Palmer permit requirement irks Alaska State Fair

July 25, 2006

By JOEL DAVIDSON

Frontiersman

PALMER - They're not happy about it, but for the first time in memory, Alaska State Fair leadership will ask the city of Palmer for a conditional-use permit to hold car races.

They just hope this doesn't signal the beginning of many more permit requirements for future events.

Joe Lawton is general manager at the fair, where he's worked the past 26 years. Not once, he said, does he recall applying for a conditional-use permit for fair events.

Things changed last summer, however, when the fair decided to expand its racing season by hosting three summer races and a fourth during the fair.

That's when perturbed Palmer residents started visiting Sarah Jansen, the city's community development coordinator, to complain about the sound of droning race cars.

&#8220There was definitely a concern from many corridors about a more expanded racing program,” Jansen said recently.

Palmer responded by sending the fair a letter last July, stating Palmer didn't intend to stop any fair activities that summer but the fair, &#8220must apply for and receive a conditional-use permit prior to any track use after Sept. 5, 2005, including track use during the fair itself.”

By April, the fair had not responded, so another letter was sent.

&#8220[T]he Fair should submit an application no later than May 19, 2006, to allow for public notification prior to a June 2006 meeting of the Planning and Zoning Commission.”

May and June came and went - still no reply.

Then, the fair posted an advertisement online for &#8220Motor Mania at the Grandstand,” a four-race event involving sprint-cars during this year's fair.

&#8220The fair should not proceed with plans for racetrack activities without first obtaining a conditional-use permit,” the city cautioned in a June 30

correspondence.

Last week, the fair relented.

&#8220We are going to file for a permit,” Lawton said in an interview Friday. &#8220That's my intention, but it is a great concern that the city might start talking about requiring permits for other events.”

There are a number of fair events that might be out of compliance with the city's permit requirements, Lawton said. That includes everything from concerts to bellowing livestock.

&#8220The bigger issue is whether the fair can stay here and do events,” he added. &#8220This is distracting our ability to do events - our energies are being

diverted.”

Palmer City Manager Tom Healy said the city only wants permits for events at the racetrack, nothing more.

In the past, the fair had an informal understanding that the city would not require permits, despite the fact that the fairgrounds are located in a public-use district of the city limits.

In the early 1980s, fair property became a part of Palmer's city limits. Before that time, the borough was responsible for zoning in the city of Palmer and did not require conditional-use permits, Jansen explained. When the city took over zoning powers in 1992, the longstanding practice was honored.

This year marks the first time fair officials must apply for a permit, and in order to get one, they have to appeal to the city's planning and zoning commission and go through a public hearing.

If their application is rejected, they can appeal to the city council.

Contact Joel Davidson at 352-2266 or joel.davidson@frontiersman.com.