TrackRacket was formed to identify and document how the excessive noise generated by the NJ Motorsports Park affects the quality of life and property rights in the surrounding communities.
Membership is open to all those who share our goal to reduce the excess noise levels we are currently experiencing.
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856-899-4098
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This is an example of the excessive noise TrackRacket is fighting to have reduced.
April 16, 2011 Noise from NJMP clearly heard over riding lawnmower
Who said
Click Here to see sworn testimony given by Shropshire & Associates to the Planning Board on their expert sound estimates of 55 decibels for the closest properties to the track.
Click Here to hear the Planning Board ask some hard questions, but get sidestepped by NJMP's representative and lawyer, Gary Wodlinger.
Click Here to hear Porreca Drive resident, Harry Fisher and a Laurel Lakes resident voice their concerns about the noise level during the planning board meeting.
Click Here to hear Mr.Wodlinger and Mr. Shropshire reply to Mr. Fisher.
Click Here to hear Commissioner Derella's wrap of the meeting and reassuring concerned residents that all efforts are being made to curb the noise.
the newspapers?
"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
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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
"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."
"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
"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."
"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
"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
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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
"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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"We are not, repeat, not against the track, and I
hope this gets written," she said. "We know what it's going to do for
the city."
Michelle Post- Commission meeting 1-21-09
"(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
"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."
"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
WHO YOU 'GONNA CALL?
4-4-11
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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.
Pure and simple - and how it is affecting the health and lives of taxpayers and residents in our community. Living within a 3 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 3 mile radius of the track. Keep in mind we measured the rings to start at the center of the track. However, you may be closer to the noise if you measure to the nearest part of the race track. For example, someone residing in south Millville would be 2.5 miles, not 3, from the edge. Where are you?
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 sound mitigation the number one priority or else it should not have been approved for that location.
without proper and adequate noise mitigation
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This is about current City Officials who do not believe there is a Noise Problem
3-5-2009
We counted approximately 4,500 homes that lie within the 3 mile "noise-zone." This is their definition of "sparsely populated?" Times this number by 2.5 (average number of people to a household) and you have roughly 11,250 people being subjected to noise levels that far exceed the amount that was represented during the planning stages. Minus those who live in the townships and you are left with 10,000 residents. This represents 35% of Millville's population. Imagine that!
What about those who live outside the city? NOISE KNOWS NO BOUNDARIES! Noise travels indiscriminately, to the rich and the poor, and it's effects are the same- it degrades our quality of life. TrackRacket believes that everyone who is affected by the noise has equal rights to address it, no matter where you live.
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!
What they didn't want you to hear
12-2-09
From day one, all references of noise from the NJMP has been couched in numbers. In decibels. “65 decibels is the sound of a normal conversation.” “80 decibels is the sound of a vacuum cleaner.” “80 decibels is the sound of a telephone dial tone.”
According
to both the Shropshire Report and the City’s Noise Study, the average decibel
readings for this year's season of the NJMP are between 45 and 60.
The City Commissioners apparently feel that these are acceptable levels for us to live
with as all they will say about the reports is that the numbers fall under the City's Noise Ordinance so therefore, are acceptable. Acceptable to whom?
Does anyone here know what 55 decibels of an unmuffled race car sounds like in your back yard? Scroll down to the bottom of this page (how loud is a decibel?) and you can hear what it is like in our back yards. The readings were taken at properties that are just under a mile away. Imagine this lasting for 8 to 10 hours a day, weekdays and weekends. Even at the lowest level (45-50) it comes in through closed windows. There is no escape for those who desire the peace and quiet they once enjoyed. You will notice that the meter spikes over 70 decibels at the second location which is just under one mile from the Thunderbolt Raceway.
In order
for noise coming from the NJMP to be in violation of the City Noise Ordinance it must go
over 80 decibels for 20 minutes sustained...I wonder how much noise that would be? Click here for video of the noise demonstration at the City Commissioners Meeting on December 1, 2009.
This video demonstrates the absurdity of the
Millville Noise Ordinance.
So we ask, is the ordinance really there to protect us or enable the NJMP to make as much noise as they possibly can without fear of violation?
Click here to read the Press of Atlantic City article on this issue.
Click here to read the editorial in the Press of Atlantic City.
Do Sound Studies tell the real story?
1-15-2010
We all know that wind plays a very important role in the levels of noise we hear. Sound waves are carried with the wind. This explains why some folks hear more noise than others on any given day.
Was this type of misrepresentation employed by the NJMP? We take it on face value that the reports that were given to the City by the NJMP were thoughtful, accurate readings. And on the surface, this seems entirely so. In the first Sound Study submitted to the City by Shropshire and Associates during the 2008 inaugural season, they took readings on actual race dates and at locations close to the track. The decibel levels averaged 65. They make a concerted effort to point out that 65 decibels is the level of conversational speech.
If one was to dig a bit deeper, into the results that were printed in The Daily Journal, one would discover that the readings were taken at locations that would produce the lowest readings on that day. How do we know that? Because they were all taken with the wind in the opposite direction from the noise (with the exception of one where the wind was perpendicular). Data is supplied by www.weatherunderground.com under historical data for Millville, NJ.
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A vacuum cleaner is 80 decibels.
A telephone dial tone is 80 decibels
(yes, really! This was printed in the Daily Journal!)
So- how loud is a decibel anyway when it pertains to racetrack noise? All we got are these numbers. These comparisons. What does it really mean in real life? What does it really sound like?
The sound expert for the NJMP stated under oath that the projected levels of noise during a race would be 55 decibels at the closest residential property line. However, our town fathers institute a noise ordinance for our "protection" that sets the bar at 80 decibels before the track is in violation (Oh, btw, that 80 decibels has to be sustained for 20 minutes to be in violation).
Eric Zwerling, president of The Noise Consultancy, LLC and director of the Rutgers Noise Technical Assistance Center, the foremost sound expert in the state of NJ, has stated under oath to the Planning Board that race track noise "at 65 decibels will be difficult to next to impossible for residents to enjoy normal outdoor activity." The Planning Board went ahead and approved the project even when they were told of the adverse effects that residents would be subject to.
7-10-2009
However, did you know that this ordinance has not been approved by the NJ Environmental Protection Agency? According to Solicitor McCarthy (July 7, 2009) DEP's approval is not necessary to enact the ordinance. So, if they have an ordinance, why aren't they enforcing it?
UPDATE: At the Commissioner's meeting on July 7, 2009, we were informed by Commissioner Finch that the city does not enforce the noise ordinance during the weekends. The person who is (finally) certified to take readings does not work on the weekends. Well, most of us know that the noisiest racing activity occurs on the weekends. How protected to you feel now, knowing that they are not enforcing this ordinance they say they have?
UPDATE: 8-13-2010. The city is no longer conducting sound monitoring at any of the established locations it did previously, even when calls come in reporting excessive noise levels.
a motor vehicle racing facility
should be protected not punished
For every 10 decibel increase in noise, the loudness doubles. This continues in a logarithmic scale. If your neighborhood's ambient noise level was 45 dBL, an increase to 55 dBL would be a doubling of noise. An increase to 65 dBL would be a doubling of the noise already doubled. An increase to 75 dBL a doubling of the noise that was quadrupled from before. And we are not even to the limits the City of Millville has approved for you to experience in your home on a daily basis.
The City Commissioners were well aware that NJ exempts racetracks from this and any noise ordinance when they set the city noise ordinance at 80dB. So any sound level studies the city engages is a charade, and not aimed at protecting us taxpayers, but allows the racetrack to pollute our air space with noise levels illegal anywhere else in the state- except next to a motor vehicle racetrack.
This is not something that will bring deleterious effects.”
The above is just a reminder of what we've lost.
RD Owens: "I know, we should all just live with the noise. This is real and prevalent. It happens 40 weeks annually. This is not how things sounded when I moved into this house. This is why I contend my quality of life has been affected by the racetrack.
I enjoy racing. I’ll be watching the Indianapolis 500 and the Coca~Cola 600 today. I do not enjoy hearing it in my home all weekend, virtually every weekend.
It’s a beautiful Sunday morning. The sun is shining, the birds are chirping. I sat down at the dining table to enjoy my breakfast and relax on this gorgeous day. This is what heard from my chair"
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