By Michael Rovito
Frontiersman
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The decision cleared assembly chambers of angry motorsports enthusiasts, who had packed the room and provided more than an hour's worth of testimony to the assembly.
Although the ordinance was adopted, the assembly directed the borough's Planning and Land Use Department to come back with amendments that make the ordinance more motorsports friendly.
Borough Planning and Land Use Director Murph O'Brien said Wednesday he and his staff already had written amendments exempting the Iron Dog event, changing race dates and exempting snowmachines.
The amendments will be introduced during the Dec. 5 assembly meeting, and will be voted on after public testimony Dec. 19.
Most of the nearly 30 residents who spoke Tuesday focused on a controversial proposed expansion of the Alaska Raceway in the Butte, although the ordinance does not name any specific racing venue.
First-term assembly member Michelle Church was asked by two residents to recuse herself, citing her public opposition to the North Star Speedway before she was elected to office. Church did not leave, and her decision later was backed up by the borough attorney.
One resident claimed Church said in the Frontiersman that she was ready to tackle the Butte race track after the election. A review of Frontiersman archives did not turn up any mention of race tracks by Church.
“The race track seems to bring that out in people,” Church said. “It's not against the law to lie.”
Church also pointed out to audience members during a lengthy monologue that passing the resolution will have no effect on existing race tracks - which will be “grandfathered” into the ordinance - but it will create a chance to compromise with residents during possible race track expansion projects or future developments.
“This does not discourage race track development,” Church said. “It discourages it in certain places due to incompatible uses.”
Some of the most supportive public testimony for the ordinance came from residents whose property abuts Alaska Raceway.
During a brief recess, Sev Jones, the borough's planning chief, said the ordinance is not about Alaska Raceway. It was designed to address future development of race tracks and provide residents with a chance to comment on proposed development. Jones seemed surprised that so many people concentrated on the Butte race track rather than the aim of the ordinance.
“The assumption is this is just for one reason,” Jones said.
As the assembly reconvened, testifying residents continued to focus mostly on their discontent with noise levels coming from the Alaska Raceway.
Karen Lackey, whose family owns the Alaska Raceway, shook her head as various residents came forward to complain about disrupted weekends and frightened dogs.
Kathy Wells, director of the Friends of Mat-Su, a group that advocates responsible development, took the stand near the end of public comment to remind the residents who spoke before her that the ordinance is not specifically about any one raceway, but about creating a chance for fair regulation boroughwide.
“This is not about Butte, not about race tracks,” Wells said. “It's affording ourselves more boroughwide frameworks and protections.”
As audience members cleared out after the race track ordinance was adopted, Lackey said even though the ordinance passed, her track is safe.
She asserted a petition from Butte residents was the motivation for the
ordinance.
“If people in the Butte think the race track is going away, it can't,” Lackey said.
Contact Michael Rovito at 352-2252 or michael.rovito@frontiersman.com.
Comments
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