That led Moab and Grand County to impose a series of noise and other restrictions to curb ATVs. But Blue Ribbon Coalition, an Idaho nonprofit that champions motorized access to public lands, and ATV businesses in the tourist town of 5,400 residents are raising a ruckus about the restrictions.
Also at issue are noise restrictions both government entities implemented in 2021 that limit noise, as measured using a standard stationary test performed at 20 inches from the tailpipe to a maximum 92 dBA between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m. and even lower sound levels at other hours of the day. The code changes also bar ATV rental businesses from increasing their vehicle numbers, limit ATV caravans in guided tours to six vehicles and in unguided caravans to four vehicles. It further requires business owners to educate users about the standards and holds them liable if their customers don’t comply.
“Every business was affected differently,” Burr said, “But they can all point to damages and costs … they had to incur because of this really aggressive regulatory push.”said the ordinances forced him to change the business model of his Moab store. County officials and residents counter that Burr and the business owners are as deaf to the noise ATVs make in residential neighborhoods as they are to the volume of complaints their activities are causing.
In 2021, county officials received a petition signed by more than 3,000 people asking them to do something to mitigate the noise. Moreover, some residents say noisy fleets of ATVs running roughshod through neighborhoods at all hours are driving tourists away.
Perhaps it’s time for electric atv.s