WTF is going on?
Visit the Moving Forward page
to find out what's new and happening in the continuing saga of 'us vs. them'.
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Who said Misrepresentation?
The overwhelming consensus of residents who are impacted by the excessive noise is that they feel they have been misled and facts were misrepresented in the amount of noise that the race track would produce.
What did the newspapers say?
"A proposed city ordinance, set for adoption next week, would set the maximum noise level at that of a telephone dial tone for most races but would exempt a small go-kart track." -Daily Journal 8-11-04 Plan gains momentum in county
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Board member Milt Truxton honed in on the noise issue. Truxton quizzed Shropshire repeatedly about the best methods for reducing sound. Shropshire said the best method of handling noise issues is to create distance between the source and the nearest neighborhood. For instance, he said, placing a row of evergreen trees as a buffer would have a minimal effect. The engineer noted the closest residential neighborhood is about 3,500 feet away from the proposed site. That is a 'substantial distance' and the developer did not anticipate any problems, he said. 'This is not to say sound will not travel,' Shropshire said." -Daily Journal 11-30-04 Park Developer answers criticisms: Motorsports plan won’t cause nose problems, attorney says
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"Shropshire said remedies, such as a sound wall, as are used along most major highways, have not been included in the evaluation because no problems have been anticipated." -Daily Journal 11-30-04 Park Developer answers criticisms: Motorsports plan won’t cause nose problems, attorney says
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"The park's sound expert, Dave Shropshire, said during previous public meetings that noise from the park could average 55 decibels. A normal conversation between people averages about 60 decibels." -Daily Journal 7-27-09 Group turns up volume on track
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"Derella said, as it was told to him, 40 decibels is what you’d expect to find in a library. At around 80 decibels, the sound is similar to that of a lawn mower. Commissioner Dave Vanaman said where he lives he hears the noise, too. 'If my neighbor had his lawnmower on for 11 hours, I’d go over there and smash it,' he quipped." Press of Atlantic City 9-17-08 Millville race course noise angers neighbors
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"The city enacted its own ordinance to protect residents. Any noise of 80 decibels or more sustained for at least 20 minutes in a residential area is considered a violation. Eighty decibels is the noise level of a vacuum cleaner." -Daily Journal Editorial 1-19-09 Officials should try to do the right thing on noise
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"Part of the problem, something that was mentioned years ago when the New Jersey Motorsports Park was before the Planning Board, is atmospheric conditions. Commissioner Joe Derella, who is also on the city's Planning Board, said experts told the board then that the sound generated by the race course could be amplified depending on the weather." -Press of Atlantic City 9-17-08 Millville race course noise angers neighbors
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"Other speakers raised questions about traffic, but the noise issue was the dominant concern of those who spoke before deadline." -The Press of Atlantic City 11-30-04
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"I know ... racetracks are noisy. But people who live near the track were concerned about this from day one and were told it wouldn’t be a problem. Well, depending on the weather pattern at any given moment, unpleasantly loud noise from the track has even been heard as far away as Vineland. Closer residents say it is unbearable at times." -The Press of Atlantic City editorial- Jim Perski 12-4-09
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"Laurel Lake resident John Worthington complained the city was not restrictive enough in setting maximum noise levels for the park. 'I say it's going to be a nuisance and a constant nuisance,' he said."
-Daily Journal 5-4-05 Residents say NJ Motorsports Park still cause for concern
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"(Lawrence Twp) Committeeman Joseph Miletta said when the wind is right he can hear it at his Cedarville home on North Avenue, nine miles away.” he said."
-The News 11-12-08 Lawrence twp woman gets OK to hold meeting
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"Noise studies at the track conducted by both the park and the city have determined noise levels coming from the NJMP are below the 80-decibel legal limit in nearby residential areas. Eighty decibels is roughly the audible equivalent of a telephone dial tone or a commercial vacuum cleaner." -The News 12-30-09 TrackRacket suing Motorsports park
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"Decibel levels of approximately 60 equals the noise generated by conversational speech from 3 to 5 feet away." -The News 11-4-09 NJMP Decibel readings 40-5- average’ spike at 70
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"Residents of the western Millville neighborhood proposed for the track tell the City Commission the facility would ruin the rural quality of life that attracted them to the area." -Daily Journal 7-9-08 The long road to bring Motorsports to Cumberland County- originally published in 2000
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"The park is aware of the problem, but co-owner Joe Savaro said in an interview last month there are no plans to add more sound barriers." -Daily Journal 1-16-09 Residents voice concerns about noise at raceway
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"Savaro also said no changes are being made to the 2009 calendar because of noise." -Daily Journal 10-29-08 NJ Motorsports Park’s noise levels in check
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"The city conducted its own noise study to see if the Motorsports Park, which opened to racing last July, exceeded allowable limits, which considers a violation any noise of 80 decibels or more sustained for at least 20 minutes in a residential area. Eighty decibels is equivalent to a referee's whistle, while a normal conversation is about 50 decibels." -Daily Journal 1-15-09 – Millville residents protest noise level of raceway
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"Will this offer NASCAR races? No. It's not designed for such races. An effort to bring a NASCAR track to the county was abandoned several years ago.”- Daily Journal 11-21-05 What you need to know: NJ Motorsports Park
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"It is our intention to invite NASCAR to visit our facility," said Don Fauerbach, an official at the Millville park. "And it's our intention to invite them to see if they're interested in having any of their series visit our facilities.”- The Daily Journal 8-28-08 "Is NASCAR Coming?"
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Here are some other examples:
80 Decibels is the sound of a vacumn cleaner.
It would be if you have the meter pointed directly at the appliance, AND not miles away.
How about: "A proposed city ordinance would set the maximum noise level at that of a telephone dial tone for most races." -Daily Journal- August 11, 2004
"City law says sustained sound levels cannot exceed 80 decibels, which is equivalent to the sound of a garbage disposal from 15 feet away. -Daily Journal article "What You Need To Know"- 11-21-05
"80 decibels is equivalent to a referee's whistle" -Daily Journal article "Millville residents protest noise level of raceway" 1-15-09)
You can hear a racing car miles away, but we can't hear a vacuum cleaner, a telephone dial tone or a referee's whistle at that distance.
Apples and oranges, anyone?
And let's not forget this one: "Shropshire said the best method of handling noise issues is to create distance between the source and the nearest neighborhood. The engineer noted the closest residential neighborhood is about 3,500 feet away from the proposed site. That is a 'substantial distance' and the developer did not anticipate any problems." -Daily Journal article "Park developer answers criticisms" 11-30-04
This is a testament for all of us who have to leave our homes to go somewhere else to get some peace and quiet.
And I pay my taxes for this privilege?
This Is About Noise Pollution
Overexposure to excessive sound can be physically and mentally debilitating. Excessive noise can cause stress, hearing loss, sleeplessness and increased blood pressure. Many of us deal with noise by plugging our ears, shutting doors and windows or simply distancing ourselves from the source. However, we are all entitled to a reasonable amount of peace and quiet, especially in a state as densely populated and industrialized as New Jersey.
Living within a 2 mile radius of a motor racing facility should not disqualify people from the basic human right to enjoy some peace and quiet, and the sanctity of their private property, especially over the summer months, when everybody likes to get out and enjoy the warmer weather. For many, the noise is brutal, intrusive, unbearable, depressing, stressful and inescapable. Even sitting inside with all doors and windows shut does not stop the noise of race cars from invading their homes.
The worst affected area is within the 2 mile radius of the track. Where are you?
TrackRacket
What's missing in this picture? YOU!
Because you're inside your house with the windows closed trying to escape the noise instead of relaxing and enjoying a nice cold beer in your own backyard!
In Millville, this is considered a fundamental right!
Folks residing in the surrounding community have lived in this area for ... 20 years, 38 years, 7 years, 17 years, "generations", 33 years, 83 years, 55 years, 5 years, "was born here 50 years ago" etc., etc. - so please don't tell us to "leave if we don't like it " - our families, friends and roots are here in this area.
Many people who have relocated to this area for its quiet and natural environment with the intention of spending their all to precious time enjoying the peace and tranquility of their property.
All these residents have been betrayed and railroaded by the political machine that saw only the elusive $ in the project and not the value in the surrounding community's quality of life. Is it ok to trash and degrade a segment of the population that was living a modest, yet fortuitous life for the "betterment" of the city as a whole? Aren't we supposed to bring the standard of living up across the board- not push it down deliberately????
We should not be in this position to have to desperately protect our quality of life and our property values. Our protection should have been a priority with the commissioners when this project first came to light. This project should have been developed with noise mitigation the #1 priority or else it should NOT have been approved for that location.
Racetracks and neighborhoods don't mix!