Live Free or Die Motocross Club

[phreak]

anyone else heard of this? it would be pretty sweet if it ends up going through.

Live Free or Die MX

[Stoneman]

Web page doesn't wanna load. Details?

[rjh200]

Seems to be loading fine. From the homepage:


"Live Free or Die Motocross Club is a organization for motocross, atv motocross, and snocross riders who are looking for somewere to ride or for individuals looking to get into the sport and train in New England. We do not have an age limit and welcome riders at all skill levels. We are in the process of aquiring town approvals in Alton, New Hampshire and are converting a gravel pit into a motorsports facility. We are also looking for other property in case Alton does not approve this project. Go to join club above and join for free there is no dues at this time you will be updated on club meetings and the project."

"The track will be located on Route 28 South Alton, New Hampshire. We are currently going through the process of town approvals and look forward to opening this summer. The parcel of property is 98 acres and is currently a gravel pit. The track will be located at the back portion of the property on 46 acres, the front portion is in conservation and will also be owned by us but is unusable. There is a 1/2 mile gravel road out to the proposed track area. The property is currently rolling hills and was clearcut several years ago. There is an estimated 750,000 yards of gravel on site and 15,000 yards of topsoil. We are proposing a 1 1/4 mile motocross track and a small kids and beginner track. There will also be a repetitive training area that will be changed on a regular basis. One week will be all turns and the next will be whoops and so on. Below is the proposed plot plan."

[Stoneman]

That's fucked, I still can't get on the site. None the less, that's already been shot down by Alton and the DES. Not sure when the site was last updated. Fuckin' sucks too. It's less than 5 miles from my house...

[rjh200]

It has been shot down as a business but from what the site says they can't be stopped from opening the land as a private club. I guess it goes back in front of the board on May 1st. See below.

"ALTON — Jody Persson is not yet finished with his efforts to put a motocross track at the site of the old Coffin Brook Gravel Pit on Route 28. The Wolfeboro man said yesterday he’s going to appeal a recent decision by the Zoning Board of Adjustment to reject his request for a special exception that would have allowed him to build a one mile dirt track for motocross enthusiasts several hundred feet back from the state road. And while he’s confident the board will reconsider its ruling, he’s not as confident the members will change their minds — so he’s got another plan he’s working on just in case. “I’m going to go to a conceptual meeting with Planning Board (representing) a not-for-profit club,” he said. “And then we wouldn’t need the ZBA approval. “I started a club a little while ago and we’re getting people to join,” Persson said. Since the club, called “Live Free or Die MX” – “MX” stands for motocross activities — would not be a business, Persson said it would not have to win an exception from the ZBA to start operating. “I’m not trying to pull a fast one on the town but with the club we could afford to go and purchase the property,” he explained. “There’s not going to be any (large weekend) events if that happened but there’s still going to be riding in there,” he said. “It would probably be a different schedule, different times of the week and all that. And it would be for a smaller amount of people, it would be restricted to members only. But from the beginning this has always been about the fact that we’re looking for a place to ride.” Persson and his supporters appeared before a ZBA hearing last month to ask to be allowed to build the track under the “outdoor recreation” special exception allowed in the rurally-zoned area. But a swarm of neighbors came and spoke out against the idea, claiming the bikes would disturb their community. After three sessions of the public hearing, the ZBA voted to reject Persson’s application on the grounds that the gravel pit is an inappropriate location for a motocross track and that the neighbors had demonstrated its noise would be disruptive. Persson said he’s spending $10,000 to get a site-specific sound study of the gravel pit to prove to the ZBA that the track will not create unacceptably loud noise in the neighborhood. (Persson has previously committed to require bikes using his facility to stay within a 96 decibels noise limit, the standard for state-owned trails but not for privately owned facilities.) Persson said he’s confident about getting a rehearing before the ZBA because of what appears to be a technical error. “I believe the town of Alton did not record the decision within 144 hours after it was made and by state statues that means I can appeal it,” he said. “I can appeal it anyway but they just have to have a good cause to open the case again, and it’s almost an automatic appeal because they didn’t record the decision within 144 hours.” In addition, Persson has already scheduled a conceptual meeting with the Planning Board to discuss his idea of operating the track under the umbrella of a not-for-profit club. No matter what course of action Persson takes, he’s confident about eventually winning his point. “The ZBA has to meet certain criteria whenever they make their decision. It’s in the state statutes and we met all of those seven criteria except for two,” he said. “But in their ruling they (ZBA members) wrote on those two, ‘it’s our opinion” or ‘we feel’ or ‘we think.’ And that’s not factual stuff. We were told by them throughout the process to stick to the facts and then it seems like their decisions were made on their opinions, thinking and feelings. “I think they’re good people but they got stuck between a rock and a hard place from Peter Ferrell’s campaign.” Ferrell, who lives on Stockbridge Corner Road, rallied residents of the neighborhood against the motocross idea. At the second and third sessionsof the ZBA hearing, a large contingencyof local residents complained the track would be both a noise nuisance and possibly harms the environment. However the environmental issue is not mentioned in the ruling against the track, Persson said. “They (the board members) didn’t have complete facts enough (to make a decision),” he said. “I’m going to try to go back to them with enough facts.”And if neither approach works, Persson said he’s ready to appeal the town’s planning decisions to the N.H. Supreme Court."

[Paul_E_D]

Hmmm... I guess it's "die" then... cause that guy sure ain't free.

[Stoneman]

Don't be fooled, rjh. It can get shot down for just about anything. Look at Club Motorsports. As much as I'd love to see this happen, it'll never be. If all other means to stop it fall through, the DES Wetlands Bureau will quickly step-up and squash it...

[rjh200]

Don't be fooled, rjh. It can get shot down for just about anything. Look at Club Motorsports. As much as I'd love to see this happen, it'll never be. If all other means to stop it fall through, the DES Wetlands Bureau will quickly step-up and squash it...

Oh I am not fooled in the least, just posting up the details from the website.

[Stoneman]

Oh I am not fooled in the least, just posting up the details from the website.

I wasn't trying to come off prickish. I've just seen too many motorsport-type things get shot down around here. It'd be sweet as shit if it happened. Party at our house, go dice it up then next day. I'd be the first in line if it were too happen!

[phreak]

damn it... i was hoping to come back to this thread and read some good news.

[Stoneman]

damn it... i was hoping to come back to this thread and read some good news.

I wish there was some good news. But talk of this place has been goin' on for at least a year now. If it gets even remotely close to actually getting done, all anyone hasta do is play the Dep't of Environmental Services Wetland Bureau card and it's over with - as in end of story. I'm actually shocked no one's played it yet. Maybe the disgruntled abutters are holding onto that to trump 'em if all else gets passed...

Again, I want this to go through as much as just about anybody...

[RandyO]

the area is adjacent to a sensitive wildlife managment area. there are a lot of wetlands, a lot more than in Tamworth, I actually see Tamworth eventually being built but Alton... doubtful, non profit business is still buisiness/comercial venture

the owner is getting ahead of himself there is a long way between now and the Supreme Court, they will not hear anything that hasn't been heard in a lower court first

if they don't first properly file their appeals locally, they won't even get heard in a district or superior court

I personally don't think the alton location is suitable but 'd love to get a client that has a cash cow job like that

[RandyO]

Motocross fails to win support of zoning board in Alton

By CUTTER MITCHELL
jmitchell@citizen.com


Article Date: Friday, May 2, 2008
The second bite at the apple for the Wolfeboro residents proposing a motocross track in Alton proved to be as fruitless as the first. They now are looking at that old adage: the third time is the charm — and it just might be.

Several weeks back, the Alton Zoning Board of Adjustment denied Jody Persson's application seeking a special exception. The zoning board ultimately rested its denial of the motocross track on the noise it would present to the surrounding neighborhood, should the 46-acre Coffin Brook Gravel Pit be developed for such a use.

ZBA Chair Timothy Morgan noted that the application for the same special exception was not filed within the appeal time allotted and, as such, it was to be treated as a re-application. According to Alton's zoning procedures, a re-application must meet one of two criteria: that there be a significant change in the proposed use or a change in circumstance.

"I frankly don't see any material differences [from the first application]," said Morgan, continuing, "We can't keep subjecting the abutters to continual applications."

While there were no significant changes in the circumstances surrounding the application, which prevented the acceptance by the board, there were differences. Persson's new application hinged on a proposal for a sound study to be conducted by a specialist based out of California. However, at the time it came before the zoning board on Thursday, the study was only a proposal and had not yet been done.

The hangup then became that, because the proposed sound study was not complete, it could not constitute a change meriting consideration, in the opinion of the board members.

"I know it's a technicality — a small one — but I think it is important," said Timothy Kinnon, a member of the zoning board.

Kinnon suggested that, if the board had included a sound study in the application, the new information would meet the procedural requirement and the board would have to accept the application for another look.

Persson asked to make a clarification for the board but Morgan denied him the opportunity.

Persson later said that, if he had addressed the board, he would have explained that the board's involvement was a crucial part of the sound study, which is why he had not conducted it beforehand.

Without the sound study to accompany the new application, the board unanimously voted not to accept what Persson put before it.

Following the decision, Persson said he sees two options to pursue: Either he would complete the sound study and reapply as alluded to, or he would pursue legal action against the board. Persson said he feels the ZBA unjustly denied his application.

While no public comment was solicited by the zoning board, a solid showing of Alton residents attended to hear the board's deliberations.

[rjh200]

So I signed up to email updates out of curiousity and here is the latest one. Seems like all this person is going to do is piss off a lot of people:

"Hey its jody the town has shut the door completely they will not even talk to me about not for profit recreation which is an excepted use on the land. I guess the town of alton is its own nation now making its own rules not following the states rules should be interesting to get the courts view. I meet with land owner at the land soon he wants to talk about trying out a lease to me and i will give written permission to ride on the land that's what fish and game requires. This will hopefully be for the rest of this riding season June - Sept . I will get better pictures of the land and post them. We can make a small kids track and a bigger track to try this out. I was thinking of $50 a month for full time riders that would be during the week and weekends. If you think you will not ride much then we could do a day rider member ship $20 a month and $ 15 each time you ride that would be people that would only ride once a month if that these are just ideas remember the more people the better please e- mail your thoughts or ideas. Should be having a Sunday soon coming up that members or anyone interested in becoming a member could come see and walk the land this property is great you must see it i will post date soon if everything goes good with land owner talk to you later Jody persson my phone number is 603 569 3200 feel free to call me any time"