Union Grove

[ORIGLS6]

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I swear, people get more ignorant by the day. It's comparable to me moving next to an airport, then complaining about planes flying over...

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Exactly my point!


And as was pointed out on the H.A.M.B. thread, has anyone ever checked the decibel level at a High School Football or Softball game? And how about the 'Light Pollution' generated by the gegawatt lighting at virtually ANY sporting venue. (OK, now I've pi$$ed off all you athlete-types, but so be it!)

I question how much weight a bunch of e-mails from non-locals will pack, but it's sure worth a try. Typically, the city fathers will cave under pressure of the most vocal citizens, right or wrong, and it's been my experience that those who whine the loudest have the least to say. Just another reason to HATE politics.

Just my humble opinions so if you disagree state your own opinion but stay outta my shorts; I don't really care.

[69 Post Sedan]

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I sent 4 e-mails lets see what happens

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I sent 5...

[Schonyenko2]

In the state of IA. you must post notice of a public meeting no less that 24 hours prior to said meeting, or you're in violation of state code. An adgenda must also be in that posting and should be specific in nature. No other business should be discussed, or transacted other than what is addressed on the adgenda.
No action should be taken by the council until a public hearing is called. (This can happen later before any ordinance language is changed) To change an existing ordinance should take 3 readings before a final vote is taken, while alowing public comment.
I'll venture a guess that the noise/polution issue may be a cover for someone wanting the area for development. The drag strip needs to go so someone can build a strip mall so people can go buy $hit they really don't need.

I'd suggest a serious citizen petition drive start now, and be delivered to the next council meeting where the issue is posted as an adgenda item. And I'd suggest those signing plan to attend. If there isn't enough room, demand the meeting be moved to a larger venue.

[Schonyenko2]

Damn,now that I'm passed edit time I see I spelled agenda wrong. It's been a long day here.
Anyway, I'd also be interested in the "study" that was done and who asked/paid for it. If it was a zoning issue, noise/decible, or if it was a EPA/DNR violation notice.
If the city paid for it, the issue should have been on the agenda before to authorize the funds. If it's a private study, it's probably paid for by the party who's complaining.
Davenport had this issue with their circle track. They reduced the noise(somewhat) with mufflers. They also went to a curfew as in no races starting after a given time.
Most of the time these issues are addressed by a board of adjustment who can grant variences to existing ordinances if just cause is shown. Obviously laws vary from state to state. I'm just trying to point out that there may be a middle ground compromise if the opposition has a "justifiable" complaint.(Yes I know,..they don't)

[jeff morocco]

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.

[markjohnson]

I've actually become a big fan of mufflers on race cars, especially if it prolongs the life of many Drag Strips AND hushs up haters of the sport. Twenty years ago, I would have NEVER dreamed that I'd someday feel that way! But having owned and raced 9-second street cars with mufflers in place and being involved in the Street Car Shootouts of the 90's.......I've learned you can go just as fast with exhaust. You can hear valvetrain problems, talk to your crew, etc. Now I know you can't muffle up everything like Dragster zoomies, etc........but if a car can be made to utilize mufflers, then todays's advanced muffler technology should be used to to show the "naysayers" that racers today are willing to compromise and adapt to keeping EVERYBODY happy. Now as far as the quite laughable "light pollution" term, if they're really serious about that issue, then they really need to follow up and outlaw night-time, High School football games as well!

[sYc]

They need to fight this tooth and nail, with no compromising. Agree to mufflers, curfew, etc, the opposition will have their foot in the door, and down hill from there. Give in now, from then on, every so often they will push for more. This scenario has been played out way too many times, most times with racers losing.

[Verne_Frantz]

The realtors don't show the homes on Friday nights, Saturdays or Sundays. The buyers don't bother to drive around and investigate the area.
I worked with an idiot "engineer" who bought a home in a new development right next to the East Windsor Speedway in NJ. With a good arm you could have thrown a rock from his backyard that landed on the track property. He told me that he never knew there was a race track there and complained about the noise. He never even bothered to drive around the block to discover the track was there. Short story: community activist group complained and the track was shut down. A little McMansion development with about 50 homes in a once corn field.

[markjohnson]

I actually live about one mile from I-55 Raceway, an oval dirt track. Naturally, I'd always known it was there and when I bought this house in March, the track was closed. Needless to say, when racing season opened I was kinda shocked by how loud it was on Saturday night. Lemme tell 'ya.....you ain't goin' to bed early on a Saturday night with that background noise! But anyway, I would never have the heart to sign any kind of petition to close it down if given the opportunity. I knew it was there when I moved here and although dirt racing is not exactly my thing, I know how I feel about drag racing and the efforts of others to close tracks down. Back to the noise.......you just learn to deal with it. You go out for the night, you stay in watch movies with the windows closed, etc. You just deal with it.......without trying to take away the passion of so many racers and spectators.

[gts340]

I don't think there is much out near the track even today. It seemed about the same as it ever did. I'd think a little town like Union Grove would realize the revenue loss they were take from themselves by limiting a track like this.