Tuesday, July 17, 2007

Lancaster County Board approves regulations for motor sports

By the Lincoln Journal Star
Tuesday, Jul 17, 2007 - 02:33:16 pm CDT
The Lancaster County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday approved changes that
would permit motor sports facilities in the county, while setting specific
regulations to address concerns like noise and location.

The board voted 4-1 to adopt the amendment to the county's zoning code,
though the vote came after several attempts to find some compromise among
the options before them.

Commissioner Deb Schorr voted against the measure.

Schorr jumped out front with her concerns about sound restrictions being
possibly too restrictive after the board closed out testimony and began to
consider possible action. She said she believed strongly there is somewhere
in the county that can accommodate motor sports events.

"If our sound restrictions are going to be the reason it can't be built,
then I can't support it," she said of the changes.

The regulations will allow race tracks, drag strips or any other motor
sports facility by special permit in the AG zoning district of the county
and limit the hours of a site's operation between 10 a.m. and 10 p.m. The
regulations also will prohibit the development of a motor sports project
within a half mile of cemeteries, hospitals, churches, residential areas,
acreage areas, schools, parks and open space.

The regulations include a provision that the County Board can amend any of
the conditions or impose additional conditions in the interest of public
health, safety, morals and general welfare.

The board is scheduled to hear a proposal for a quarter-mile drag strip at
its July 31 meeting. The changes adopted by the board Tuesday will apply to
that project.

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