Neighbors petition council to limit Sierra Vista Golf Center lights and events to 8 p.m.; others urge patience

At the Feb. 13 Sierra Vista City Council meeting multiple residents raised concerns about late-night lighting and noise from the driving range and special events at the Sierra Vista Golf Center after the city hired a new manager.

Todd Morris, a resident of Mission Shadows who said he delivered a petition signed by 93 residents whose homes border the golf course, asked the council to "respect our peaceful community, dark skies, and wildlife by limiting outdoor noise and light generating activities on the golf course to no later than 8PM." Morris said many neighboring homes are marketed as quiet and secure and described light fixtures that can be seen "from space." He told the council neighbors did not feel adequately notified about the new driving-range plans and that repeated outreach from the contractor had not reached signatories.

Other residents voiced related concerns. Betty Pointer, who lives adjacent to the golf center parking lot, described "increased loud conversation in the parking lot, particularly on weekends" and suggested "increased patrolling by the police in the parking lot just to monitor activity that's going on." Rebecca Tanner, a resident on the second fairway, asked the city and operator to post seasonal hours so walkers know when the course is open and closed.

Several other residents urged a different approach. Longtime golf-course resident Marjorie Sherwood thanked the council and the new private manager (Paradigm) for policing prior problems and for investing in the facility, and she urged the council to "consider leaving it till 10:00 at night, at least for now" and to revisit the issue later if necessary. Sherwood said she had observed the operator adjusting lights to reduce yard intrusions.

Council members and staff did not adopt an ordinance or formal condition at the meeting. Council members acknowledged the petitions and comments, encouraged patience while the new operator fine-tunes lighting and operations, and noted that police patrols had responded to calls about unauthorized parking-lot gatherings and fishing that threatened wildlife. A council member asked residents to avoid harassing staff or contractors; the mayor and council emphasized reporting violations to police rather than taking enforcement into private hands.

The council did not set a rule or time limit at this meeting; the matter remains open for further discussion, and residents can continue to submit complaints to city staff and law enforcement.