Sedona's claim to fame is based on the natural beauty that we all enjoy. And, of course, it's very important to us to protect and preserve that beauty. In that spirit, the group Keep Sedona Beautiful proposed that much of the Verde Valley seek Monument status from the federal government. They felt that this would provide strong protections from unwanted and uncontrolled development. The Sedona Verde Valley Realtors Association took a position that there are better ways to protect Sedona, and after spirited debate, the City Council voted not to support the effort.