Thumbs up for motorcycle racing from NK planners

Despite protests from residents living in Brickshire and adjoining subdivisions, Colonial Downs’ application to hold one day of motorcycle racing this summer received the blessing of New Kent’s Planning Commission.

By a 10-0-1 vote on March 18, planners passed on a favorable recommendation to the county’s Board of Supervisors. Now, supervisors are scheduled to hold a public hearing on the racetrack’s conditional use permit application during their April 8 meeting and could take action that same night.

The commission’s vote followed a public hearing at which 27 of the close to 60 county residents in attendance spoke. Fifteen, all residents of subdivisions that surround the racetrack, voiced opposition. But opponents found no allies on the commission.

“I want to support [the application] because I want to support Colonial Downs,” commission member Michael Lane told the crowd, adding that the event constitutes just one day of inconvenience for nearby residents.

“I’m not for it if they want to do it three or four times a year, but this will be annoying for only one day,” he said. “I think we need to have a little bit of tolerance.”

Tommy Tiller, the supervisors’ representative, abstained, electing to vote when the matter goes before the board.

“Don’t confuse apathy with consent,” said Donna Friend after the commission’s decision. Friend, a Brickshire resident, is one of the opponents who helped organize a petition drive that collected 350 signatures in opposition.

“People who live closest to [the racetrack] and are most impacted by [the motorcycle racing noise] are going to be here,” she said, pointing to the crowd and noting that a large percentage of Brickshire residents did not attend to voice opposition.

Opponents, however, are not surrendering and plan to be back on April 8 in an attempt to sway supervisors, she said.

“[District 4 supervisor] Ron Stiers seems to be in support of the neighbors,” she said. “I’ll go back and talk to Ray Davis [District 5], Tommy Tiller [District 2], and Thomas Evelyn [District 1] and see if I can get them to support credible sound tests. That’s all we want.”

Sound tests became a battle cry, of sorts, for opponents during tonight’s public hearing. Several criticized racetrack officials for not conducting formal tests during time that has elapsed since the first, and thus far only, motorcycle racing took place in 2001.

Colonial Downs president Ian Stewart responded, saying efforts to coordinate tests with State Police, the New Kent Sheriff’s Office, and an outside biker group had been “shut down by events beyond our control.” He did not elaborate.

Other speakers told planners that the first motorcycle race held at the racetrack “rattled windows and doors.” Some said motorcycle racing is not compatible with horse racing, two nearby golf courses, and the residential community.

“I feel it would be a betrayal for [county officials] to approve motorized racing,” said Brickshire resident Jane Keegel. “For them to change the rules midstream after we’ve already sunk money into our homes would be a disservice.”

Robert Schwartz took racetrack officials to task over county law that says the applicant carries the burden of proof that a proposed activity is not detrimental to the community.

“What proof has Colonial Downs provided?” he charged. “There’s been no proof as required in the [county’s] permitting process.”

Resident Steve DeBosky took a different approach, urging the one motorcycle race day to proceed as planned. Sound tests could coincide with the races, he said, and afterward an evaluation could take place on sound levels and economic impact to the county to determine if similar events would be staged in the future.

“The only way to do it is run the race and take what that science tells us,” he said.

Opponents, meanwhile, did not dominate the public hearing. Several motorcycle racing supporters spoke up.

“It’s one day of the year. They’re not asking for it every week,” said Brickshire resident Rick Savage.

Eltham resident Robert E. Piper Jr., a retired motorcycle racer, said the event would attract a large audience and be economically beneficial to the county.

Commission members weighed in after the public portion. Planner Richard Kontny Jr. chided racetrack officials for not making an effort to conduct noise level tests in the period since the 2001 races.

“It’s difficult to understand why you have not put in place [sound test data] over the past 10 years,” he posed to Stewart.

“We’re willing to do anything within reason to monitor sound,” the racetrack president responded.

If the permit request is approved, Stewart said, the one-day event, sanctioned by the American Motorcycle Association, would be held Saturday, Aug. 24 with practice and warm-ups from 10:15 a.m.-12 noon and racing from 1:30-4:30 p.m. Eleven races, including nine heats up to 10 minutes each in length and two featured events lasting up to 20 minutes each, would be held, he said.

“This will be first class in every way and showcase the New Kent area by attracting thousands of visitors to the county,” he said, adding that Colonial Downs is investing more than $100,000 to stage the event.

Stewart added, “We’re not interested in converting Colonial Downs into a permanent motorized racing facility.”