New Hesperia MX Park needs YOU

[GreggT]

October 20th at the Hesperia City council meeting there will be a battle between off road riders and anti off road riders. The more riders we get the better. The track passed planning without opposition but some folks who live a half mile away are determined to stio it. The live in the county and the track is in Hesperia.

I got to ride the main track last week and it is awesome.

[GreggT]

Posted: Sun Oct 03, 2004 11:07 am Post subject: hesperia MX track- the commies are going to protest it

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First they ban OHV activities in hesperia, now they are trying to stop the MX track! it's complete "poopy"!

frickin' commies! I guess we'll be seeing them at the city hall here shortly.

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Neighbors say no to MX Park

Opponents of motocross facility hope to put brakes on zone change to allow for construction

By GRETCHEN LOSI/Staff Writer

OAK HILLS — Some residents of homes near a proposed motocross park are racing to Hesperia City Hall to stop the facility before its first green flag drops.

Their goal is to put the brakes on the zone change needed to let Competitive Edge MX Park Inc. build a 77-acre facility for motocross enthusiasts. Competitive edge hopes to get the zone change at the Oct. 20 City Council meeting.

"I sold an expensive house, gave up my Prop 13 (property tax break), and moved out to Oak Hills over 3 years ago to live the quiet and peaceful life. We all did." William Burdett said. "Now this place is going to heck."

The Oak Hills resident lives close enough to the site of the proposed park — which is just inside the Hesperia city limits — that he can almost read the writing on the water trucks parked there daily.

He and Edward Ruiz, another property owner against the proposed park, and the noise, dust and traffic they say it would bring, took a $324 check to Hesperia City Hall along with a completed Application for Appeal. Burdett and Ruiz said city officials turned them away.

"They said it hasn't been approved for commercial zoning yet so I couldn't file the appeal," Burdett said.

The Planning Commission approved the motocross project on Oct. 9. The park would have four tracks, a 3,100-square foot restaurant and an observation deck.

Jeff Nordstrom, Competitive Edge MX Park president, said last July that a major competition could bring up to 30,000 people to the facility.

If approved by the City Council, Nordstrom said they anticipate opening by February 2005.

Burdett said he has obtained signatures on a petition from all but one property owner in the area who oppose the park. He said all who signed live an average of a half mile from the proposed park.

Burdett said that he and others on the petition think that the track will adversely affect the property values of the neighborhood. Burdett and other residents say they fear that the noise pollution, air pollution and traffic congestion will become "unbearable."

"Our biggest complaint will be the extra traffic coming here off 395. It'll be bad," Burdett said. "Up to 30,000 people on opening day. It will be so bad they are already talking to Pilot Travel Center about using their parking area too."

Competitive Edge MX Inc. officials did not immediately return a call for comment. Hesperia City Hall was closed on Friday.

Ruiz, also not happy about the possible traffic congestion, said his major issues are the additional noise and dust the proposed park could cause.

"I can hear when one motorcycle goes by. Now I will have to live where hundreds will be going around the clock," Ruiz said.

Ruiz said the fact that the city didn't ask the surrounding neighbors if a motocross park in their backyards would be a welcomed addition to the neighborhood, was simply unjust.

"They (city officials) told us all they had to do, by law, is ask those residing within 600 feet. Are you going to tell me the noise and dust is going to stop at 600 feet? Come on. That's wrong."

Burdett and others in the neighborhood said they will continue organizing their efforts for the Oct. 20 City Council meeting.

"We will be at the City Council meeting to protest this. I guarantee you," Burdett said.

Gretchen Losi can be reached at gretchen_losi@link.freedom.com or 951-6233

[EM_rider]

Gregg,

I've been reading the numerous threads and posts on this topic, both here and on the D-37 board. I'm an off road only guy, but do take an ACTIVE interest in OHV access issues and am a strong supporter of new riding areas, regardless of whether they are MX or off road.

But this one has me puzzled. From what I can tell (I am NOT familiar with this area in Hesperia), the site of the proposed track is relatively close to existing homes. IF this is indeed the case, then I can understand their negative attitude towards the track. Can you please clarify the facts? How close is the proposed track site to existing homes and what sound testing/controls will be in place to ensure that the noise (and dust) is controlled? A lot of the posts I've read are very naive in dismissing these concerns while totally skipping over the question of whether the concerns are valid in the first place. "Just deal with it" is not a winning strategy for the OHV crowd.

And finally, since proximity to homes seems to be a potential snag in getting final approval, why on earth did the owners choose this location in the first place? There is a lot of land up there, and citing anywhere near existing homes seems like just asking for a lot of trouble and hassle.

Thanks.

Rob