Sedona council adopts new rules for private sports courts, keeps neighbor review for setback exceptions

SEDONA, Ariz. — The Sedona City Council on April 22 approved ordinance 2025-44 revising the city’s Land Development Code to regulate private sports courts such as pickleball, tennis and basketball courts on residential property.

Councilors said the changes aim to protect the quiet and character of neighborhoods while allowing owners to install courts under defined controls. The ordinance updates setbacks, lighting, hours of operation and requires neighbor notification and, in many cases, a conditional use permit (CUP) when applicants seek reduced setbacks.

The code changes were presented by Carrie Meyer, city planning staff, who said the revisions follow council direction from an October work session and Planning & Zoning discussion earlier this year. “We did research into other communities that have similar regulations and came up with some that we believed would work for Sedona,” Meyer told the council. She said the draft before council reflected staff recommendations and amendments the Planning & Zoning…