Bethel board rejects expansion of speedway hours of operation

FRITZ MAYER
Posted 2/28/19

George Van Arsdall, Jr., general manager of the Bethel Motor Speedway (BMS), spoke to the overflow crowd, wanting to clear up some misconceptions, at the public hearing in front of the Bethel town …

This item is available in full to subscribers.

Please log in to continue

Log in

Bethel board rejects expansion of speedway hours of operation

Posted

George Van Arsdall, Jr., general manager of the Bethel Motor Speedway (BMS), spoke to the overflow crowd, wanting to clear up some misconceptions, at the public hearing in front of the Bethel town board on February 27. He said that, should the speedway become a "NASCAR home track," that did not mean that the NASCAR cars and trucks seen on television would be seen at the local speedway. (A fact The River Reporter got wrong in a caption in the print newspaper this week.) He said the types of cars that race there now would remain the same.

Van Arsdall, Jr. said the main reasons BMS was seeking to gain affiliation with NASCAR was for safety reasons, including a much better insurance policy for drivers who use the track, should they become involved in any accident.

Peter Reynolds, director of marketing for the speedway, said "NASCAR  is the most recognized trademark in the motor sports industry," and the proposed affiliation with it would bring more people and tourist dollars to the track and the town. For this year's operating permit, BMS was asking for expanded hours of track use on Tuesday through Friday from 12 noon to 5 p.m., which would make it "feasible" to pursue a NASCAR affiliation. The track normally operates on most Saturdays during the warmer months, fewer Sundays and one Thursday a month.

The track and the proposed expansion certainly had some supporters. Two fans said they traveled more than 50 miles to visit the track on a regular basis. Local people noted that BMS had provided their children with a great learning opportunity, and a few of those children went on to become professional racers. They said the track provided the area with an evening of affordable family fun.

But far outnumbering the supporters were neighbors who did not want the expanded hours to be approved by the board. Michael Priore, for instance, who lives about two tenths of a mile from the track, said he bought his house in 2005, when the track was dormant. "What I have an issue with is the amount of fumes, noise and vibrations my house is subject to each time they race... and on a Saturday night of racing, we're made to flee our patio."  He also said his wife has COPD, and the fumes irritate her breathing.

Gail Rubenfeld, an attorney who lives in Smallwood, said she was representing a number of residents who live in the area. She and town supervisor Dan Sturm generally agreed that the track was located in the Rural Development District. Rubenfeld said in that district the track is a nonconforming use and Bethel has a law that says nonconforming uses may not be expanded. (Sturm later reviewed the issue and said that "outdoor recreation" is a permitted use in the district, and the speedway falls under that category and is therefore not a nonconforming use in that district.)

Neither she, nor anyone else speaking against the expanded hours, suggested that the track should be closed down, and many who opposed the expansion said the track was a valued part of the community.

After hearing the testimony, members of the board gave comments. Sturm and others spoke of balancing the rights of the BMS with the rights of nearby residents to enjoy their properties. A couple of the board members also noted that the town has been pushing hard to become more green, taking part in such efforts as the state's Climate Smart Communities Program, and approving the expanded hours of operations at the track was at odds with the town's goal of sustainability.

During the vote, the board agreed to a couple of minor and uncontroversial changes to the track's 2019 operation permit. But when Sturm asked the board if any of them wanted to move the resolution on the Tuesday through Friday expansion, no member responded, and the motion was defeated.

bethel motor speedway, NASCAR, bethel

Comments

No comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here