The TrackRacket Story
On January 15th 2009, over 50 people braved
freezing temperatures to drive to the Municipal Building in Cedarville to share
their stories and concerns over the noise they experienced from the newly built
New Jersey Motorsports Park. This
meeting was originally called for Lawrence Township residents as this is where
I live. Interestingly, I began getting calls and emails from mostly Millville
residents asking if they can attend.
TrackRacket was born.
Read the full TrackRacket Story I and continued on TrackRacket Story II
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TrackRacket’s Core Beliefs and Values:
1)
We believe that the NJMP can be an asset to the economic welfare of
this city and county but can be so only if the welfare of it’s closest
residents are protected.
2) We believe that no person should be under siege in their own home tying to escape excessive noise pollution.
3) We believe that no one should be bullied and berated when they stand
up for their rights to a good quality of life and the protection of
personal property.
4) We believe that it is deplorable and despicable that residents in
the state of New Jersey are reduced to second-class citizens just
because they now find themselves neighbors to a motor vehicle
racetrack. They are not afforded the protection from this excessive
noise under the law.
There's really no reason to be "on opposite sides" of this issue. Being against the excessive amounts of noise is not being against the track as a whole. We embrace a "win-win" scenario where we all can exist, thrive and prosper.
For the good of the local economy, The NJMP needs to continue operating and we need noise attenuation so we can enjoy a reasonable quality of life in the homes we spend our hard earned money on. If the track would do something about the excessive noise, then they will be the hero of all- A shining example. But we are bullied and berated whenever we express our views in hopes that we go away. The NJMP does not want to change their "business plan" , they do not want to require mufflers, and they don't want to spend money on sound barriers. If the City of Millville and the NJMP were really concerned with the well being of the entire community, then sound barriers would have been first and foremost in the original development plan. Their behavior is really very sad, indeed.
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TrackRacket was formed to identify and document the egregious noise generated by racing activity at the New Jersey Motorsports Park and is composed of citizens who are concerned and outraged that their quality of life has been abruptly and irreparably altered.
We are made up of citizens who believed what the developers told us about how much noise we were to expect from the track and our city officials who confirmed their findings. Why would our elected officials lead us astray?
Our Board Room is the dining room table of whatever member's home we happen to be in. Our expenses are paid for by fund raising and the generosity of private donations.
We exist in sharp contrast to a well-financed business and political powers who have a vested interest in the New Jersey Motorsports Park. We don't have the advantage of tax dollars nor deep pockets to pay for attorneys and public relations professionals. We believe in honest representation and balanced reporting. We believe the protection of our quality of life and the respect for the taxpaying residents that live within the 3 mile "noise zone" should be the uppermost concern of our elected officials.
TrackRacket advocates working together with the Millville City Commissioners, NJMP officials and the officials in the surrounding townships in a partnership on finding solutions that mitigate the harmful effect of this noise pollution on near-by residents. Our membership is open to all citizens regardless of municipality, who are affected by the noise and to those who have sympathy for our plight and support our efforts. We have called repeatedly for open forum discussions in the proper setting but to this date we have not been contacted for this to happen.
TrackRacket conducts extensive research on the detrimental impact of noise pollution on individuals and residential communities as a whole. We have talked to respected people and organizations in New Jersey and across the country that specialize in noise effects and control. We research other communities in New Jersey who live next to motor vehicle race tracks and have found themselves reduced to the status of second class citizens because we are not afforded protection under the law. We have helped other civic action groups fight the same type of motorsports park being forced upon their quiet, peaceful neighborhoods. We intend to get something accomplished!
At the beginning of New Jersey's Noise Control Act of 1971 there is the following conclusion: "The legislature finds and determines that the people of the State are entitled to and should be insured an environment free from noise which unnecessarily degrades the quality of life..."
That's all TrackRacket is asking for -- that this conclusion in the law be applied to those who live near a racetrack. Yes, we recognize (as this conclusion indicates) noise in our daily lives is unavoidable but that which degrades one's quality of life must be "unnecessary". All the exemptions provided in the state regulations are forms of necessary noise (emergency sirens, church bells, speech, roads, railroads, airports) some of which are regulated by other statutes anyway. Why is a “for profit” entity afforded this generous benefit of exemption?
Statement read by Michelle Post at second TR meeting held at the Millville Library:
"I am Michelle Post and I am meeting many of you today for the first time although we have gotten to know one another electronically. I want to thank each and every one of you for coming. By being here, you acknowledge that you are “not pleased” with the excessive noise generated by the NJMP and want to see something done about it.
My husband and I were drawn to this town for the vision and actions by the elected officials and other community members that allowed a transformation of a decaying downtown into a vibrant Arts District. As practicing artists, this was a strong draw. We paid the asking price for our home and invested a good deal of money into renovations and additions resulting in higher property taxes that go into the local and county tax coffers. We buy locally, supporting the farmers, businesses and cultural enterprises that Millville and Cumberland County have to offer. We were certain we found our little piece of Heaven Here on Earth.
You are here because you have, as we do, a vested interest in your homes and your community and have enjoyed a quality of life some can only dream about- A quality of life that you hold so dear that you are willing to defend it against any undesirable onslaughts.
Did you know that during an earlier sound study to record the ambient level of noise in the area prior to building the track that the lowest outdoor reading in the state of New Jersey was recorded on the Maurice River? This is a Federally designated Wild and Scenic River- and this is still true- if you don’t count noise pollution.
I am sure you have read my letters in the daily newspapers, letters from other frustrated residents, and have visited our web site (trackracket.org) and have become familiar with the wealth of information it contains.
I am not an eloquent or practiced speaker nor a speech writer. I have been called a troublemaker in the past, but you always have to question who am I causing trouble for. What I say comes from my heart and is born out of my intolerance for injustices. A rage that builds up when good, decent, hard working, high tax paying citizens are taken advantage of and then left to fend for themselves.
I have been following other towns that are being assaulted by developers who want to build similar raceways in their town. Dawsonville in Georgia is facing the same onslaught with the same set of policital/developer coziness that brought us the NJMP. They are being wooed with the lure of jobs, ratables, and the sexy excitement that racecars invoke. Dawsonville’s town fathers have no consideration at all for those who have organized to object to the noise levels that will be produced in their pristine, rural community. They will get this track whether they want it or not.....Sound familiar?
It is very interesting that there is a renewed interest in building racetracks in this country when existing racetracks are constantly coming under attack on the issue of noise pollution. People are getting fed up with the excessive noise that is generated by this enterprise. Historically, racetracks were built far out into the country, in remote locations. Why? The answer is simple- it generates so much noise that would not be tolerated in a populated area. The more residential development encroaches on the boundaries of racing facilities, the more effort there is to close down these entities.
The most common and classic attack in the historic battle between residents and racetracks is: "You should have known there was a racetrack here before you moved in." "You are an idiot for moving near a racetrack and then complaining about."
But that didn’t happen in our case. The racetrack came to us. This is where all the problems start. The NJMP is the one beholdened to us to be a good neighbor. So isn’t odd that we hear:
“You’re a bunch of whiners,” “It’s white noise and you’ll get used to it,” “The airport was louder,” “The noise doesn’t bother me, so quit your complaining!” and the best one: “Why don’t you just move!”
These are just a few of the bullying remarks from supporters of the NJMP directed to those of us who have voiced our objections to the excessive noise that is forced upon us diminishing our quality of life and jeopardizing our property values.
Why would any community allow an enterprise known for generating huge amounts of noise into their living rooms? Why was there no opposition from the majority of the community when this project was first introduced?
I have discovered a truly endearing quality that most Millvillians possess. You are a trusting lot on the whole. You trusted your elected officials to protect you, to protect your interests, to protect your way of life. But what you got is a gross injustice of promises- statements made by experts in their field of certain noise levels you were to expect during a race and promises by a certain elected official to take action if the noise reaches a problem where the quality of life for the residents of Millville is compromised.
You, your neighbors, us out in the country and surrounding townships felt comfortable with the idea that the noise the NJMP would generate would be levels we could all live with. After all- it was promoted as a country club for gentleman to race their Porsches and Ferarris. You went to the meetings, hear the pep talks, and you believed that this could be a good thing for Millville (God only knows how sorely the city needed a boost) and that you determined by the data presented that the noise would be there, but would be a minor annoyance (Click here for examples). You know, we could put up with that….
Who here can afford to loose $17,000? $34,000?
Well, that is the amount you have already lost to noise pollution. According to calculations by the US Department of Transportation, houses that are within earshot of busy highway noise sees a .2% reduction for each 2 1/2 dBA increase in the noise level and those who live the closest see a 1.2% reduction for each 2 1/2 dBA increase of noise.
They calculate that homes decline 10% to 20% the closer they are to noise pollution. The closer you are, the more your home devalues. Heavy truck traffic on the highway, lowers property values 150 times greater than cars. Imagine what the effect of high-pitch, pulsating, roaring racecars will do! If the Porreca Drive neighborhood, whose average ambient level has been determined to be 45 dBLs, is experiencing noise levels up to 75 and higher decibels then the percent of property value decrease on their homes is about 36%. Levels of noise up to 79 decibels is permitted and sanctioned by the City of Millville’s Noise Ordinance.
This devaluation does not discriminate, it hits every home owner,
Regardless if the noise doesn’t bother you.
Regardless if you support the track.
Regardless if you have a job at the track.
4,500- the approximate number of homes within the 3-mile noise zone.
146- the number of homes for sale in the noise zone (Realtor.com April, 2009).
177,219- the average price of these homes /highest price at $349,000.
25,874,000- the total market value of homes for sale in the noise zone.
800,000,000- the total market value of all the homes in the noise zone (based on the average selling price. We all know that there are quite a number of homes that lie within the noise zone what would push this number higher.)
80,000,000- 10% of total value of residential properties in the noise zone lost to noise pollution.
40,000,000- an additional 10% of total property value lost on homes closer to the track.
120,000,000- the total of property value lost due to noise pollution.
1,320,000- the total amount of potential city tax revenue lost due to noise pollution (based on $1.10 Millville municipal tax rate.
2,191,200- the total amount of potential county and school tax revenue lost due to noise pollution.
A question that should be on every future commissioner’s mind is what will you do when faced with the reality of homeowners appealing their taxes once comps start coming in from homes (hopefully) sold in the noise zone that reflects this decrease in value? Raise all homeowner’s taxes to offset the loss?
Homeowners around the racetrack have taken a double hit. Everyone is suffering lower home values due to the mortgage debacle but those who own homes close to the track will suffer an additional 10-20% (sometimes higher) loss due to noise pollution. Real estate professions should be looking hard at this for it will also result in lower commissions in the future.
TrackRacket strongly believes that it would be in the best interest of the future commissioners that this aspect of collateral damage from noise pollution be scrutinized and acted upon before these numbers become hard realities.
Two of the owners of the NJMP are owners of the Virginia International Raceway outside Danville, VA, the racetrack that the NJMP was patterned after. However, we are not Danville, VA where the racetrack is 12 miles outside of town. Our closest neighborhoods (not just some houses in the country, but highly populated) are a scant 3,000 from the closest part of the track. There are approximately 4,500 homes that are within the 3-mile noise zone.
The track has been built, it is not going to go away. Bold and deliberate moves must be taken now to protect us.
TrackRacket is not here to suggest ways to control the noise; that is not our job. It is the job of the newly elected commissioners. This track was brought to us with no noise control protection at all! Zero, zippo, none! We want the NJMP to be the good neighbor it purports itself to be. Being a good neighbor goes beyond “doing all that was required of us to do," because this is a disingenuous statement for it was only after the result of a lawsuit by a local environmental group and pressure from a homeowners association did the NJMP concede to include a sound barrier wall along the Bevin Wildlife Area (for the not yet built Oval track) and erect a sound barrier on the Lightbulb turn on the Lightening Raceway. Otherwise, they would have done nothing at all.
The city commissioners (with the exclusion of one) allowed this project to go forward void of any sound attenuation what so ever! This speaks volumes to the level of respect they have shown for the residents who find themselves neighbors to excessive noise pollution.
The inevitable reality is that it will take a second lawsuit to force the issue to curb their bad behavior.
TrackRacket is comprised of dedicated individuals who feel strongly and passionate about their future, their quality of life, the future of their fair city and the adjacent townships. We want only what they told us we would have- "55 decibels at the closest residential property line." (Mr. Shropshire's sworn testimony to the Millville Planning Board's final approval hearing, 11-25-05 Click here to view the video and hear for yourself.)