Our fourth decade saw another controversial issue arise: the plan to upgrade Hwy 179 through the Village of Oak Creek to “the Y” in Sedona, where it intersects with Hwy 89A. Keep Sedona Beautiful opposed the Arizona Department of Transportation’s (ADOT) plan to build a 5-lane thoroughfare through some of the most scenic land in the world. The ensuing controversy and acrimony became so great that a separate group, Voice of Choice, formed to address the issue.
In 2001, the newly elected Sedona City Council overturned the prior City resolution favoring the 5-lane thoroughfare. A ‘charrette’ group process fostered citizen involvement through a series of interactive meetings. The process arrived at a set of alternative designs that met citizen needs and desires. A vote was held in 2005 on the final 3 contending plans, resulting in the current configuration completed in 2008.
Keep Sedona Beautiful authored and championed the covered load ordinance that was adopted by Sedona in 2006, reducing the amount of litter falling from trucks and vehicles. We continued to advocate for preserving our dark skies by shielding lights and installing limited but sufficient lighting along Hwy 89A.
At the suggestion of Keep Sedona Beautiful and other organizations, Arizona governor Janet Napolitano declared April 2008 Water Awareness Month, highlighting our ongoing focus on water quality and availability. Each April, the State of Arizona focuses on water issues during Water Awareness Month.
Click on any image below to view it full size. You can scroll through the images.
Decade 3 – 1992 to 2001 < Back | Next > Decade 5 – 2012 to 2021