On Sunday morning, and again Monday, we are in our home, windows and doors closed. Pacific Raceways is louder at our home than ever before.
We have been here for 40 years. The noise has been gradually increasing over the past 10 years, but with the tree and massive dirt removal from the new drag area, the noise from the original track now is able to escape any last remaining natural barriers and travel freely to new previously undisturbed places.
Obviously, no thought was given to what would happen to noise pattens generated by the original track when the dragstrip mining was completed, removing the only natural berm on the north side of the facility. What has been created is a huge, unjustified spread of noise throughout a larger part of this area.
Why was there no noise pattern study or environmental impact study prior to allowing the dirt, trees and natural vegetation to be removed?
It seems unconscionable that a business is condoned by our governing bodies in such a way that it is able to impact greater and greater areas without care to the surrounding areas it impacts.
When we first moved here, we were not affected by the noise. In the late ’70s and early ’80s, we were inundated with drunken and rowdy patrons parking in front of our home while waiting for entrance to SIR (now Pacific Raceways), but not by the noise from the track itself. Since the 1984 CUP (Conditional Use Permit), the above problem was addressed, and there have been no further problems with patrons.
Now, all of these years later, with the blessing of uninformed or uncaring county agencies, this noise is permeating our neighborhood, along with those of many other residents in every direction surrounding the Pacific Raceway.
Noise from Highway 18 has increased, air traffic has increased, traffic patterns in front of our home have increased. These are unavoidable disturbances when population growth occurs.
Recreational noises, in all neighborhoods, cities, counties and states, has been stringently addressed as the density of housing goes up. Because of increased stress on neighbors, barking dogs, crowing roosters, dirt bikes, continued loud music or on-going large disruptive parties are regulated by the governing bodies.
Pacific Raceway is a recreational facility.
Where is the regulation to preserve the sanity, health and stress levels of those that do not wish to participate in this type of “recreation?”
We are hostage to the noise even though we choose not to participate.
What has happened to the rights of those who wish to live their lives in peace without the pervasive noise that masks the singing of the birds, the voices of our children, or in severe cases, even the ability to watch our televisions within our homes at a reasonable sound level?
The argument is always thrown out – “you knew the racetrack was there when you bought your house, so it is your own fault, so why don’t you just move if you don’t like it”. This argument just does not have any relevance to what has been happening over the past years at Pacific Raceway.
• Everyone trusted that the County would uphold environmental laws, enforce the existing CUP, and protect their right to live in a peaceful manner.
• This track is not abiding by the rules homeowners were promised in county documents (IE: The 1984 CUP).
• Thousands of families have moved into this area knowing that the racetrack was in place, but this is not the same track it was when the homes were purchased.
• New homes presently being built will be heavily impacted without any assurance as to what to expect in the future.
More RPMs
Not only does Pacific Raceways not abide by the CUP, noise has escalated with more events, vehicles now make more noise, and the promise Mr. Fiorito has made to Pacific Raceway neighbors is that there will be an increase in events, increase of patrons, extended length of those events, and events will run concurrently, thereby creating even more noise pollution.
In interoffice county DDES (Department of Environmental Services) correspondence, the issue of potential increased noise has been brought up repeatedly over the years, as far back as the Berteig documents (1984). So there should be no surprise that the community is asking to have the noise pollution issue addressed immediately.
A combination of lack of CUP enforcement and continuous, unregulated expansion without a thorough, in depth environmental impact study is affecting a far greater area each and every year.
How long does it take a county representative or a county agency to recognize the need to protect and preserve the health and environment of an area they were chosen to represent?
It is not as if there are no other options for placement of recreational facilities. Other counties and states have chosen to place noisy or traffic impacting venues in areas that are able to handle the intrusion:
• The Kingdome, the Tacoma Dome and Safeco Field are located in an industrial area able to handle traffic and patrons.
• ORV parks are in low density areas.
• The Monroe Fairgrounds has car racing events, is located next to the freeway, and is not surrounded by homes butting right up against it.
• The proposed Bremerton speedway is to be placed in an industrial area.
• Portland International Raceway is placed in an industrial area, next to I-5, and has a 30′ berm surrounding the facility, and has not been allowed to expand to other venues other than those already in place.
• Pacific Raceway is located in a densely populated community.
• It is not part of a necessary infrastructure.
• It is a recreational facility. Begin treating it as such.
• Require an immediate and in-depth environmental impact study to determine how to alleviate the impact of this facility on the surrounding community.
• Require noise barriers to eliminate increasing noise intrusion
• Restrict any further growth.
• Uphold the 1984 CUP
These are not unreasonable expectations, and should have already been considered and acted upon by our governing body.
Please enact them immediately.
Larry and Linda Worden are Auburn residents.
