DaveInDaytona
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posted March 26, 2003 01:47 PM
JenningsGP Faces Closure Over Noise Violations
JenningsGP Faces Closure Over Noise Violations
Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.
http://www.roadracingworld.com
By Michael Hannas
In the face of local government threats to shut the facility down for noise violations, JenningsGP (formerly North Florida Motorsports Complex) Executive Director Bill Brown is asking racers to help keep the racetrack open.
According to Brown, there is pressure from local government officials to close the racetrack due to noise violations. Brown is asking racers to write to Hamilton County in support of keeping the JenningsGP racetrack open.
The problem stems from repeated violation of the 87 dB noise limit placed on the track, measured at the property line.
The Db measurement of sound levels works on a logarithmic scale, i.e., an increase from 87 to 90 dB indicates twice as much as sound.
For reference, Laguna Seca's sound limit is 92 dB for motorcycles, while Buttonwillow, Thunderhill and Infineon Raceway have 103 dB motorcycle sound limits. Bridgehampton Raceway on Long Island, which closed in the late 1990s, operated under a 102 dB at-the-motorcycle limit and a 70 dB limit at the property line.
Independent tests of automobiles have shown that the ambient sound level inside a typical sedan traveling at 70 mph is around 70 dB, with the radio off.
Authorities have been taking sound measurements at the JenningsGP fence line during event weekends, and say the 87 dB limit has repeatedly been exceeded.
During the recent AHRMA weekend at the facility, the noise limit was broken again, according to Brown. The county notified the track that any more violations of the sound limit could result in closure of the facility.
Brown said the track is attempting to get the county to either raise the sound limit to 94 dB--more than four times the current sound limit--or grant the track exceptions for event weekends. He is urging all racers who have participated in track days or races at the facility and would like to see the track continue operations to write or e-mail the county.
Brown said that Hamilton County is one of the poorest counties in Florida, and Jennings GP brings many outsiders who spend significant amounts of money on food and lodging in the county.
Brown is asking all racers to write in, stating, "That's what's gonna convince them. Money." Brown added that angry letters "won't do any good," and reminded those who write in to refrain from doing anything that could make the track's situation more difficult.
Roadracingworld.com attempted to contact Hamilton County Commissioner Ronny C. Morgan for comment but our call was unreturned as of post time.
Interested racers can e-mail comments to: hamiltonecodev@alltel.net, or write to Ronny C. Morgan, County Commissioner, 207 NE First Street, Jasper, FL 32052
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DaveInDaytona
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posted March 26, 2003 01:49 PM
Jennings GP
(previously known as North Florida Motor Sports Park)
Web Site http://www.jenningsgp.com/
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VincentHill
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posted March 26, 2003 03:04 PM
Good write up about a bad deal! ??Enjoy Rock Creek Park mountain road at night in the Mini?? (I could have gone "Faster", because I have already
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slug
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posted March 27, 2003 05:16 PM
hrmmm
i wonder if they were to plant some shrubberys around the outside.... or some small walls to help reflect the noise back in towards the property centre
NI!!!
hrmm soundslike abad deal, it would set a HUUGELY bad precedent
howlong has that track beenthere? anyone know?
  
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DaveInDaytona
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posted March 27, 2003 06:25 PM
It's not that old, only been open a couple of years. I don't know who's out there listening, it's out in the middle of no where. I think someone has a problem that's more than about noise and that's the way they can get to them.
There aren't going to be too many new motorcycle only places so write a note and help save the ones that are there.
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DaveInDaytona
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posted March 27, 2003 06:26 PM
Yes, Mr. Hill it was quite a ride around the city. I'll have to do a write up about it soon. 
Thanks !
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VincentHill
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posted March 28, 2003 07:28 AM
Maybe the next time in daylight so you can use your camera and I go slower past the places so you can get the pictures and maybe faster in the park!
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Zhooligan
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posted March 28, 2003 10:25 PM
Pretty much the story all over this country. We had a moto cross track closed here in the northwest a few years back. The track had been around for over 40 years, in a very sparse populated area, and a lawyer bought a piece of property near it and started construction of his retirement home. He lived at the time in San Francisco. He filed a complaint with the court that the noise would be distressing to him and his helth and the judge ordered the track closed.
Our local Road Race and drag strip was built years ago and a developer developed a racing neighborhood close by. The homes were built and marketed as being close to the race track etc. Now there is a stringent noise limit, a limited number of days that the track can operate and frankly a court battle every year to keep it open.
It's hard not to go ballistic over this stuff sometimes!
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VincentHill
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posted March 29, 2003 06:27 AM
Dulles Airport was built (Then) Out in Nowhere! The people decided it would be nice to be near the airport! Now there is trouble all of the time! National Airport (I refuse to call it Reagan National because of my respect for the air traffic controllers that he fired) was built to serve Congress in the middle of Washington! There are fights, but what do you bet it will never be closed!
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slug
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posted March 29, 2003 08:15 AM
reminds me of a gun range in yorktown, va
they built it in middle of boonies. it has been there for 25-30 years now
a land development company bought property a mile or so from the range, and built a housing development.
soon after residents started living there, they started filing complaints about the noise of hte firing range. they wanted it closed down.
heLLO people....they were there first.
luckily the gun club there were very smart about their policies, ie law enforcement/local govt people could practice there whenever they wanted, for free. since they break no laws by having the range there, i wouldn't consider it a perks thing. BUT that policy i think has kept the homeowners from being succesful in their bids to close down that facility for now.
eventually there will be enough left-wing liberal folks in the local govt that there may be succesful closure attempts, but until then, the idiots that buy homes next to noisy property will have to deal with their OWN bad decision.
i think politics has a lot to do with stufflike that, a motorcycle race track is 'irresponsible' because there is not a huge following in the USA for bike racing.
yet a nascar track is ok....bah idiots the world over rule because they have the numbers on their side...
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DaveInDaytona
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posted March 29, 2003 09:53 AM
I live close enough to a train track that I can sometimes hear the train. I am get all trains going near my house banned.
FWIW - The NASCAR track here is on tax exempt county property, figure that one out.
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slug
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Out in search of my mind...
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posted March 29, 2003 12:14 PM
not even gonna try :-)
(the sounds of deuling banjos fades in distance)
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Zhooligan
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posted March 29, 2003 04:09 PM
I was about to respond but I have heard a rumor that a train is leaving Florida now heading my way and I am already getting a headache from the noise! 
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future; -- Youth is forever.
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jonwright
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posted April 01, 2003 09:11 PM
It's pretty unusual for a county to give up revenue. Wait a minute - did I expect some logic here?
I'll be it's a case of 'Squeaky wheel' syndrome, man. Somebody is raising hell to the officials and they are looking to get this person off of his back.
I wonder if the owner of the track has contacted the local businesses and got them invovled as well.
I also wonder if the track owner has made some strategic donations to reelection campaigns - just a small token of appreciation. That usually helps as well.
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