Keystone council adopts updated model traffic code, lowers several local speed limits including Tennis Club Road to 15 mph

Keystone's Town Council approved Ordinance 2026-02 in a unanimous 7-0 vote after a public hearing and staff presentation that revised the town's adoption of the model traffic code and set specific speed limits for streets listed in Exhibit A.

The ordinance updates official speed limits for named local streets and clarifies how newly constructed or newly adopted streets will be treated; staff told the council the changes will take effect 30 days after approval. Council adopted an amendment to lower the posted speed on the short public portion of Tennis Club Road to 15 miles per hour.

Why it matters: Residents from multiple homeowners associations told the council that narrow roadways, sharp turns and frequent pedestrian activity have made some local streets hazardous. Those comments prompted the council to adopt lower posted speeds in several locations and to explicitly address how the town treats short public segments that abut longer private roadways.

What the council did: At the second reading and public hearing, the town manager explained that Exhibit A lists lawful speed limits for public streets and detailed changes from the first reading, including removing Wild Irishman Lane as a public road, reducing Antlers Gulch Road to 10 mph, lowering Wild Irishman Road from 30 to 25 mph, and reducing Tennis Club Road to 25 mph where applicable. After public comment, Member Sullivan moved to adopt the ordinance with an amendment to make Tennis Club Road 15 mph on the public segment; the motion was approved 7-0 in roll call.

Public concerns: Kurt Odden, a Fry Gulch HOA board member, urged the council to prioritize pedestrian safety around Antlers Gulch and Wintergreen, saying, "Pedestrian safety was number one." Ron Ellis, who represents Tennessee Homes, described Tennis Club Road as narrow and without sidewalks and told the council, "25 is just way way way too fast," urging a 15 mph limit. West Hills HOA representatives said they supported reduced limits on Wayback Drive and Antlers Gulch and asked how reductions would be enforced.

Staff and council response: Staff clarified that much of Tennis Club Road is privately owned and that the town cannot enforce speed limits on private stretches; the council and staff discussed posting consistent signage and working with HOAs to reduce confusion where a short public segment meets private roadway. The town attorney advised that adding a 15 mph designation for the short public stretch would not be a major legal change to the ordinance. The mayor noted that the police department has no enforcement authority on private roads, underscoring the town's reliance on signage, speed-feedback devices and voluntary compliance for private sections.

Implementation and next steps: The ordinance (as amended) specifies that listed speed limits are the lawful limits for those streets and that the updates will go into effect 30 days after approval. Council members asked staff to continue meeting with affected neighborhoods on mitigation options and to identify locations where speed-feedback signs or other measures might be warranted. Any additional traffic-control devices (stop signs, speed humps, mirrors) would be evaluated under MUTCD and FHWA guidance and brought forward separately.

Votes at a glance: Ordinance 2026-02 (model traffic code / speed limits) ' Approved 7-0 (Council members Allen, Hageno, Kerr, Martin, Parmet, Sullivan and Mayor Riley). Effective in 30 days per staff presentation.

The council moved on to other business following the vote.