Riverton resident urges rewrite of city noise code to allow backyard dirt bikes; council says enforcement is complaint‑driven

Justice Goble, a Riverton resident, told the council the city noise code’s proximity language effectively bans common uses such as snowblowers, landscape equipment and small off‑road vehicles within “800 feet of any dwelling,” which he described as overly broad and inconsistently enforced.

Goble said his family rides small dirt bikes in a backyard area and presented decibel figures measured at 10 feet: 67 dB for one small bike and 54 dB for another. He compared those readings to everyday sounds and to a provision in the code that exempts powered equipment rated at five horsepower or less when it remains below 78 dB. He also said several neighbors had given written support for the activity and that repeated calls from one neighbor, not citywide enforcement, appear to have prompted recent code responses.

City staff and council members asked clarifying questions and reminded the public that the city’s enforcement posture is to take action by complaint, not proactively across the whole community. The city manager confirmed there are three staff who handle code enforcement (also responsible for animal control), and the council’s current direction is to limit enforcement to complaint response to minimize cost and intrusiveness.

Staff said the exact code language and options for change will be placed on a future work session agenda for Council consideration; the mayor asked staff to return the topic to the next work session (February 18) so the council can consider revisions and hear options such as adopting clearer, enforceable restrictions (for example, banning off‑road vehicles in parks or other limited areas rather than a blanket 800‑foot rule).

Why it matters: The item implicates typical municipal tradeoffs—property owner rights, nuisance protection for neighbors, and enforceability and staffing costs—and may require code redrafting to balance noise standards and practical enforcement.

What’s next: The council asked staff to add the item to a future work session (February 18) to consider possible changes such as removing the 800‑foot blanket limit and instead adopting targeted restrictions (parks, marshlands, or hours), or clarifying decibel thresholds and exceptions for low‑horsepower tools. Staff and the resident agreed to exchange the resident’s materials for staff review.

Direct quote: “Technically… you cannot start or operate any off road machinery, snowmobiles, or snowblowers within 800 foot of any dwelling in the city,” Justice Goble told the council, summarizing his reading of the code.