blanchard, Manager Sales and Marketing, indieDwell Holdings
cblanchard@indiedwell.com | (208) 392-8726
Pueblo Factory: 205 N. Elizabeth St. Pueblo, CO 81003
Corporate Offices: 217 N. 11th St. Boise, ID 83702
Concept rendering with gable roof
Who we are
Established in 2017, and building the first homes in 2018, indieDwell has grown from 8 employees
operating out of a small industrial space, to over 100 employees building homes in two factories
in Idaho and Colorado. indieDwell is a certified B Corp whose owners build every home. We build
with our values, delivering homes that are healthy, durable, sustainable and energy efficient for
clients who prize those qualities.
What we do
We build single family, detached, and commercial multi-family structures of the highest quality,
at the lowest price possible in order to deliver dignity to residents that may not experience that
in other aspects of their life.
Walnut Lane Future Site Plan
Future Multi -family
to client specifications
Future townhomes to client specifications
Future
fourplexes
to
client
specifications
Future Multi -family
to client specifications
Current development area
with proposed stacked duplexes
tndkJj 11
The City of Moab has an immediate need to replace a number of units in the SE corner of the Walnut Lane property,
indicated by the blue circle on the master plan. indieDwell proposed constructing and installing 4 stacked
duplexes, each with 2 BR and 1 BA, in 672 sq ft. Floor plans and elevations shown below.
Project Detail
Concept rendering with shed roof
Floorplan
2 BR
1 BA
Full Kitchen
672 SQ FT
28' Deep
24' Wide
Project Detail
Concept rendering with shed roof
ADA Compliant STD unit
Response to City of Moab
Questions about the proposed duplex units:
Your proposal includes stacked duplexes, but the floor plan and cost proposal do not include stairs or any way to access the second floor. Can you please
provide an updated set of plans for these units, including costs and plans for adding stairs to the second level?
The project requires 4 staircases, which we estimate at $12,500/ea for a total of $50,000. The estimate reflects that update.
We would be interested in seeing more detailed floor plans for these units. We would also be interested in seeing elevations, renderings, photos of
existing units, etc.
See included images
Does the floor plan look different for the ADA units on the ground floor, or are the floor plans slightly different? Is there a cost difference between the
ADA and non-ADA units?
See enclosed images for ADA vs STD floor plans. There is no cost difference.
We would like further clarification of the scope of work for the project. You state that the scope of work includes modular units and delivery to the site,
but it does not include cost or scope for the following items. I know we discussed a few of these on the phone and you said they were included in the
proposed price of the units. Please provide a price (either per unit or per hour) for each of these items, let us know if they are included in the cost of the
units already, or let us know if they are
Design/engineering
There are no additional costs for the design and engineering of our units.
Craning onto foundation
The estimate now includes the cost of craning, estimated at $2,800
Exterior sheathing/rain screen
The estimate now includes exterior cladding using our standard cement fiber board (50 year warranty). We estimate needing 6,477 sq ft for a total
cost of $90,680.
Installation/stitching
We have included the installation and stitching in the budget, estimated at $160,743. Subject to change as we receive bids from general
contractors.
Response to City of Moab
Installation/stitching
We have included the installation and stitching in the budget, estimated at $160,743. Subject to change as we receive bids from general
contractors.
Foundation - The City acknowledges that we will likely be the ones to contract this out. However, we will need to know specs associated with
engineering and setting these foundations, and if there will be any additional costs for these specs.
There is an additional charge for us to design the foundations, and we can deliver this as a turn key project if need be. Will need to have a
geotechnical study performed in order for us to engineer the foundation designs.
Roof
Budget now includes an estimate for a shed roof on each of the four duplexes. Total cost to roof all four units: $81,400.
I know we have discussed the timeline on the phone, but we would like a written timeline for these units, including estimated time for
design/engineering, state and local permitting, any estimated wait time before production starts in the factory, production time in the factory, and
estimated time to deliver and install the units.
Timeline from date of contract (assumes October 10, 2020):
Schematic Design: 3 weeks (completion October 31, 2020)
Design Development: 3 weeks (completion November 21, 2020)
MILESTONE: Owner Approval (completion by December 4, 2020)
City of Moab Building Department Permit Approval: 2-4 weeks (complete NLT January 6, 2021)
Shop Drawing Completion: 2 weeks (completion January 20, 2021)
Factory Procurement: 4 Weeks (complete Feb 17, 2021)
Build Time: 2 Months (complete April 18, 2021)
First four plex can be onsite on March 8, 2021
Will ship four units at a time until production is complete. Anticipate 2 days shipping from Pueblo to Moab.
Set and stitch to take 30 days from delivery of first units.
Total anticipated contract time not to exceed 145 days (<5 months)
Good Faith Estimate - Full Vertical Build
Budget differs from previous budget as it includes items that project owners/developers often
manage outside of the modular build process. The good faith estimate for the full vertical build
includes stairs, roof, cladding, foundation, craning, installation and stitch work. The City of
Moab retains the ability to modify the project scope.
Bid:indieDwell
Factory:indieDwell
Energy Standard:Net Zero Ready
Unit Size 1BR 2BR 3BR Unit Features
Price Per Unit $78,372.00)Floor Insulation R20
Wall Insulation R26
Roof Insulation R50
Additional Scope of Work Water heater **30 gal - electric
Plans & Permits N Thermostat E-STAR programmable
Set up/set Y Included in Module Stitch HVAC Yes
Installation Labor Y Included in Module Stitch Lighting LED
Freight/Shipping $7,812.00)Furnace Electric
Stairs $12,500.00)Range **Yes
Craning $350.00)Electric Service 200 Amp
Exteriors $11,335.00)Dishwasher **Yes
Roof $10,175.00)Laundry No
Module Stitch $20,092.88)Microwave **Yes
"Soft Costs"Foundation Poured Concrete
Design & spec Y Modular Design&Spec Included Exterior Siding Fiber cement
Engineering Y Modular Eng. Included Refrigerator **Yes
Manufacturer Selection N/A Porch Lights Yes and LED
Site prep N Framing Steel
Site visits Y
Site Prep/Foundation Pad N ** Energy Star Rated
Contingency
Material Surcharge
Total ($62,264.88)
* Specs given per unit for 8 units
Timeline to Completion
Timeline from date of contract (assumes October 10, 2020):
Schematic Design: 3 weeks (completion October 31, 2020)
Design Development: 3 weeks (completion November 21, 2020)
MILESTONE: Owner Approval (completion by December 4, 2020)
City of Moab Building Department Permit Approval: 2-4 weeks (complete NLT January 6, 2021)
Shop Drawing Completion: 2 weeks (completion January 20, 2021)
Factory Procurement: 4 Weeks (complete Feb 17, 2021)
Build Time: 2 Months (complete April 18, 2021)
First four plex can be onsite on March 8, 2021
Will ship four units at a time until production is complete. Anticipate 2 days shipping from Pueblo to Moab.
Set and stitch to take 30 days from delivery of first units.
Total anticipated contract time not to exceed 145 days (<5 months)
Additional Information: indieDwell
Kaitlin Myers questions sent Sept. 28:
1) Questions about the proposed duplex units:
a) Your proposal includes stacked duplexes, but the floor plan and cost proposal do not include
stairs or any way to access the second floor. Can you please provide an updated set of plans for
these units, including costs and plans for adding stairs to the second level?
b) We would be interested in seeing more detailed floor plans for these units. We would also be
interested in seeing elevations, renderings, photos of existing units, etc.
c) Does the floor plan look different for the ADA units on the ground floor, or are the floor plans
slightly different? Is there a cost difference between the ADA and non-ADA units?
2) We would like further clarification of the scope of work for the project. You state that the scope of
work includes modular units and delivery to the site, but it does not include cost or scope for the
following items. I know we discussed a few of these on the phone and you said they were included
in the proposed price of the units. Please provide a price (either per unit or per hour) for each of
these items, let us know if they are included in the cost of the units already, or let us know if they
are
a) Design/engineering
b) Craning onto foundation
c) Exterior sheathing/rain screen
d) Installation/stitching
e) Foundation - The City acknowledges that we will likely be the ones to contract this out.
However, we will need to know specs associated with engineering and setting these
foundations, and if there will be any additional costs for these specs.
f) Stairs/elevators
g) Roof
h) The City acknowledges that this scope of work is specifically for getting the modular units into
Walnut Lane, so we will cover the parking, landscaping, etc. for these units, which will be
coordinated with our contracted architecture team working on our master plan.
3) I appreciate your inclusion of future possibilities for the entire master plan. I want to be clear that
this contract and scope of work will be specifically for the four duplexes and we will negotiate a
contract for later phases at a later date.
4) I know we have discussed the timeline on the phone, but we would like a written timeline for these
units, including estimated time for design/engineering, state and local permitting, any estimated
wait time before production starts in the factory, production time in the factory, and estimated time
to deliver and install the units.
IndieDwell responded to these questions in an attached Additional Information Document.
KM questions sent Oct 6:
5) Please identify an explicit timeline by which your company can deliver and set units at Walnut Lane.
I have talked directly to the factory representatives associated with the bids for this project and
have confirmed with others that, across the board, manufactured home factories are backlogged
anywhere between late April all the way into June. Please update your proposed timeline to reflect
the delay from the factory. If you are confident you can provide units sooner than May 2021, please
provide an explanation of why.
a) IndieDwell explicit timeline included in attached PDF is accurate.
6) The City is considering including a Liquidated Damages clause in the contract to enforce your stated
timeline. Because the City is continuously performing maintenance on existing trailers at Walnut
Lane and the purpose of this contract is to replace these existing units, a delay in delivery of new
units causes additional and unnecessary damage and expense to the City to keep working on the
existing units; conversely, an early delivery of units would lessen the amount of maintenance
performed on units. Please indicate your willingness to include this clause in the contract.
a) We understand the need for LD’s and accept a reasonable Liquidated Damages clause if
required.
7) I have come to understand that the factories are unable to price lock units, and these units are
continuing to increase in price. Please indicate any material surcharges and/or contingencies to
reflect anticipated price increases between the time you sign a "not to exceed" contract with the
City and when you are able to lock a price with your factory.
a) There are no material surcharges or contingencies associated with our proposal.
Moab City Council Agenda Item
Meeting Date: October 13, 2020
Title: Resolution No. 44-2020 Regarding the City of Moab’s Commitment to Funding Years
Four and Five of a “Recreational Hotspot” Transit Shuttle Pilot Program
Date Submitted: November 4, 2020
Staff Presenter: Carly Castle, Assistant City Manager
Attachment(s): Resolution No. 44-2020 Regarding the City of Moab’s Commitment to Funding
Years Four and Five of a “Recreational Hotspot” Transit Shuttle Pilot Program
Options: Discussion and Approval
Recommended Motion: Approve Resolution No. 44-2020, A Resolution Regarding the City of
Moab’s Commitment to Funding Years Four and Five of a “Recreational Hotspot” Transit
Shuttle Pilot Program
Background/Summary: On October 30, 2020, the Grand County Commission and Moab City
Council approved a Transit Shuttle Pilot Project to be included in the Arches Region Hotspot
Concept Package. As part of this Transit Shuttle Pilot project, UDOT will engage transportation
consultants to develop details, costs, and benefits for a three- to five-year Pilot Shuttle system.
UDOT contemplates that the initial route for this Transit Shuttle will be along U.S. 191, which is
the Moab area’s primary transportation corridor. The consultants will develop a “turn-key” RFP
for the Moab community, allowing for the region to contract with an operator to operate the
shuttle service, provide the vehicles, store and maintain the vehicles, collect and process fare
revenue, etc.
The annual cost for the pilot is estimated to be $500,000. UDOT has indicated its willingness to
fund the first three years of the transit pilot using Hotspot funding, but it requests that the City of
Moab and Grand County fund years four and five of the program. UDOT requires this
commitment from the City and County before it will give the consultant team a Notice to
Proceed.
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CITY OF MOAB RESOLUTION NO. 44-2020
A RESOLUTION REGARDING THE CITY OF MOAB’S COMMITMENT TO
FUNDING YEARS FOUR AND FIVE OF A “RECREATIONAL HOTSPOT” TRANSIT
SHUTTLE PILOT PROGRAM
WHEREAS, safe, reliable and efficient transportation and transit systems create foundations for
economic growth, reduced congestion, and for serving recreational activities; and
WHEREAS, the creation and maintenance of transportation infrastructure is a core
responsibility of local government; and
WHEREAS, the recreation and tourism associated with Arches and Canyonlands National Parks
and surrounding public lands create a significant economic impact on the Moab area; and
WHEREAS, visitation to the Moab region has risen exponentially over the past decade,
increasing to more than three million visitors annually; and
WHEREAS, the dramatic increase in visitation has caused traffic and parking congestion in
Moab on Highway 191 and on City of Moab streets; and
WHEREAS, parking and traffic congestion in the Moab region causes safety hazards for
motorists, bicycles, and pedestrians; and
WHEREAS, parking and traffic congestion in the Moab region causes a negative economic
impact due to increased travel time and increased fuel consumption and greenhouse gasses
among other things; and
WHEREAS, parking and traffic congestion in the Moab area negatively impacts the quality of
the visitor experience and the quality of life for residents; and
WHEREAS, the City of Moab’s General Plan Element 7.4.e “encourage[s] efforts to provide a
shuttle system serving downtown Moab and key tourism destinations and accommodations;” and
WHEREAS, in 2017 the Utah State Legislature passed SB 277—Highway General Obligation
Bonds, which, in part, identifies $100 million to be used by the Utah Department of
Transportation (UDOT) for projects that: (1) have significant economic development impact
associated with recreation and tourism, and (2) address significant needs for congestion
mitigation, known as “recreational hotspots” on UDOT’s Transportation Infrastructure list; and
WHEREAS, the Arches/Moab area was allocated $10,000,000 out of this “recreational hotspot”
fund for transportation projects fulfilling the statutory criteria outlined in SB 277; and
WHEREAS, UDOT has engaged a transportation consultant team (Fehr & Peers) to develop a
project background, demand assessment, proposed system details, costs, benefits and financial
plan for a three to five-year pilot shuttle system that would help determine the demand and
viability of long-term transit for the Moab community; and
WHEREAS, UDOT has agreed to fund the entire cost of the first through third years of
operation of the pilot shuttle system;
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WHEREAS, the Arches Hotspot Region Coordinating Committee, Grand County Commission,
and Moab City Council have recommended the transit shuttle system be included as one of the
transportation projects to be submitted to UDOT for consideration by the Transportation
Commission for SB 277 funding.
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED by the Moab City Council that:
1. The City of Moab is committed to the long-term success of transit in the Moab area;
2. The City of Moab supports UDOT’s development and establishment of a pilot shuttle
transit system for Moab and UDOT’s operation of the system for the first through third
years;
3. If the transit shuttle system is viable at the conclusion of the first three years of operation,
as determined by the Moab City Council, the City of Moab will partner through a
memorandum of understanding or other agreement with Grand County to provide
funding for the operation of the system for years four and five of the project, up to a
maximum $500,000 per year (which funding can be a combination of grants, local match
or other funding). Should the operating costs exceed $500,000 per year for years four or
five, the Moab City Council may ask UDOT to continue its support of the system to
ensure continuation.
This resolution shall be effective upon adoption.
PASSED AND APPROVED by a majority of the City of Moab City Council. This Resolution shall take
effect immediately upon passage.
SIGNED:
Emily S. Niehaus, Mayor Date
ATTEST:
Sommar Johnson, Recorder
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