a friend of mine went to the meeting, here is what was said.....
Went to the Paris Town Hall Meeting last night and there was a fantastic show of support. I saw alot of IMSM racers there. People were packed in the hallways. It was great to see how many people care about what happens at great lakes.
The town board hired a lighting and noise consulting firm to map sounds eminating from different sources, however their focus was on the noise coming from the track. It was a real scattered presentation by this consulting group. They mapped out and identified different noises levels and pressures from crickets (yeah crickets) to race cars.
They presented the village board with two drafts of noise ordinances for their consideration.
There were 5-7 families interviewed and some of them complained about the noise coming from the track. They did this study on labor day weekend, like one person said, thats our 4th of July.
There were several racers that spoke very well to the support of the track. The q and a period was cut short by the village even though racers had more questions. It was a very controlled and limited to feedback.
Great Lakes ownership was there represented by council. I'm not sure of how they did at the meeting at 7pm?? I assume they presented their arguments at that time.
From what I gather the Village is considering adopting some ordianance covering noise and light polution in the area. They have not made a decision yet. I don't think they are considering of NOT having an ordinance--
How about a discussion regarding ideas to show further support....petitions, emails to the village board members, other posting sites, speed channel (Dave Despain), NHRA support, email lists of racers, whoever we can reach out to lets do it
Just want to make sure that everyone does it in a positive,supportive way that will hopefully help the track Just think of the major expense us racers would have to deal with to get mufflers and exhaust systems on our cars.........or how about just giving the complaining neigbors ear plugs for christmas if it bothers them so much.
ps the mere numbers of racers that showed up last nite had to help a little...but you know how our government is they do what they dam well please at times. Keep up the support!!!
FROM THE KENOSHA NEWS:
Study finds Paris drag strip’s noise level isn’t very loud
BY DENEEN SMITH
[email protected]
PARIS — A sound study shows that noise levels near the Great Lakes Dragaway on race days are only slightly louder than the sound of normal conversation.
That’s according to engineering firm Bonestroo, a Mequon company hired to study sound pollution in the town and recommend possible ordinances to address sound and light pollution.
Results of the study were revealed during a special Town Board meeting Tuesday night, attended by about 100 people, most of them drag racing fans.
The Town Board called for the study after a series of contentious meetings involving Great Lakes Dragaway, with some residents near the race track complaining about noise levels on racing days.
Bonestroo set sound monitors in Paris during two weekends in September, measuring sound levels in 15-minute increments over six days. The monitors were placed on properties near Great Lakes, near Pheasant Run landfill, the We Energies power plant and near the Kenosha Beef factory.
Richard Osa of Bonestroo said the sound study, conducted during two weekends when there was racing at Great Lakes, showed sound levels peaked off the drag strip at about 70 decibels A-scale.
As a comparison, he said, the sound level of normal conversation is about 65 decibels, while 140 decibels is a sound loud enough to cause hearing damage.
Osa said municipal ordinances typically limit daytime residential sound levels at about 65 decibels, with nighttime levels at about 50 decibels.
Dan Feldt of Bonestroo said that while the study measured sound, what people consider a nuisance noise is more subjective.
“I know that for a number of the people here the sound at the drag strip is not noise, it’s entertainment,” Feldt said. “What we did here is monitor sound; how it is perceived by people is going to be a matter of perspective.”
People in the audience questioned the study and the town’s intent to create a noise ordinance.
“My concern is, and probably the concern of everyone in this room, is that you are going to draft this ordinance trying to target Great Lakes drag strip,” said a man who described himself as a professional drag racer from Bristol.
He suggested the board instead limit residential building near the race track.
The board voted to have the town’s attorney work with Bonestroo to create draft ordinances to govern sound and light pollution, with the draft ordinance presented at the January meeting.
The board has set a Jan. 15 deadline for written comments at the town hall.